Date of Last Revision
2023-05-02 14:06:45
Major
Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2015
Abstract
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have a difficult time communicating on a daily basis. To help enhance and sometimes substitute speech altogether, they require Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. A review of literature found that school-age children with ASD utilize multiple modes of communication. The observation conducted looked at six school-age children, grades 6-8, with ASD and their use of multimodal communication. Each child was observed throughout their school day in settings such as the classroom, lunch/recess, and the speech therapy room. Data was collected for the number of times a child was given the opportunity to use a particular mode of communication within ten minutes, how many times they actually used the particular mode within the ten minutes, who the communication partner was in the exchange, and what pragmatic function the exchange served. The limits of the observation included a small sample size, convenience sampling, and difficulty generalizing data because the observed participants were only observed during school and not in natural environments, such as home and in the community. The most prominent finding revealed that different communicative situations called for different modes of communication that were most functional for the student. Recommendations for future research were provided.
Research Sponsor
Kelly Wade
First Reader
Jamie Harding
Second Reader
Jennifer Visker
Recommended Citation
Dougherty, Lauren, "Multi-Modal Communication in School-Age Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders" (2015). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 122.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/122