Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Linda Gaughan

Committee Member

Roslyn Doctorow

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

augmentative and alternative communication, severe intellectual disabilities, nonverbal students, special education leadership, secondary education

Abstract

Students with significant intellectual disabilities who are nonverbal often depend on augmentative and alternative communication devices to engage with lessons and participate in secondary educational environments. Despite advancements in this technology, issues pertaining to training, consistency, and institutional support persist, hindering effective application in urban schools. The objective of this generic qualitative study was to investigate the perspectives of teachers and related service providers regarding the utilization of these devices for nonverbal students with severe intellectual disabilities in urban secondary schools.

Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with 11 participants, comprising special education instructors, related service providers, and special education leaders. An inductive thematic analysis was completed to review participant interview data and find patterns and themes throughout participants responses to interview questions about three research questions.

Participants thought augmentative and alternative communication was necessary for helping students communicate and become involved in daily school and even family activities. Effective augmentative and alternative communication implementation was influenced by having access to hands-on professional development, working with people from different fields, getting help from administrators, and having consistent rules in all classes. Participants stressed the necessity for ongoing training and leadership-driven procedures to facilitate prolonged augmentative and alternative communication device utilization.

Areas suggested for future research include examining student outcomes from using augmentative and alternative communication, examining family perspectives about using augmentative and alternative communication, and examining augmentative and alternative communication implementation across multiple school settings for those students who need this instruction.

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