Teaching Requesting to Individuals with Rett Syndrome Using Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) Through...

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Communication Sciences
• Assistive Technology

Background:

• Rett syndrome causes severe motor and language skill regression, complicating communication.
• Individuals with Rett syndrome often require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) due to speech and motor challenges.
• Limited research exists on communication interventions, especially for expressive communication, in Rett syndrome.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically replicate mand training procedures for teaching AAC requests.
• To assess the efficacy of caregiver coaching via telehealth for AAC intervention in Rett syndrome.
• To investigate barriers and implications for future research and clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Three girls with Rett syndrome participated in the study.
• Researchers used telehealth to coach caregivers in implementing mand training.
• The study focused on teaching participants to use AAC to make requests.

Main Results:

• Mand training successfully increased AAC use for all three participants.
• The telehealth approach facilitated intervention delivery.
• The study demonstrated the feasibility of AAC intervention for this population.

Conclusions:

• Mand training is an effective intervention for improving expressive communication in individuals with Rett syndrome using AAC.
• Telehealth delivery is a viable option for supporting communication interventions in Rett syndrome.
• Further research and clinical practice should consider AAC interventions to enhance autonomy and quality of life.