Implementing an AAC Technology Decoding Feature via Telepractice to Support Single Word Reading by a Young Boy with Down Syndrome: A Case Study

Purpose: Literacy skills are essential for full inclusion in society, particularly for individuals with Down syndrome who have limited intelligible speech, as literacy provides an additional modality for accessing receptive and expressive language. Telepractice provides convenient access to services that might otherwise be inaccessible for many individuals. The current case study explored the effect of a telepractice intervention that consisted of an AAC technology decoding feature, designed to support literacy learning, specifically single word reading.
Method: This paper presents a case study of a young boy, Henry (pseudonym), with a diagnosis of Down syndrome, limited functional speech, and limited literacy skills. Henry was provided with a 12-week intervention that consisted of the introduction of an AAC technology decoding feature that modeled single word decoding. He participated remotely at home, with support from his mother. Data was collected on Henry’s accuracy of (a) single word reading and (b) generalization to single word spelling.
Results: Henry demonstrated increased single word reading skills, particularly for words presented in the AAC technology application with the decoding feature, but minimal generalization to spelling was observed.
Conclusions: The findings indicated that an AAC technology decoding feature that offered models of single-word decoding may be beneficial for supporting early literacy skills in young children with Down syndrome. Furthermore, telepractice appears to be a viable option for the delivery of literacy intervention. Implications for clinical practice and directions for future research are discussed.