The influence of matching and motor-imitation abilities on rapid acquisition of manual signs and exchange-based communicative responses.

The team watched children with developmental delay try two ways to ask for toys: sign language and PECS exchange.

First they checked who could already match pictures and copy simple hand motions.

Then they timed how fast each child learned ten new requests with each system.

Kids who had both skills—matching and motor imitation—learned signs and PECS in about the same short time.

Children missing both skills failed to learn either system during the study window.

Having just one skill gave mixed results; success still took longer.

Carr et al. (2003) showed that a quick burst of motor imitation right before a vocal model helps non-vocal preschoolers say their first words.

Wong et al. (2009) uses the same imitation skill, but for picking AAC instead of speech, so the papers build a staircase: imitation primes vocal kids, and screens AAC kids.

Ingersoll et al. (2007) proved parents can teach imitation at home. That means you can close the gap—train the prerequisite first, then choose signs or PECS.

Ishizuka et al. (2016) added that when adults copy a child’s sounds, the child talks more. Together these studies treat imitation as the engine for any new communication form.

Before you pick an AAC system, run a five-minute probe: can the child match identical pictures and copy five hand motions?

If yes, either signs or PECS should move quickly.

If no, spend your first sessions on matching and motor imitation, then re-test.

This small shift can save weeks of trial and error and spare the child frustration.