Teaching Sound Letter Correspondence and Consonant-Vowel-Consonant Combinations to Young Children who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide a preliminary examination of an intervention strategy designed to teach sound-letter correspondence and spelling of consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) combinations to young children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). A multiple baseline probe design across behaviors was used to assess the effects of the intervention on the percentage of correct responses provided by two participants on the target skills during free-choice play activities in the literacy center of inclusive classrooms. The results of this study provide preliminary support for the use of the intervention strategy within inclusive classrooms.

Teaching phonics to groups of middle school students with autism, intellectual disabilities and complex communication needs

“…Since most phonics interventions require verbal output from participants such as orally making the sound when presented with an orthographic representation, a student who is unable to do so may be excluded from participation in this element of literacy. While there is scant but emerging research demonstrating the ability of students who have complex communication needs to acquire phonics, teachers often do not know how to accommodate learners who have complex communication needs and who are unable to verbally participate in phonics instruction Johnston, Davenport, Kanarowski, Rhodehouse, and mcDonnel (2009), examined the ability of two preschool aged children with cerebral palsy, mild intellectual disabilities, and complex communication needs to acquire phonics. The intervention was conducted during free choice time in their preschool classrooms using researcher enhanced literacy activities and simultaneous prompting in three letter sound associations.…”

Comparison of Fixed and Gradual Array When Teaching Sound-Letter Correspondence to Two Children with Autism who Use AAC

“…Results of this study add to the emerging empirical literature base examining strategies for teaching written language and phonological awareness to individuals who use AAC (e.g., Blischak et al, 2004;Fallon et al, 2004;Johnston et al, 2008;Truxler & O'Keefe, 2007). In a discussion of methodological issues to compare the efficacy of AAC interventions, Schlosser (1999) included effectiveness (demonstration of behavior change as a direct result of treatment) and efficiency (demonstration of relative effectiveness in terms of number of trials, cost, instructional time, and/or training errors) as two concepts that are of critical importance.…”

“…An empirical literature base examining strategies for teaching written language and phonological awareness to individuals who use AAC is emerging (e.g., Blischak, Shah, Lombardino, & Chiarella, 2004;Fallon et al, 2004;Johnston, Davenport, Kanarowski, Rhodehouse, & McDonnell, 2008;Truxler & O'Keefe, 2007). Participants in these studies have learned to (a) point to letters that correspond to spoken sounds Johnston et al, 2008;Truxler & O'Keefe, 2007), (b) point to combinations of letters that correspond to spoken CVC pseudowords or CVC words Johnston et al, 2008), and (c) point to pictures that match target letter sounds, sound combinations, or words (Fallon et al, 2004).…”

“…Participants in these studies have learned to (a) point to letters that correspond to spoken sounds Johnston et al, 2008;Truxler & O'Keefe, 2007), (b) point to combinations of letters that correspond to spoken CVC pseudowords or CVC words Johnston et al, 2008), and (c) point to pictures that match target letter sounds, sound combinations, or words (Fallon et al, 2004).…”

Letter-Sound Reading: Teaching Preschool Children Print-to-Sound Processing

“…Many of the letters (a, m, t, s, f, r) were determined as an acceptable sequence by previous reading researchers (Carnine et al 1997; Johnston et al 2009). …”