Communication modality sampling for a toddler with Angelman syndrome

Area of Science:

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Developmental Disabilities
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Angelman syndrome presents significant communication challenges.
• Early intervention is crucial for developing communication skills in young children.
• Identifying effective communication modes is essential for building an initial repertoire.

Observation:

• A concurrent modality sampling procedure was used to compare vocal, gestural, and graphic communication modes.
• An alternating treatment single-subject experimental design assessed symbol learning.
• Prompting strategies were employed across all communication modes.

Findings:

• The toddler with Angelman syndrome demonstrated significantly higher accuracy in graphic mode (96% nonoverlapping data) for requesting compared to gestural mode.
• Vocal mode intervention focused on increasing vocal frequency due to initial difficulties with vocal imitation.
• A direct comparison between vocal and other modes was not feasible due to limited success in vocal prompting.

Implications:

• Concurrent modality sampling is a data-driven approach to inform AAC system selection for young children.
• This method can guide clinical decisions and optimize resource allocation for communication intervention.
• Emphasizing the most efficiently learned mode can promote success in developing a communicative repertoire.