The Efficacy of Literacy Interventions for Students who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

One of the most fundamental skills learned in school is literacy. Literacy fosters cognitive development and enhances learning, allows for adequate participation in education, and broadens employment opportunities. However, not all students will develop literacy skills sufficiently. Students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are at increased risk of developing limited or no acquisition of literacy skills. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to summarize the state of current evidence in the area of AAC and literacy. Specifically, we will address literacy interventions that target phonological and phonemic awareness, letter-sound correspondence, decoding skills, and sight word recognition. We will focus on adapted literacy instruction to promote participation and engagement in literary instruction for students who rely on AAC. We hope that our work can help bridge empirical evidence to literacy activities in inclusive settings.