The use of AAC by children with autism in special education classrooms in Malaysia: perspective of special education teachers and parents

Many children with autism remain non-verbal for long periods and require Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to communicate. Although AAC use in Malaysian clinical settings has increased, support for its implementation in public special education classrooms remains limited. This study explored parents' and special education teachers' perspectives on classroom AAC use. A qualitative design was utilized, involving four focus group discussions with 12 parents and 15 special education teachers from three special education schools in Malaysia. Data were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Three main themes emerged: views about AAC, barriers to implementation and facilitators for its use. Both groups acknowledged the benefits of AAC, including increased vocabulary and utterance length. Teachers reported improved classroom participation and reduced challenging behaviors, while parents observed better two-way communication and increased confidence in their children with autism. However, several barriers were identified. These included limited knowledge and skills, misconceptions about AAC, student-related challenges such as low motivation, and AAC system issues like insufficient vocabulary and device damage. Teachers also highlighted workplace challenges, including large class sizes, limited funding, and restrictive school policies. Facilitators included strong willingness to collaborate among stakeholders and a clear need for professional training. Overall, successful AAC implementation requires addressing systemic barriers and fostering multidisciplinary collaboration.