Partner Training

Education and coaching provided to the communication partners of AAC users to help them interact more effectively and supportively. Partner training covers strategies like allowing adequate time for responses, recognizing non-verbal and device-mediated communication cues, avoiding over-talking or finishing sentences, maintaining natural conversation rather than interrogating, and learning to interpret the AAC user's idiosyncratic communication signals. Research consistently shows that partner training significantly improves communication outcomes, yet it remains inconsistently provided in clinical practice and is particularly lacking regarding backchanneling recognition.