"You Just Want to Be Able to Communicate With Your Child": Parents' Perspectives on Communication and AAC Use for Beginning Communicators on the Autism Spectrum.

This study interviewed parents of young autistic children who were just starting to communicate to understand their experiences with communication aids (AAC). Parents saw the value in these tools but faced many challenges getting access to them, learning how to use them, and making them work in their busy lives. The research shows that communication support needs to be tailored to each family's unique situation and that better coordination between professionals and systems is needed.

This qualitative study explored parents' experiences with communication and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for young autistic children who are beginning communicators. Through semi-structured interviews with eight caregivers of seven children, researchers identified five main themes highlighting the complex realities families face. Parents valued communication and recognized AAC benefits but encountered significant challenges in obtaining, learning, and implementing AAC systems. Key findings emphasized the need for individualized approaches that fit each child and family's unique circumstances, the impact of external factors including healthcare and educational systems, and the critical importance of family-centered service delivery for successful AAC implementation.

Results emphasize the critical need for family-centered AAC services that consider broader social systems. Clinicians should address implementation barriers, provide ongoing support as needs evolve, and coordinate with other professionals. Services must be individualized to fit each family's unique circumstances and priorities.

Small sample size (8 caregivers, 7 children) limits generalizability. Qualitative design provides rich insights but cannot establish causal relationships. Study focused on U.S. healthcare and educational systems, which may not apply to other contexts like Australia's NDIS system.

For young children on the autism spectrum who are beginning communicators, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can support language development and participation in meaningful interactions. AAC is more likely to be effective when services align with the needs and priorities of the child's family. To better understand family perspectives, this study investigated the communication and AAC experiences of parents of young beginning communicators on the autism spectrum. The study used a phenomenological qualitative design.

Eight caregivers of seven children on the autism spectrum participated in semistructured interviews, and thematic analysis was used to identify themes within the data. Five main themes and 15 subthemes emerged from the data. Parents situated communication and AAC experiences within the context of complex, busy lives. They discussed the value of communication and benefits of AAC, but described numerous challenges related to obtaining, learning, and implementing AAC that evolved over time as needs and skills changed.

Parents discussed their children's individuality and the need for AAC systems and services to fit the unique needs of their child and their family. They also emphasized ways in which communication outcomes were affected by factors external to the child and the family, including factors related to professional services and the U.S. health care and educational systems. The results affirm the need to consider the family and the broader social system when providing AAC services to young children on the autism spectrum. Provision of family-centered services is critical to successful AAC. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24881562.