For children, adolescents, and adults with autism, AAC can have a tremendous positive impact on communication, social skills, and behavior. Now there's a comprehensive, up-to-date research volume that shows professionals what today's most effective AAC methods are—and why they're a perfect fit with a variety of learning approaches that work for people with autism.

 

Pat Mirenda—a leading authority on AAC and autism—and Teresa Iacono partner with more than 30 other experts to give readers the most current, in-depth information on a wide range of AAC methods and technologies. Through clear and compelling examinations of the latest research studies, professionals supporting people with autism will discover how these evidence-based AAC interventions can be used to:

 

·         promote children's natural speech and language development

·         expand literacy skills

·         modify challenging behavior

·         build young children's social interaction skills

·         encourage students' full membership and participation in inclusive classrooms

·         give children socially appropriate ways to express needs and preferences

·         replace unconventional communicative acts with more conventional ones

·         help adolescents and adults develop strong social networks within their community

 

Readers will also get clarification of the common characteristics of effective AAC interventions and insight into the future research required to make AAC technologies more meaningful and motivating. Essential for educators, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other direct service providers, this course will give readers a complete understanding of today's diverse AAC options—knowledge they'll use to help people with autism develop the communication and social skills they need to succeed.

Brookes Publishing | 2009 | Hardcover 484 pages | 25 posttest questions | Course #80-48

1. Identify assessment issues in individuals with ASD

2. Describe communication modalities of AAC systems used by individuals with ASD

3. List effects of AAC on the natural speech development of individuals with ASD

4. Identify current interventions intended to develop communication and/or social interactions for young children with ASD

5. Name factors to consider for development of functional communication as a replacement for problem behaviors or unconventional communication acts used by individuals with ASD

6. List key points about literacy or inclusion in general education classrooms as these areas relate to students with ASD who use AAC interventions. 

Pat Mirenda, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia. In 2008, she was named a Fellow of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Dr. Mirenda's current research focuses on describing the developmental trajectories of young children with autism and factors that predict the outcomes of early intervention.

 

Teresa Iacono, PhD, is a speech-language pathologist, associate professor, senior research fellow, and Director of Research for the Centre for Developmental Disability Health Victoria at Monash University. Her work has focused on developmental disabilities and complex learning needs and extended more recently to physical and mental health issues of adults with developmental disabilities. In 2007, Dr. Iacono was a recipient of the inaugural National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) Ethics Award for her work addressing ethical concerns of including people with developmental disabilities in research.

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