Introduction to the Special Issue: Communication Intervention for Individuals with Complex Communication Needs.
Custom ABA packages can build communication in people who barely speak, but you must pick proven measures to see the gains.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Sigafoos et al. (2019) wrote an editorial that opens a special issue. The piece pulls together six studies on communication for people who speak little or not at all. The authors wanted to show how wide the needs are and why each learner needs a custom plan.
What they found
The bundle shows one size does not fit all. Some kids used picture boards. Others learned first words through apps. All six teams used ABA tactics, but each plan looked different. The editorial says the field must keep tailoring.
How this fits with other research
Han et al. (2025) later looked at 25 ABA and naturalistic studies. Their meta-analysis backs the editorial: high-intensity ABA gives medium language gains. Tiede et al. (2019) ran a 2019 meta of 27 naturalistic studies and found the same small-to-medium boost in expressive language. Together, the two meta papers give numbers to the editorial’s call for custom, often naturalistic, programs.
Anagnostou et al. (2015) asked a harder question: how do we even measure progress? Only 6 of 38 social-communication tools passed muster for clinical trials. Their review warns that picking the wrong yardstick can hide real change. The editorial’s six studies did not all use the same measure, so this gap still matters.
Carroll et al. (2023) wrote a similar editorial, but on telehealth. Both pieces serve as launch pads for special issues and remind BCBAs that new delivery modes keep emerging.
Why it matters
You now have proof that custom ABA works for minimal speakers, plus a shortlist of sound measures. Before you write your next plan, check the Han and Gabrielle meta-analyses for intensity cues and the Evdokia shortlist for valid goals. Mix naturalistic and high-intensity tactics, then track with a trial-ready tool so the data hold up.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Individuals with complex communication needs are likely to experience considerable difficulties and challenges with everyday communication interactions due to limited use and understanding of natural speech. In this editorial, we review the nature of complex communication needs, describe the wide range of individuals who may experience such needs, and provide a brief history of behavioral approaches to addressing these needs. We also highlight the six papers in this special issue that contribute to the further understanding of the use of behavioral intervention approaches for addressing complex communication needs. These papers include one conceptual overview of aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions for individuals with complex communication needs, four intervention studies addressing a range of communicative topographies (i.e., vocal speech, AAC, and a social messaging app), and one systematic review examining interventions that promote communicative response variability. These six papers highlight the diversity of complex communication needs and emphasize the importance of examining the efficacy of a wide range of individualized behavioral approaches that are matched to specific needs and goals.
Behavior modification, 2019 · doi:10.1177/0145445519868809