Reciprocal Innovation to Optimize Low-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for Individuals
Starting soon · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Autism, Neurodevelopment
In brief
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.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT07581483
- Run by
- Indiana University
- People needed
- 500
- Starts
- 2027-06-01
- Expected to finish
- 2032-06-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-05-12
Who can join
Age: 3 and older, up to 14. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- 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
You may not qualify if…
- 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
Where it is running
- University of Virginia — Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
- Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital — Eldoret, Kenya
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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