Low-tech communication tools for children with autism who have trouble speaking
Tests picture-based communication support for children with autism and their caregivers.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Reciprocal Innovation to Optimize Low-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for Individuals
Key facts
- Where
- Charlottesville, United StatesSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 3 and 14 years old?
Source: NCT07581483, who can take part
Where in United States
- University of VirginiaCharlottesville, United StatesNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Indiana University
- Trial code
- NCT07581483
- Record updated
- 12 May 2026
- Original description
Many people with autism and other developmental conditions have difficulty speaking or do not use speech and need other ways to communicate. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes tools such as picture boards, communication books, and gestures that support communication. In low-resource settings and underserved rural areas in the United States, high-tech AAC devices are often too expensive or difficult to access, and trained specialists are limited.Read full original descriptionShow less
Reciprocal Innovation to Optimize Low-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for Individuals With Complex Communication Needs and Their Caregivers
Many people with autism and other developmental conditions have difficulty speaking or do not use speech and need other ways to communicate. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes tools such as picture boards, communication books, and gestures that support communication. In low-resource settings and underserved rural areas in the United States, high-tech AAC devices are often too expensive or difficult to access, and trained specialists are limited.
Low-tech AAC options are more affordable but are often not used successfully because tools may not match the individual's abilities or daily environment, caregivers and providers may lack training, and stigma or low awareness may discourage use. These challenges can lead to AAC abandonment and social isolation.
Rural Virginia and western Kenya face similar barriers, including limited AAC expertise, inconsistent assessment, and insufficient training for families, educators, and community providers. This project uses a shared learning approach that combines western Kenya's experience implementing low-tech AAC in new settings with rural Virginia's expertise in individualized assessment, training, and scalable service delivery. The goal is to better match individuals to appropriate low-tech AAC systems and support communication partners to use them effectively.
Inclusion: Communication partners (e.g., caregivers, parents, teachers, community health workers, or aides) aged 18 years or older; Primary communication partner of a child aged 3 to 14 years; Child has a documented diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or a related neurodevelopmental condition; Child is minimally verbal or non-verbal; Able to communicate in English (U.S. sites) or English or Swahili (Kenya sites); Able and willing to provide informed consent.
Exclusion: Communication partners younger than 18 years of age; Communication partners of children younger than 3 years or older than 14 years; Communication partners of children who use fluent spoken language; Inability to communicate in the required study languages; Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent.