The success of communicative interaction is dependent on the communication skills of each individual participating in the exchange. Accordingly, in the case of an interaction involving an individual using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), the success of the interaction depends not only on the skills of this individual, but also on those of the communication partner. Current literature indicates that communication partner instruction is a critical intervention component. Furthermore, there is evidence that, with instruction, communication partners can learn to use facilitative interaction skills and strategies to better support the communication of individuals using AAC. To date, however, little attention has been paid to the most effective and efficient instructional methods for communication partner intervention programs. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an eight-step strategic model for use in communication partner instruction programs, and identify future research directions related to this model.

Many children who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) have difficulties shifting from the single-to multi-symbol stage of language development. Ensuring that children who use AAC receive evidence-based interventions to address this problem is critical. Furthermore, there has been little AAC treatment efficacy research to date that addresses the needs of multicultural populations, particularly those of Latino children who use AAC and their families. To address these issues, the current investigation used a mixed methodology, which included a focus group to determine if any changes needed to be made to an existing instructional program; and a single subject, multiple probe, across participants design to evaluate the effects of a caregiver instructional program on the multi-symbol utterance productions of Latino children who used AAC. Specifically, a cognitive strategy instructional approach that has been used to teach turn-taking skills to both Caucasian and African American children who use AAC was modified and used to teach caregivers how to support the production of their children's multi-symbol messages. In order to foster emergent literacy skills, caregivers implemented the strategy during book reading activities. Focus group results revealed that changes to the instructional program may be required for some Latino families. With regard to the instructional program, all caregivers successfully learned to use the instructional strategy, and all children increased their use of multi-symbol messages. Research and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) partner instruction intervention literature to determine (a) the overall effects of partner interventions on the communication of individuals using AAC, and (b) any possible moderating variables relating to participant, intervention, or outcome characteristics. Seventeen single-case experimental design studies (53 participants) met the inclusion criteria and were advanced to the full coding and analysis phase of the investigation. Descriptive analyses and effect size estimations using the Improvement Rate Difference (IRD) metric were conducted. Overall, communication partner interventions were found to be highly effective across a range of participants using AAC, intervention approaches, and outcome measure characteristics, with more evidence available for participants less than 12 years of age, most of whom had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or intellectual/developmental disability. Aided AAC modeling, expectant delay, and open-ended question asking were the most frequently targeted communication partner interaction skills. Providing a descriptive overview, instructor modeling, guided practice, and role plays were the most frequently incorporated communication partner intervention activities within the included studies.

Results provide further evidence (a) of the viability of using a communication partner instructional program for teaching partners how to facilitate the communication skills of children who use AAC and (b) that the interaction strategy can be an effective tool for increasing expressive multisymbol message rates for children who use AAC.

Results provide evidence that the communication partner instruction program applied within storybook-reading contexts holds significant promise in improving parent-child interaction patterns and facilitating communicative expression and turn taking in children who use AAC.