Total communication has recently been suggested as an alternative approach for teaching language to severely impaired clients when traditional speech-language therapy has failed. Unfortunately, most programs defer its implentation until the child is school age. Research has indicated that early language learning is critical for the normal acquisition of other developmental skills. This article presents a clinical model for utilizing total communication with normal hearing, handicapped infants. Preliminary results indicate that, immediately following the initiation of such an approach, the use of oral language increased rather than decreased.
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