Communication Breakdown

A disruption in conversation where the intended message is not successfully conveyed or understood, leading to confusion, misunderstanding, or loss of conversational coherence. In AAC communication, breakdowns can occur when backchanneling cues are missed (because the partner is looking at their device), when timing delays cause responses to arrive after the conversation has moved on, when synthetic speech is misunderstood, or when non-verbal signals are misinterpreted. AAC users and their partners develop collaborative repair strategies, including repetition, clarification, and cooperative problem-solving, to address breakdowns.