Reciprocal Innovation to Optimize Low-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for Individuals

Part of paid clinical trials in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Sponsor
Indiana University
Study ID
NCT07581483
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
3 Years - 14 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Automated AAC Assessment and Low-Tech AAC Implementation Support — BEHAVIORAL
    This intervention includes a computer-based assessment that identifies individual communication needs and generates personalized recommendations for low-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies. Recommended AAC materials, such as picture-based boards, object symbols, and communication routines, are culturally adapted for use in western Kenya and rural Virginia. Communication partners use these recommendations to support consistent and appropriate AAC use in daily activities.
  • Standard AAC Support — BEHAVIORAL
    Communication partners receive standard of care, defined as usual AAC referral pathways and locally available AAC training and support resources.

Study Details

Many people with autism and other developmental conditions have difficulty speaking or do not use speech and need other ways to communicate. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes tools such as picture boards, communication books, and gestures that support communication. In low-resource settings and underserved rural areas in the United States, high-tech AAC devices are often too expensive or difficult to access, and trained specialists are limited. Low-tech AAC options are more affordable but are often not used successfully because tools may not match the individual's abilities or daily environment, caregivers and providers may lack training, and stigma or low awareness may discourage use. These challenges can lead to AAC abandonment and social isolation. Rural Virginia and western Kenya face similar barriers, including limited AAC expertise, inconsistent assessment, and insufficient training for families, educators, and community providers. This project uses a shared learning approach that combines western Kenya's experience implementing low-tech AAC in new settings with rural Virginia's expertise in individualized assessment, training, and scalable service delivery. The goal is to better match individuals to appropriate low-tech AAC systems and support communication partners to use them effectively.

Key Dates

Start date
Jun 1, 2027
Status verified
May 2026
Primary completion
Jun 1, 2030
Completion
Jun 1, 2032

Study Design

Enrollment
500 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SEQUENTIAL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Arms

  • Experimental: Automated AAC Training
    Communication partners receive access to an automated AAC system-matching assessment and an automated training toolkit designed to support implementation of personalized low-tech AAC strategies in daily routines.
  • Active Comparator: Standard AAC Support
    Communication partners receive standard of care, defined as usual AAC referral pathways and locally available AAC training resources.

Primary Outcome Measure

Functional Communication [ Time Frame: Baseline, 6 months, and 12 months ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
University of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginia22903
Kristen Cunningham, MPH
[email protected]
317-278-5675
Mandy Rispoli, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)
Jim Soland, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

Find similar trials in Charlottesville, VA

By condition
Autism spectrum disorder
By specialty
Pediatrics
By research site
University of Virginia· Charlottesville, VA

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