Addressing Disinterest or Rejection: Strategies Used by SLPs to Motivate AAC Device Use in Children

Date of Submission

Spring 2024

Document Type

Closed Research Project

Degree Name

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

Department

Speech-Language Pathology

First Advisor

Ivonne Maldonado-De la Rosa, PhD, MLS, CCC-SLP

Abstract

This study investigates strategies used by Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) to address a critical issue: the low long-term use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. Prior research by Johnson et al. (2006) indicates that only 39.35% of devices introduced by SLPs are used for more than a year, highlighting the need for effective strategies to combat user disinterest and abandonment. While existing research focuses on reasons behind user rejection, there is a gap in knowledge regarding comprehensive strategies employed by SLPs. This study addresses this gap by surveying SLPs on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) community website. The findings demonstrate that widely recognized strategies like therapist modeling and parental education are commonly used and considered effective. Interestingly, a lesser-known strategy, peer mentorship, emerged as underutilized yet perceived as potentially beneficial by 64% of participants. These results suggest a need for promoting a wider range of strategies to SLPs, potentially improving long-term AAC device use and communication access for individuals who rely on them.

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