A recent study published in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology explored the impact of teletraining on parents supporting communication in young children with multiple disabilities who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The research involved six parent-child pairs, focusing on the use of digital storybooks in a shared reading context. Parents received teletraining on a specific communication strategy, with data collected on their implementation accuracy and the children’s communication turns during reading sessions.

Results showed that all parents achieved over 80% accuracy in using the target strategy after receiving instruction, feedback, and practice opportunities during two teletraining sessions, lasting a total of 50 to 90 minutes. Following the training, there was a notable increase in the children’s communication turns, the use of AAC, and the expression of unique vocabulary concepts.

The study highlights the effectiveness of telepractice as a means of AAC intervention for parents of children with significant speech challenges, extending previous research on communication partner training. This approach proves beneficial for families in remote areas, demonstrating that teletraining can enhance communication strategies in real-time contexts.