Rethinking family (dis)engagement with augmentative & alternative communication

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a core component of special education for many children with learning disabilities and/or autism who have minimal or no speech. Much literature focuses on implementation AAC in the classroom therapy setting, but less known about how used family home. Few studies are authored by an parent/researcher reflection positionality, power advantages conferred ‘insider’ status. This paper addresses this gap exploring perspectives five families minimally verbal place their child’s home communication. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed subjected to Thematic Analysis. Formal practices such as Picture Exchange System (PECS) Makaton found play limited role children’s Findings indicate three possible explanations: emotional relationship-building dimensions communication; competing priorities life disabled child; existing multimodal communication strategies including use household objects. These findings offer preliminary starting point understanding emic reasons convergence/divergence professional attitudes AAC, warrant further investigation larger-scale studies.