Augmentative and alternative communication for children with developmental disabilities

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) encompasses all forms of communication from simple gestures, manual signs, and picture communication boards to American Sign Language and sophisticated computer-based devices that can speak in phrases and sentences for their users. This paper provides an overview of the research literature on AAC and children with developmental disabilities and highlights recent trends. It also provides some suggested directions for future research. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.