Inclusive Education for High School Students With Severe Intellectual Disabilities: Supporting Communication
By Downing, June E.; Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 132-148Publication Date: June 2005
Article provides a summary of different strategies used to support the communication needs of high school students with severe intellectual abilities who are enrolled in inclusive class settings. The author contends that students with severe cognitive disabilities benefit from inclusive educational opportunities at the high school level, and can develop communication skills with the necessary support. Examples of effective augmentative and alternative communication strategies are provided, including proper classroom placement, communication symbols and boards, and voice output communication aids. The role that class peers can play in the development of communication skills is discussed, as is the need to evaluate the learning environment to identify communication opportunities. Implications for future research are discussed.
Published by: International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) (Website:http://www.isaac-online.org)
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J49353
