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Augmentative and Alternative Communication Generative Language Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Title: Augmentative and Alternative Communication Generative Language Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Authors: Binger, Cathy1 cbinger@unm.edu, Harrington, Nancy2, Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie L.3, Kent-Walsh, Jennifer2
Source: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research. Jun2026, Vol. 69 Issue 6, p2654-2678. 25p.
Subject Terms: *Play, *Adult education workshops, *Speech therapy, *Language acquisition, *Children, Statistical models, Repeated measures design, Facilitated communication, Grammar, Research funding, Signs & symbols, Questionnaires, Randomized controlled trials, Cerebral palsy, Photography, Mean length of utterance, Intraclass correlation, Semantics, Data analysis software, Speech apraxia, Video recording, Reliability (Personality trait)
Abstract: Purpose: Children with a wide range of impairments such as cerebral palsy and childhood apraxia of speech can benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). When AAC is provided, it frequently focuses on improving basic pragmatic skills such as requesting or on early semantic skills such as vocabulary acquisition. To address this issue, the primary goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of implementing the AAC Generative Language Intervention (AAC-GLI) program on the aided expressive grammar of preschoolers with relatively intact receptive language skills who could benefit from AAC. Method: A randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate the results. A total of 40 children who required AAC participated in the control group, intervention group, or both groups. The families of both the control and intervention group participants received a half-day AAC workshop. The intervention group also received 28 play-based AAC-GLI sessions. Weighted mean length of utterance in symbols (W-MLUSym), which was developed specifically for aided communicators, was used to measure progress. Results: The intervention group demonstrated superior effects on W-MLUSym compared with the control group. Additionally, growth modeling demonstrated that the intervention condition was a significant moderator of change over time, with children in the intervention condition having statistically significantly greater increases in W-MLUSym, while W-MLUSym for children in the control condition remained similar to baseline. Discussion: AAC-GLI can be used to teach preschoolers with a range of impairments to improve their expressive grammar skills. Providing AAC intervention that focuses on grammatical growth is an important part of expressive language development for these young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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  Data: Augmentative and Alternative Communication Generative Language Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Binger%2C+Cathy%22">Binger, Cathy</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> cbinger@unm.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Harrington%2C+Nancy%22">Harrington, Nancy</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hahs-Vaughn%2C+Debbie+L%2E%22">Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie L.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kent-Walsh%2C+Jennifer%22">Kent-Walsh, Jennifer</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language+%26+Hearing+Research%22">Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 69 Issue 6, p2654-2678. 25p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Play%22">Play</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adult+education+workshops%22">Adult education workshops</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+therapy%22">Speech therapy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+acquisition%22">Language acquisition</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+models%22">Statistical models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Repeated+measures+design%22">Repeated measures design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Facilitated+communication%22">Facilitated communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grammar%22">Grammar</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Signs+%26+symbols%22">Signs & symbols</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Questionnaires%22">Questionnaires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Randomized+controlled+trials%22">Randomized controlled trials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cerebral+palsy%22">Cerebral palsy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Photography%22">Photography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mean+length+of+utterance%22">Mean length of utterance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intraclass+correlation%22">Intraclass correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Semantics%22">Semantics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+apraxia%22">Speech apraxia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Video+recording%22">Video recording</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reliability+%28Personality+trait%29%22">Reliability (Personality trait)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: Children with a wide range of impairments such as cerebral palsy and childhood apraxia of speech can benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). When AAC is provided, it frequently focuses on improving basic pragmatic skills such as requesting or on early semantic skills such as vocabulary acquisition. To address this issue, the primary goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of implementing the AAC Generative Language Intervention (AAC-GLI) program on the aided expressive grammar of preschoolers with relatively intact receptive language skills who could benefit from AAC. Method: A randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate the results. A total of 40 children who required AAC participated in the control group, intervention group, or both groups. The families of both the control and intervention group participants received a half-day AAC workshop. The intervention group also received 28 play-based AAC-GLI sessions. Weighted mean length of utterance in symbols (W-MLUSym), which was developed specifically for aided communicators, was used to measure progress. Results: The intervention group demonstrated superior effects on W-MLUSym compared with the control group. Additionally, growth modeling demonstrated that the intervention condition was a significant moderator of change over time, with children in the intervention condition having statistically significantly greater increases in W-MLUSym, while W-MLUSym for children in the control condition remained similar to baseline. Discussion: AAC-GLI can be used to teach preschoolers with a range of impairments to improve their expressive grammar skills. Providing AAC intervention that focuses on grammatical growth is an important part of expressive language development for these young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=194600817
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2026_JSLHR-25-00516
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 25
        StartPage: 2654
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Play
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adult education workshops
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech therapy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language acquisition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical models
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Repeated measures design
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Facilitated communication
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grammar
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Signs & symbols
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Questionnaires
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Randomized controlled trials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cerebral palsy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Photography
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mean length of utterance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intraclass correlation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Semantics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech apraxia
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Video recording
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reliability (Personality trait)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Augmentative and Alternative Communication Generative Language Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
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            NameFull: Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie L.
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            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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