Language and Literacy: Examining Theory and Evidence

The 17th Annual Study Day Study Day explored the research evidence, highlight issues and considered how it may support teaching, therapy and decision making in AAC. The day was led by Dr Juliet Goldbart, Dr Janice Murray and Dr Martine Smith.

Best Practice and indeed all clinical decisions these days are expected to be .evidence based'. But what is the research evidence that informs decisions about aspects of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) What ‘level of evidence' are we dealing with?

Speech and Language Therapist Dr. Janice Murray and Psychologist Dr. Juliet Goldbart of Manchester Metropolitan University reviewed a range of recently published studies in child development and highlight their relevance to cognitive and linguistic aspects of AAC.

Dr. Martine Smith of Trinity College Dublin, respected researcher and author of ‘Literacy and Augmentative and Alternative Communication' reviewed key research to clarify for us the issues impacting literacy learning with children and young people who use AAC.