Together We Can Do Great Things! AAC Teams From the Perspective of Special Education Teachers

Collaborative teams are vital in the service provision for students with complex communication needs. Professional competencies in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) practices are an essential consideration in the distribution of roles and responsibilities each team member will hold within teams. However, it is unclear to what extent special education teachers consider themselves having a key role within teams that provide AAC services. To better understand their perspectives, an anonymous, web-based survey was disseminated across the United States to gather special education teachers’ views on AAC collaborative teams. A total of 888 special education teachers shared their views on their practices, roles, and responsibilities within AAC teams. Findings indicated that special education teachers agreed they should be part of the AAC team and have specific roles and responsibilities within the team. Practical implications, recommendations, and future research directions are discussed.