Parental expectations and perceptions of augmentative and alternative communication: A Sri Lankan perspective.
Sri Lankan parents fear AAC will silence their child and expose stigma—counter with data, local success stories, and hands-on training before the first session.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Hettiarachchi et al. (2025) talked with Sri Lankan parents about AAC devices. They asked how parents feel before trying one. The team wanted to know why some families refuse the technology.
Parents shared fears that the tool would replace talking. They also worried others would see the device as a disability label.
What they found
Moms and dads believe AAC will stop their child from speaking. They think the tablet or board is a public stamp of shame. Parents said they need lessons and emotional support before any device arrives.
Without this prep, families would rather skip AAC completely.
How this fits with other research
Johnson et al. (2021) looked at 28 studies and found the opposite: AAC often boosts speech in autism. The review shows kids talk more, not less, when they also use signs or tablets. This direct evidence calms the Sri Lankan fear.
Moya et al. (2022) in India ran a small trial with a local AAC app called Jellow. After three months, 17 children with autism moved from pictures to full app requests. The trial proves AAC works in South Asia and adds real data against the worry.
Saré et al. (2020) asked U.S. moms of kids with fragile X the same open questions. Those mothers also saw AAC as helpful yet hard to use at home. The match shows parent concerns cross cultures, even when the diagnosis changes.
Jiang et al. (2026) trained caregivers first, then gave devices. Minimally verbal children later used AAC for requests, comments, and joint attention. The study answers the target paper’s call: prepare parents, then watch the child succeed.
Why it matters
You can’t hand over a device and leave. Start with a short family class. Show the Johnson et al. (2021) review that AAC helps speech. Share the Indian success story from Moya et al. (2022). Let parents handle the tool, ask questions, and practice for a week. When families feel safe, they will try, and the child gets a voice faster.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
From a critical disability rights lens, everyone has a right to communicate using any means available, which includes augmentative and alternative communication. The uptake of augmentative and alternative communication beyond the therapy room may be influenced by awareness, perceptions and acceptance of augmentative and alternative communication by caregivers, family members and the wider society. This study aimed to uncover parental perceptions of augmentative and alternative communication in a Global South context. Ten mothers and six fathers (16 participants) of children with complex communication needs were invited to be part of the study. A focus-group discussion and semi-structured interviews were undertaken using an interview guide. The participant data were analysed using Framework Analysis and through the lens of gender and critical disability theory. The key theme expressed was fear of augmentative and alternative communication deterring speech development. In addition, there was also concern that siblings might adopt the alternative communication method and stop talking. The participants questioned whether the visibility of a communication device could highlight their child's disability, thereby fearing societal stigma and negativity. Overall, parents' attitudes towards perspectives of and openness to use augmentative and alternative communication impact its uptake. The results suggest the need to consider the preparedness of parents prior to introducing augmentative and alternative communication and the need to offer on-going parental training.Lay abstractEverybody has a right to communicate in any way they can, which includes augmentative and alternative communication. The uptake of augmentative and alternative communication in everyday life may be influenced by awareness, perceptions and acceptance of augmentative and alternative communication by caregivers, family members and the wider society. This study aimed to uncover what parents thought about augmentative and alternative communication in a Global South context. Eleven mothers and five fathers (16 participants) of children with complex communication needs were included. Data were collected using an interview guide from a focus-group discussion and semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using Framework Analysis and from a gender and critical disability theory viewpoint. The key theme found was fear of augmentative and alternative communication stopping the child from learning to speak. The parents wondered if siblings might also use the alternative communication method and stop talking. They worried whether the communication device will negatively highlight their child in society. As parents' views on augmentative and alternative communication influence whether they use it with their child, informing and preparing parents before introducing augmentative and alternative communication to a child and on-going parent training should be considered.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2025 · doi:10.1177/13623613241298061