Research On The Teachers And Parents’ Perspective And Application Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is one of the important communication approaches of children with communication disorders. In developed countries and regions, researches and technology of using AAC to improve children’ ability of communication are mature. But in the mainland of China, researches and practice about AAC are just started. Teachers and parents are children’ important persons and main communicators, the use of AAC in school and family environment directly affects children’ communication opportunities and the degree of participation. However, in mainland China, the research about it is little, it’s has great significance to investigate teachers and parents’ perspective and application of AAC.This research investigated the teachers (n=175) and parents (n=162) of children with special needs in special education schools (institutions) in Beijing and Shanghai, interviewed children’ important persons (n=8), using self-made questionnaire and interview outline as research tools. With the comprehensive analysis of the results of the questionnaire and the ecological interview data, the conclusions are as follows.(1)Large proportion of children has communication disorders, it’s necessity and urgency to use AAC for children’ education and intervention.Teachers and parents held low degree of overall understanding of AAC, which remains to be further improved. Both teachers and parents’ abilities of AAC utilization is weak, it is necessary to improve the relevant skills.(2) Teachers and parents held overall positive attitude toward the AAC, especially cognition and behavior dimension, they both agree the significance and function of AAC.Meanwhile, they are willing to learning AAC and provide opportunities for children to use AAC. But there was concern about mode of nonverbal communication. Teachers and parents have significant differences in the attitude of AAC, by contrast, teachers’ attitude are more positive. Teachers’ age, special educational teaching age and education background has significant effect on part of the items of attitude, demand and difficult factor. The relationship between parents and children, parents’ education background has significant effect on part of the items of attitude. Parents and child relationship and degree of attitude part problem exists(3)significant influence. Teachers and parents’ contact degree of AAC has significant effect to their attitude to AAC, the higher the degree of contact, the manner of cognition, emotion and behavioral tendency is more positive.(4)Teachers and parents’ need of policy support, professional support and environmental support are very high. Parents and teachers meet many difficulties when they use AAC.The difficulties mainly include the children’ disorder types and degree of restriction, the lack of professional service and support, the cooperation difficult between family and school, teachers and parents’ lack of knowledge and skills, the limitation of time and energy.According to the results of the research, the researchers put forward a few suggestions:(1) to perfect the laws and regulations, increase policy support;(2) improve AAC services, build effective assistive technology service system;(3) to strengthen the cooperation of related organizations, develop assistive technology professionals.(4) to strengthen the AAC related propaganda, establish positive atmosphere of schools, families, communities and other environment.