Empowering Parents for AAC: a training and coaching intervention to support parents to implement a core board with fringe vocabulary with their children in New Zealand

Low-tech core boards with attached fringe vocabulary are increasingly popular as an entry-level AAC system in New Zealand and beyond, but they require skilled support from communication partners to be used successfully. This article describes the results of a year-long multiple case study carried out in New Zealand, which involved the provision of a 77-cell core board with extensive fringe vocabulary for six preschool children, alongside a training and coaching intervention for one of their parents. This intervention combined group workshops with in-home coaching and provided ongoing maintenance coaching. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected throughout the year, which provided information on the progress of both the parents and the children, as well as exploring each parent's journey with implementing AAC. All the parents learned to use the supportive AAC strategies with consistency and skill and maintained these over the year and their children made significant gains in their communication skills. The parents reported on a range of barriers and supports around implementing AAC; all six parents felt that the training and coaching intervention was essential for the successful implementation of the core board.