AAC Language Development & User Support Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which language development theory emphasizes that children acquire language through imitation and reinforcement from their environment?
- Nativist theory
- Behaviorist theory (Correct answer)
- Interactionist theory
- Cognitive developmental theory
Correct answer: Behaviorist theory
Behaviorist theory, associated with Skinner, posits that language is learned through imitation, practice, and reinforcement from the environment.
Question 2: When an AAC user's communication partner consistently responds to any communicative attempt—regardless of form—this practice is called:
- Aided language stimulation
- Communication temptation
- Responsive interaction (Correct answer)
- Prompt fading
Correct answer: Responsive interaction
Responsive interaction means consistently acknowledging and responding to any communicative attempt the AAC user makes, reinforcing communication as functional.
Question 3: A child with complex communication needs is in the early stages of intentional communication. Which AAC strategy best supports this emergent communicator?
- Introducing a high-tech SGD immediately
- Using objects and photographs as low-tech symbols (Correct answer)
- Teaching PECS Phase 4 exchanges first
- Focusing exclusively on verbal speech approximations
Correct answer: Using objects and photographs as low-tech symbols
Concrete symbols like objects and photographs are developmentally appropriate for emergent communicators who are beginning to use intentional communication.
Question 4: The 'zone of proximal development' concept applied to AAC intervention means the SLP should:
- Wait until the user is ready before introducing new vocabulary
- Provide support slightly above the user's current independent level (Correct answer)
- Focus only on mastered skills to build confidence
- Match AAC complexity to peers without disabilities
Correct answer: Provide support slightly above the user's current independent level
Vygotsky's ZPD suggests targeting skills just beyond current independent ability with appropriate scaffolding to promote growth.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'semantic compaction' in AAC?
- Reducing vocabulary to the most frequently used 100 words
- Using sequences of icons to represent an unlimited number of messages (Correct answer)
- Organizing vocabulary by grammatical category across pages
- Compressing audio files to reduce device storage needs
Correct answer: Using sequences of icons to represent an unlimited number of messages
Semantic compaction (used in Minspeak-based systems) uses multi-meaning icons in sequences to encode a vast vocabulary with few keys.
Question 6: An AAC team notices a user rarely initiates conversation but responds well when prompted. The MOST appropriate intervention goal would be to:
- Increase vocabulary size on the device
- Teach initiation strategies using communicative temptations (Correct answer)
- Switch to a more complex SGD with more pages
- Reduce prompting to zero immediately
Correct answer: Teach initiation strategies using communicative temptations
Communicative temptations and initiation-focused strategies directly address the functional gap of poor spontaneous communication initiation.
Question 7: Which milestone indicates a child has achieved 'joint attention,' a prerequisite skill important for AAC intervention readiness?
- Pointing to request desired objects
- Following another person's gaze or pointing gesture to share interest in an object (Correct answer)
- Imitating motor actions on command
- Producing two-word combinations
Correct answer: Following another person's gaze or pointing gesture to share interest in an object
Joint attention involves sharing focus on an object or event with another person and is a foundational social-communicative skill for language development.
AAC Language Development & User Support Strategies 2
Which language development theory emphasizes that children acquire language through imitation and reinforcement from their environment?