Teaching Preschoolers With Down Syndrome Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication Modeling During Small Group Dialogic Reading.

Purpose: This study evaluated the effect of aided augmentative and alternative communication modeling (AAC-MOD) on the communication skills of children with Down syndrome (DS) during small group dialogic reading. Method: Four children with DS between 3;1 and 5;3 (years; months; M = 4;5) and 5 typically developing peers between 3;5 and 5;9 (M = 4;3) participated. Effects were examined using a multiple probe across behaviors design with 4 children with DS. To simulate typical dialogic reading routines in inclusive classrooms, a strategy called Read, Ask, Answer, Prompt (Binger, Kent-Walsh, Ewing, & Taylor, 2010) was applied during the baseline and intervention sessions. Results: A functional relation was demonstrated between (a) AAC-MOD and percentage of correctly identified symbols for 3 participants, (b) AAC-MOD and rate of symbolic communication for 2 participants, and (c) AACMOD and number of different words for 2 participants. Increases in number of multiple word combinations occurred for 2 participants. All 4 children maintained their percentage of correctly identified symbols. Increases in rate of symbolic communication did not generalize to thematic play contexts, a distal measure of response generalization. Conclusion: AAC-MOD is an effective strategy for teaching target vocabulary and increasing rate of symbolic communication in young children with DS.