School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
Department of Communication Disorders & Special Education, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2023 Jul 10;32(4):1595-1609. doi: 10.1044/2023_AJSLP-22-00036. Epub 2023 Jun 22.
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) report extensive barriers to delivering augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services, including the knowledge and skills necessary for AAC service delivery. Although nearly all graduate programs report the inclusion of preservice training for SLPs to provide AAC services, existing research on SLPs' characteristics of AAC service provision does not reflect these changes. This study aimed to identify current AAC service delivery characteristics, barriers, and learning preferences reported by SLPs.
A survey invitation was distributed to SLPs with American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence through social media and the ASHA Community discussion groups.
Participants were 530 SLPs who predominantly identified as general practice SLPs. Participants reported 1%-25% of their weekly patient caseload has AAC needs for communication or receives AAC intervention. SLPs reported feeling at least "knowledgeable" in more than half of the targeted competency areas. The reported primary barriers to AAC service provision are knowledge, caseload, and time. Preferences for topic, format, and frequency and duration for AAC-related continuing education were highly variable among SLPs.
SLPs' barriers to AAC service delivery are consistent with research from the last 15 years, revealing a lack of systematic, organizational, and informational mechanisms to support SLPs as vital members of the AAC team. Those involved in post-service instruction and training must consider the training needs of SLPs with varying competence and their experience with AAC modalities, clinical practice backgrounds, and learning preferences. AAC-related training and continuing education must reflect SLP's daily practice, learning needs, and preferences.
言语语言病理学家（SLP）报告了在提供增强和替代沟通（AAC）服务方面存在广泛障碍，包括提供 AAC 服务所需的知识和技能。尽管几乎所有的研究生课程都报告了为 SLP 提供 AAC 服务的职前培训，但现有的关于 SLP 提供 AAC 服务的特征的研究并没有反映出这些变化。本研究旨在确定 SLP 目前报告的 AAC 服务提供的特征、障碍和学习偏好。
通过社交媒体和美国言语语言听力协会（ASHA）社区讨论组向具有 ASHA 临床能力证书的 SLP 发送了调查邀请。
参与者是 530 名主要是普通实践 SLP 的 SLP。参与者报告说，他们每周的患者病例中，有 1%-25%的患者有 AAC 沟通需求或接受 AAC 干预。SLP 报告说，他们在超过一半的目标能力领域至少感到“有知识”。AAC 服务提供的主要障碍是知识、工作量和时间。
SLP 提供 AAC 服务的障碍与过去 15 年的研究一致，这表明缺乏系统的、组织的和信息的机制来支持 SLP 作为 AAC 团队的重要成员。那些参与后续服务指导和培训的人必须考虑到具有不同能力和 AAC 模式经验的 SLP 的培训需求、临床实践背景和学习偏好。与 AAC 相关的培训和继续教育必须反映 SLP 的日常实践、学习需求和偏好。
