Beyond the Request: Establishing Complex Verbal Behaviour with Users of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

For many learners with limited vocal speech, an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device is more than just a ‘talker’, it is their voice. However, we often get stuck at the "Mand" (requesting) phase. While asking for a cookie or a break is an essential functional skill, communication involves much more.

To provide a learner with a means to access social opportunities, we must move toward complex verbal behaviour, allowing them to comment, describe, share feelings, and engage in conversation.

Moving Beyond the Mand: The Verbal Operants

In ABA, language is categorised by its function (Verbal Operants). To build complex language on an AAC device, we need to provide learning opportunities across these categories:

• Tacting (Labelling): Moving beyond "I want" to "I see." This involves labelling colours, sizes, locations, and even internal states (e.g., "I feel frustrated").
• Intraverbals (Conversation): Responding to the verbal behaviour of others without a physical item present. This includes answering questions ("Where did you go?") or completing fill-in-the-blanks ("Ready, set... [GO]").
• Autoclitics: These are secondary verbal behaviours that modify the primary one. For example, "I think it is a dog" versus "It is a dog". Autoclitics help the listener understand the speaker's certainty or emotion.

 Strategies for Building Complexity

1. Core vocabulary vs. fringe vocabulary

To build complex sentences, we must prioritise core vocabulary. These are high-frequency words that make up the majority of what we say (e.g., go, want, more, stop, that, me). Fringe vocabulary consists of specific nouns (e.g., dinosaur, pizza, blue).

Teach the learner to combine core + fringe. Instead of just hitting the "pizza" icon, we model "I want big pizza" or "Pizza is hot." 

2. Aided language stimulation (Modelling)

We cannot expect a learner to use complex language if they don't see it used. Practitioners must ‘speak’ AAC. While talking to the learner, we should simultaneously select the icons on the device. 

The rule of thumb - Model one level above the learner's current independent level. If they use single words, we model two-word phrases. 

3. Creating opportunities for communication

To move into intraverbals and tacting, we must create situations where requesting isn't the only option.

For example, give the learner a fork to eat their soup. This creates an opportunity for the learner to tact the problem (e.g., "It’s the wrong utensil") and further to mand for information (e.g., “Where is the spoon?”). 

The pinnacle of AAC training is generative language, the ability for a learner to combine words they’ve never used together before to express a unique thought. By systematically teaching tacts and intraverbals, and by modelling complex grammar (autoclitics), we extend the use of AAC to a genuine communication device. 

Reference

Barbera, M. L., & Rasmussen, T. (2007). The verbal behaviour approach: how to teach children with autism and related disorders (1st ed.). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.