Date of Award

Spring 4-25-2025

Thesis Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis and Clinical Science

Committee Member(s)

Kara Wunderlich

Stephanie Trauschke

Sulay Martinez

Supervising Faculty Member

Kara Wunderlich

Abstract

We replicated the findings of van der Meer et. al., (2012) to examine the acquisition of manual signs, picture exchange, and speech-generating devices. A nonconcurrent multiple-baseline design across participants combined with an alternating treatment design across Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) modalities was implemented to assess the intervention. Communication preference was evaluated at three stages: pre-baseline, baseline, and throughout the intervention. During the intervention, all three participants met mastery criteria for each communication method and exhibited a preference for the speech-generating device. These results build upon previous studies by demonstrating the differential acquisition of three commonly used alternative communication modalities. Moreover, the findings suggest that children who are currently communicating with an AAC device may show a preference for a modality with which they have less history and lower skill proficiency. These results emphasize the importance of considering the child’s preference for manual sign, picture exchange, and speech-generating devices when implementing AAC interventions. Additionally, the present results further suggest the need for implementing continuous evaluation of a child’s communication preference to optimize their continued use of an AAC device.

Rights Holder

Abigail Buck

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