Application of Alternative and Augmentative Communication in the Educational Institutions in Bulgaria

The knowledge and implementation of the resources of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) by the specialists in Bulgarian is a contemporary issue, especially in regard of the replacement of the concept of alternative communication with the term AAC, also in the wider introduction of high-tech means for AAC, with the process of training specialists that can offer a larger range of AAC technologies. This article presents a study that aims to investigate the attitudes towards AAC and the competences for implementing AAC of the Bulgarian specialists working with children with special educational needs; to establish the level of theoretical knowledge and their practical skills, as well as to determine the level of application of the types of means for AAC. 111 professionals participated in the study, who filled in online the partially standardized survey for the purpose of the study. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of the results show an incomplete association of the means of alternative communication applied by the specialists with all types for AAC in a theoretical-terminological plan. The trend from previous studies for the preferred use of manual ways of communication, of low- and medium-tech ones over high-tech ones, is maintained. Despite the fact that 74% of participants apply AAC resources in their work, still 25% indicate that they do not apply them. The need for more purposeful training is emphasized with focus on acquiring practical skills for specialists in the regard of their work with AAC.