Social interactions of students with disabilities who use augmentative and alternative communication in inclusive classrooms.

Chung et al. (2012) watched students with autism or intellectual disability who use AAC in general-ed classrooms. They noted who each child talked to and how they did it.

The study was a small case series. No teaching was done. The team just recorded natural talk for several days.

Most chats were with aides, not classmates. Kids rarely started a talk with peers.

When they did talk, they used gestures or facial expressions more than their devices.

Chiang et al. (2008) saw the same low peer talk in inclusion rooms years earlier. Yun-Ching updates that picture for AAC users.

Jones et al. (1992) and Raslear et al. (1992) show the fix: short peer-training at recess or lunch lifts interaction fast. Yun-Ching’s data explain why that step is needed.

Tsai (2013) adds that even familiar partners do not balance turns with AAC users. Together the papers say, “Don’t wait for friendship to grow—teach peers how to engage.”

If you serve AAC users in inclusive rooms, do not assume peer contact will happen on its own. Build brief, planned chances for classmates to practice short exchanges with clear roles. Start with recess or group work and train peers to wait, prompt, and respond. Yun-Ching shows the gap; the older intervention papers hand you the tool.