This brief report describes a large-group application of the Communication Partner Instruction (CPI) training model as a means of improving the interactive skills of stakeholders who communicate with individuals with severe intellectual disabilities presenting complex communication and physical profiles. Findings support CPI for large stakeholder groups as study participants reported general satisfaction with both the training sequence and their use of skills learned 1 year post training.
BingerC.Kent-WalshJ.EwingC.TaylorS. (2010). Teaching educational assistants to facilitate the multi-symbol message productions of young students who require AAC. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 19, 108–120.
2.
ChoiS. (2007). Peer training methods for children and adolescents with autism: A review. International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 3, 92–100.
3.
CollierB.McGhie-RichmondD.SelfH. (2010). Exploring communication assistants as an option for increasing communication access to communities for people who use augmentative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 26, 48–59.
4.
DeVeneyS. L.HagamanJ. L.BjornsenA. L. (2017). Parent-implemented versus clinician-directed interventions for late-talking toddlers: A systematic review of the literature. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 39, 293–302.
5.
DiSalvoC.OswaldD. (2002). Peer-mediated interventions to increase the social interaction of children with autism: Consideration of peer expectancies. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 17, 198–207.
6.
DouglasS. N. (2012). Teaching paraeducators to support the communication of individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication: A literature review. Current Issues in Education, 15(1), 1–12.
7.
EllisE.DeshlerD.LenzB.SchumakerJ.ClarkF. (1991). An instructional model for teaching learning strategies. Focus on Exceptional Children, 23(6), 1–24.
8.
Kent-WalshJ.BingerC.HashamZ. (2010). Effects of parent instruction on the symbolic communication of children using augmentative and alternative communication during storybook reading. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 19, 97–107.
9.
Kent-WalshJ.McNaughtonD. (2005). Communication partner instruction in AAC: Present practices and future directions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21, 195–204.
10.
LightJ.BingerC.Kelford SmithA. (1994). Story reading interaction between preschoolers who use AAC and their mothers. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 10, 255–268.
11.
LightJ.CollierB.ParnesP. (1985). Communicative interaction between young nonspeaking physically disabled children and their primary caregivers: Part I—Discourse patterns. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 1, 74–83.
12.
MowrerD. E.ConleyD. (1987). Effect of peer administered consequences upon articulatory responses of speech-defective children. Journal of Communication Disorders, 20, 319–326.
13.
OgletreeB. T.BartholomewP.KirkseyM. L.GuenigsmanA.HambrechtG.PriceJ.WoffordM. C. (2016). Communication training supporting an AAC user with severe intellectual disability: Application of the communication partner instruction model. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 28, 135–152.
14.
TuftsL. C.HollidayA. R. (1959). Effectiveness of trained parents as speech therapists. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 24, 395–401.
