Attitudes of speech therapists towards the use of augmentative and alternative communication

Abstract

Objective. The goal of the research was to examine the attitudes of speech therapists towards the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), as well as to examine attitudes related to its application in practice. Methods. The sample consisted of 56 respondents. The research was conducted using an online questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire refers to sociodemographic data, the second part contains a series of questions grouped into five subgroups: usefulness and advantages of AAC, competences of experts, ways of application, teamwork and limitations; the third part concerns its application in practice. Results. Attitudes of speech therapists towards the use of AAC are mostly positive. More than half of the respondents expressed agreement or partial agreement with the statement that the use of AAC is beneficial. It has been shown that speech therapists who have experience with AAC use it with multipurpose application, with an emphasis on expressing needs, developing language competences and encouraging social contacts. Conclusion. The examined attitudes show a tendency towards acceptance and a positive opinion about the use of augmentative and alternative communication as one of the types of support when working with people who have speech-language difficulties. There is a need for education and information in this domain.