Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have communication support needs and many rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems to communicate. Previous research suggests that AAC use does not preclude the acquisition of spoken language and, in some cases, may facilitate improvements in spoken communication in children with ASD. This study systematically applied echoic prompting and manipulated reinforcer magnitude in an effort to increase the spoken requests of 3 children with ASD, ages 10-12 years, who used iPad-based speech generating devices (SGDs). The spoken language (vocal requests) of all 3 participants increased in frequency and 1 participant began using spoken language exclusively, even when the SGD was an option. Implications for practitioners and directions for future research in this area are discussed. Keywords Autism spectrum disorder • Augmentative and alternative communication • Reinforcer magnitude • Speech-generating devices • Vocalizations Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have social communication support needs, and as many as 31% may not produce spoken language at all (Newman et al. 2011; Wodka et al. 2013). Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems have been found to be effective supplements for individuals with spoken language deficits and effective replacement communication modalities for those with a complete absence of functional speech. There are many evidence-based
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