Communication success and AAC: A model of symbol acquisition

This is a current project.

Many children with developmental delays, including autism, are at risk for not developing symbolic communication (words) so are often taught augmentative or alternative communication (AAC). This longitudinal study is testing the relationships between variables and three different outcomes – symbolic vocabulary development, communication success and symbol substitutions. Participants are 100 young children with developmental disabilities and 20 young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who are learning AAC. This research is expected to produce the largest data set collected thus far from a prospective study of young children learning AAC.

Project Administration

Nancy Brady, principal investigator

Kathy Thieman, co-investigator

Project Contact

Nancy Brady, Ph.D.
3008 Dole Human Development Center
1000 Sunnyside Avenue
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045-7555
nbrady@ku.edu
785-864-0762 (phone)
785-864-5323 (fax)

This is a project of:

Kansas Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (KIDDRC)

Funded by:

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)