Multimodal Aac for Individuals with Down Syndrome

Many individuals with Down syndrome face challenges in developing spoken and written communication skills. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for Individuals with Down Syndrome offers a comprehensive guide on how AAC can enhance communicative competence and promote participation across the lifespan. The latest volume in Beukelman and Light’s respected AAC series presents evidence-based, interdisciplinary strategies for pairing unaided and aided AAC supports, fostering speech, language, and literacy success in homes, schools, communities, healthcare settings, and workplaces. Drawing on the expertise of over 25 specialists, this book is an essential resource for speech-language pathologists, special educators, and AAC professionals, as well as a key supplementary text for courses on AAC and developmental disabilities.

Key Features

• Evidence-based guidance on the use of AAC to support individuals with Down syndrome across all life stages
• Integration of unaided (gestures, manual signs) and aided (technology, external devices) AAC supports
• Strategies to enhance early communication and language development in young children
• Techniques to boost vocabulary, grammatical, and narrative skills in older children
• Approaches to enrich literacy and reading instruction using AAC
• Methods to supplement speech and improve intelligibility using targeted interventions and visual aids
• Family-centered practices for integrating AAC into daily life and routines
• Support for adolescents and adults, addressing evolving communication needs and complex social contexts
• Assessment guidance for cognitive and social functioning in AAC users
• Practical strategies for healthcare, education, and workplace communication
• Comprehensive, interdisciplinary perspective from over 25 experts in AAC and Down syndrome