AAC Services for Emergent Bilinguals: Perspectives, Practices, and Confidence of Speech-Language Pathologists

The purpose of this project was to examine the perspectives, practices, and confidence of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regarding service provision for emergent bilinguals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) through a nationwide survey. Currently, SLPs are relying on research available from the areas of AAC and bilingualism separately and the related area of special education because empirical research on best practice for bilingual AAC service provision is scarce. A survey was developed based on a review of literature focused on SLPs’ perspectives, practices, and perceived confidence related to bilingual instruction, general AAC intervention, and where possible, AAC intervention for emergent bilingual children. Licensed SLPs (N =179) completed the online survey which included Likert-type and multiple-choice questions. Findings from this survey indicated there is a discrepancy between SLPs’ perceptions and practices regarding service provision for emergent bilinguals who use AAC. Furthermore, most SLPs surveyed reported varying levels of confidence in serving this population and indicated that they frequently lacked resources. This research highlighted the need for increased resources, research, and education to support service provision for emergent bilinguals who use AAC. Survey trends and future directions will be discussed