In-service training for schools on augmentative and alternative communication

Area of Science:

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Special Education
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Effective augmentative communication (AC) requires skilled support from school staff.
• In-service training is crucial for enhancing staff's ability to facilitate AC use in children.
• The 'My Turn to Speak' training package aims to improve communication support for non-speaking children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a preliminary evaluation of the 'My Turn to Speak' staff training package.
• To assess the impact of the training on staff's facilitation of communication with non-speaking physically disabled children.
• To identify differences in behavioral adaptation between teaching and non-teaching staff post-training.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design was used, filming 19 participants and 10 comparison staff before and after a five-session training workshop.
• Interactions between staff and non-speaking physically disabled children were recorded in natural classroom settings.
• Follow-up observations were conducted four months after training completion to assess sustained effects.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in the quality of adult facilitation of children's communication were observed post-training.
• Positive effects on communication support were still discernible four months after the training concluded.
• Teachers demonstrated quicker behavioral changes compared to non-teaching staff following the training.

Conclusions:

• The 'My Turn to Speak' training package is effective in enhancing staff's facilitation of augmentative communication.
• Sustained improvements in communication support are achievable with appropriate in-service training.
• Tailoring training approaches may be necessary to optimize adaptation rates across different staff roles in multidisciplinary settings.