School-Based Professionals' Knowledge of Autistic Speech and Augmentative and Alternative Communication Decision Making

Autistic adults report communication access barriers related to the prioritization of speech over all other forms of communication. Our participatory research team, including autistic adults who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) both part- and full-time, designed and administered a 35-question online survey to examine school-based professionals' knowledge, training, and practices related to AAC and autism. The current study reports a portion of the larger data set specific to participants' definitions of speech terms related to autistic speech. A total of 567 participants completed the survey. Thematic analysis of participants' responses to speech definitions revealed multiple themes, including a focus on speech without implying or suggesting other forms of communication, speech production (mechanics), communication functions (intentionality), deficits, and definitions that were exclusionary in nature (e.g., identifying what the term did not define). Quantitative analysis of definitions of autistic speech revealed the need for increased exposure to these internal speech states for professionals working with autistic children. Increasing school-based professionals' knowledge, including community-sourced knowledge, related to autism and AAC, can improve access to AAC for speaking autistic students who may benefit from AAC.