Effectiveness of Different Types of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in Improving Communication Skills and in Enhancing the Vocabulary of Children with ASD: a Review

Abstract

Communication deficits are one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems are utilized to facilitate the communication and language development of children with ASD. This review examines the research literature on the use of aided and unaided AAC systems in interventions for children with ASD, and investigates their effectiveness in enhancing language and communication skills in this population. Systematic review methodology was used to limit bias in the search of electronic databases, and relevant studies were selected, 20 of which met the inclusion criteria for the review. The findings of these studies indicate that AAC systems are able to facilitate and enhance communication skills in children with ASD. It is apparent that this is a method that will be used increasingly in the future, and it is imperative that meticulous research is conducted on the effects of the applications. Refinements in the study methodology are recommended, and additional questions that might be addressed in future research are discussed.