Teletraining to Teach Communication Partners to Support Students With Multiple Disabilities Including Cortical Visual Impairment and Emerging Symbolic Communication in Communicating Choices.

Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to investigate the impact of a teletraining to teach adult communication partners the "Communicating Choices-Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)" strategy to support participation for students with multiple disabilities.

Method: A nonconcurrent, multiple-probe, across-participants design was implemented with four adult communication partner (i.e.

An Evidence-Based Approach to Augmentative and Alternative Communication Design for Individuals With Cortical Visual Impairment.

Purpose: This article highlights the contributions of three pillars of an evidence-based practice approach (service providers, researchers, and families/clients) in the development of a framework to offer a way forward for professionals, families, and technology companies to support optimal visual and communication outcomes of individuals with cortical visual impairment (CVI) who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). By providing available research findings as well as practical information and lived experiences, the article offers clinical considerations and design features that can lead to addressing the unique needs of these individuals.

Method: This article reviews literature concerning what is known about CVI and describes in detail and from multiple viewpoints important features required in AAC systems to support individuals with CVI and enable them to communicate effectively.

"It's like a guessing game all the time": parent insights on barriers, supports, and priorities for children with cortical visual impairment and complex communication needs.

Parents of children with both cortical visual impairment (CVI) and complex communication needs offer unique perspectives on their children's journeys to receiving proper diagnoses, supports, and interventions, such as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). This study explored the lived experiences, supports, and barriers identified by parents through a qualitative phenomenological approach. Nine parents of children with both CVI and complex communication needs were interviewed virtually.

Reason-Based Recommendations From a Developmental Systems Approach for Students With Needs Across Functional Domains.

Purpose: This tutorial aims to introduce school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to developmental systems theory as a framework for considering interactions across functional domains, such as language, vision, and motor, for students with complex needs.

Method: This tutorial summarizes the current literature on developmental systems theory in its application to working with students who have needs in multiple domains of functioning in addition to communication. A hypothetical case of a student, James, with cerebral palsy, cortical visual impairment, and complex communication needs, is presented to illustrate the primary tenets of the theory.

Supporting Peer Interactions for Students with Complex Communication Needs in Inclusive Settings: Paraeducator Roles.

Purpose: This clinical focus article presents a review of literature supporting the importance of fostering positive peer interactions for students with complex communication needs. A resulting template is included to help guide educational teams, including speech-language pathologists (SLPs), in planning for paraeducator training specific to supporting peer interactions for children with CCN. This article summarizes the current literature available on inclusion and peer relationships for students with CCN in general education classrooms, and paraeducator roles and training.