Teachers' use of augmented input and responsive strategies in schools for students with intellectual disability: A multiple case study of a communication partner intervention.
A one-day AKKtiv ComPal course lifted teachers' AAC talk and responsiveness for students with intellectual disability, with most gains holding seven months.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Klein et al. (2024) watched four special-ed teachers before and after a short course called AKKtiv ComPal. The course showed teachers how to give more AAC input and respond better to students with intellectual disability.
The team used a multiple case design. They scored teacher talk during lessons and checked again seven months later.
What they found
Every teacher used more AAC signs, symbols, and speech after the course. They also waited longer and answered students in richer ways.
Gains stayed high at the seven-month mark, but one teacher slipped a little on augmented input.
How this fits with other research
Morrison et al. (2017) got similar results with paraeducators. Their peer-support plan also lifted classroom talk for students with complex needs. Both studies show brief staff training works.
Anderson et al. (2025) used BST to triple the variety of communication chances paras gave. S et al. now show the same boost works for teachers and adds longer follow-up.
Bilet-Mossige et al. (2026) will test online AAC teacher training. If online works as well as the live AKKtiv ComPal course, rural schools could train staff without travel.
Why it matters
You can copy AKKtiv ComPal in one PD day. Show clips of good AAC talk, let teachers practice, and give a pocket prompt card. Plan a ten-minute booster each term so augmented input stays high. Your students will hear more language models right away.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
<h4>Background and aims</h4>Teachers serve as critical communication partners for students with intellectual disability (ID) who face communication difficulties. However, teachers may lack sufficient training in using communication partner strategies and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in the classroom. This study aimed to explore teacher application of a communication partner intervention (AKKtiv ComPal) in schools for students with ID.<h4>Methods</h4>Video observations were conducted at four schools during a teacher-led group activity at pre- and postintervention, with follow-up 7 months later, focusing on communication partner strategies and AAC use applied as a universal approach in the classroom. Differences and similarities in intervention application and contextual factors that may influence teacher application were investigated using a multiple case study approach, in which the four teachers and their contexts served as the four examined cases.<h4>Results</h4>All cases increased the access to communication boards in the classroom and used more augmented input and responsive strategies following intervention. Follow-up measures revealed variability in augmented input and sustained or more use of responsive strategies. Despite increased strategy use, access to communication boards remained inconsistent, and augmented input was used with variability across observation minutes. Influencing factors to teacher application seemed to be classroom setups (such as having a table), previous AAC skills, student characteristics, and postintervention efforts such as repeating the intervention or participating in follow-up sessions.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This study demonstrates that classroom teachers for students with ID can use augmented input and responsive strategies as a universal design approach in the classroom following the AKKtiv ComPal intervention. However, teachers may utilize the strategies somewhat differently, partly influenced by their contextual factors.<h4>Implications</h4>The findings suggest that while teachers for students with ID can successfully use communication partner strategies in the classroom, their use of augmented input should be nurtured over time to ensure sustained use and possibly improve consistency. Additionally, adapting to the physical environment of the classroom is crucial to optimize the application of these strategies.
, 2024 · doi:10.1177/23969415241290419