The Urgency of Using Speech Generating Devices (SGD) for Social Communication Improvement Therapy for Autistic Children in Schools

<p class="HeaderAbs"><em>The main challenge faced by children with autism is difficulty in social communication. Appropriate early intervention is crucial to help autistic children develop their communication skills. One increasingly popular tool in communication intervention for autistic children is Speech Generating Devices (SGD). This study aimed to explore the urgency of using SGD in social communication enhancement therapy for autistic children to improve social interaction and reduce maladaptive behaviour. This study employs a mixed-method research design to explore the urgency of using SGD in treatment to enhance the social communication of autistic children. The sample was taken using proportional random sampling, consisting of 80 teachers for autism and speech therapists in Surakarta. Data collection techniques in this study to explore the urgency of using SGD in therapy to improve the social communication of autistic children were conducted in two ways: through a questionnaire using Google Forms and interviews. The analysis results show that SGD is an essential tool for enhancing the social communication of autistic children, with 66.7% agreeing and 33.3% expressing a neutral stance. The interview results stated that SGD is needed to support autistic social communication. The conclusion drawn from these results indicates that SGD is a crucial element that can be used to improve the communication of autistic children in schools rapidly. The opinions of teachers and speech therapists suggest that the use of SGD can reduce communication challenges in autistic children. This is evident from the questionnaire results filled out by respondents, showing that 95% strongly agree and 5% agree. The use of speech generating devices (SGD) is of high urgency in supporting therapy to enhance the social communication of autistic children in inclusive schools, such as training in social interaction and reducing maladaptive behaviour in autistic children.</em></p>