The effects of AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) intervention on social communication skills for children with learning disabilities

Norfishah Mat Rabi

Abstract

Most children with learning disabilities faced problem in social communication skill and its really affects their life and learning process in school. To enhance social communication skill, an effective intervention should be applied to them. This case study was conducted to confirm that AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) is an effective way in enhancing social communication skill among children with learning disabilities. The objective of this study were to identify the impact of using AAC in verbal and nonverbal communication and skill in social interaction. Respondents consisted of 30 children with learning disabilities, aged eight to twelve years, from three primary school in Perak. Observation were done in teaching and learning process in the classroom which took about 40 minutes for each session. Data collection were conducting through observations. Research finding proven that AAC were strongly assisted children with learning disabilities to communicate and socially interact. Results shows that participants had improved 22.07% in verbal communication, 21.76% in nonverbal communication and 0.16% in social communication skill. Implication of the study shows that AAC is applicable in enhancing verbal and nonverbal communication but not in social interaction. However, AAC can be used as an alternative method to improve social communication skill of children with learning disabilities. Significant of the study is to give new perspective to everyone who is engaging life with learning disabilities children to be creative in teaching social communication skill for them. Keyword: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Children with Learning Disabilities, Intervention, Social Communication

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