Curricular integration of augmentative and alternative communication for students on the autism spectrum in inclusive-oriented schools: A scoping review.
Jorge Eduardo Alfaro-Urrutia, Pamela Pérez-Godoy
PMID 40257061WHAT IT FOUND
AAC is rarely integrated into inclusive school curricula for students with autism.
Most instruction happens in brief, one-on-one sessions outside the classroom, often by researchers or peers rather than teachers. This isolates communication support from academic learning and classroom participation.
Key findings
01AAC is primarily provided by researchers, peers, and professional staff, while teachers play a limited role in managing curricula and instruction.
02Most studies integrate AAC at the Individualized Education Program (IEP) level (41.1%), with limited evidence for integration into teaching or school projects (8.8%).
03Interventions often consist of brief one-on-one sessions conducted outside the classroom, with durations ranging from 5 to 40 minutes.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Most studies were conducted in the United States (61.8%), limiting applicability to other regions. No individuals with autism or representatives from the autism community were involved in the design or interpretation of the review. Quality assessments of the included studies were not performed. The review included only 34 studies, many of which were small-scale or single-case designs.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The work was supported by Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Doctorados de la Universidad San Sebastián.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of teacher-led AAC instruction as evidence that teachers are unwilling or unable to support AAC. The review indicates a systemic gap in curricular integration and professional collaboration, not a failure of individual teachers.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →