The availability and effectiveness of AAC training programmes for educators and paraeducators : a scoping review

Abstract

Background: A trans-disciplinary approach is required to implement Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) for children with complex communication needs (CCN). Educators and paraeducators play an essential role in AAC implementation in the classroom context. Children who use AAC often spend most of their day with educators and paraeducators. Educators and paraeducators facilitate AAC use in the school setting and provide vital feedback regarding practical adjustments that need to be made to AAC devices, the child’s daily routine, and their needs and preferences related to AAC (Johnson et al., 2015). The study aims to i) identify and describe the currently available training programmes or studies that train educators and paraeducators in implementing AAC; ii) describe the training objectives and instructions of these programmes; iii) report the research design and outcomes of these programmes; iv) make a quality appraisal of the studies that were included in the review, and lastly, v) describe the effectiveness of the training programmes on AAC for educators and paraeducators. Methods: The scoping review framework by Arksey and O’Malley (2005), as refined by Levac et al. (2010), as well as the PRISMA checklist (Tricco et al., 2018) was used as the methodology in this study. This methodology was chosen since educator and paraeducator training on AAC is an emerging topic within the field of AAC. A scoping review allowed reporting on currently available studies (Munn, 2019). Results: A total of 15 (N=15) studies met the inclusion criteria between 2001 and 2022. Only one study defined or described what was meant by educators and paraeducators. Most of the training sessions were conducted face to face (n=12), while some authors used online platforms (n = 1) and others used a combination of both (n = 2) to conduct training. Few studies made use of an existing training programme. The quality appraisals of seven (n=7) studies were conclusive, three (n=3) were preponderant, and four (n=4) inconclusive. Thirteen (n=13) studies were rated highly effective and two (n=2) were rated fairly effective. Conclusion: Information gathered from these studies showed that face-to-face and online training can be effective when training educators and paraeducators on AAC implementation. Also, definitions of the terms used to refer to educators and paraeducators are needed to understand exactly who is being trained in these studies. Furthermore, while good quality research and effective training are reported in this review, only a limited number of studies (N=15) complied with the required inclusion criteria. Hence, there is a need for more research on the effectiveness of AAC training for educators and paraeducators in AAC implementation.