Multimodal AAC for Individuals with Down Syndrome

“Contains a wealth of information that will be relevant to faculty who teach AAC courses and to clinicians who support families...The life span approach reminds us that it is never too early or too late to support communication development using multiple modalities.”
—Pat Mirenda, Ph.D., BCBA-D, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus

“The authors of this book take a deep dive into the complexity of Down syndrome...their multimodal/multidisciplinary approaches reveal the cutting edge of increasingly effective treatments.”
—Steven F. Warren, Ph.D., University Distinguished Professor, Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders; Investigator, Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies

Many people with Down syndrome—one of the most common genetically linked developmental disabilities—experience difficulty developing spoken and written communication skills. In this groundbreaking book, discover how augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can enhance communication and improve outcomes for people with Down syndrome across the life span. Part of Beukelman and Light’s Augmentative and Alternative Communication Series, this book fully explores how interdisciplinary, multimodal AAC strategies can promote speech, language, and literacy success across many contexts, including homes, schools, communities, health care settings, and the workplace.

Key Goals of the Book

Bringing together an interdisciplinary group of more than 25 experts on AAC and Down syndrome, this book prepares readers to:

• Skillfully pair unaided AAC supports with aided AAC
• Enrich young children’s communication and language development with AAC
• Use AAC to boost older children’s language skills
• Enhance reading instruction using AAC technology
• Supplement speech and improve speech intelligibility with carefully chosen interventions
• Engage families as collaborative partners to integrate AAC supports into everyday life
• Address young adults’ communication needs as they evolve through adulthood.

About the Editors

Krista M. Wilkinson, Ph.D., is a professor at The Pennsylvania State University and Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She was Editor/Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology from 2012 to 2016.
Lizbeth H. Finestack, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences. She is also a speech-language pathologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.