Objective: to validate the neurofunctional evaluation for Alternative and Augmented Communication protocol. Methods: the study was carried out in four steps: instrument construction, literature review, clinical validation and evaluation of the protocol by field experts, through an interactive questionnaire which was repeatedly applied, until the last set of responses was regarded as satisfactory. In addition, clinical evaluations were performed by applying the protocol in children and adolescents with motor impairment in a clinical trial.Results: statistical analysis of the protocol application in the therapeutic setting showed the Kappa indices for each observer with an overall mean of 0.436 (moderate agreement), besides the agreement among experts in content evaluation. Conclusion: agreement between the evaluators, specialists and the protocol clinical application results allowed choosing and implementing an alternative communication resource appropriate to the neuromuscular characteristics of the patient, providing a low cost access, as well as the quick identification of the motor skills that enabled the speech-language therapy.

Objective: to carry out an integrative review about the augmentative and alternative communication strategies used with adults and the elderly in the hospital environment and their impact on communication. Methods: this research study used the integrative review methodology with descriptors in English and Portuguese: 'communication', 'hospitals', 'communication aids for the disabled', in the following databases: LILACS, PubMed, Cinahl, Cochrane Library, SciELO, Scopus, Web of Science. Several articles in English and Portuguese, from the last 14 years, which addressed alternative communication strategies used with hospitalized adults and the elderly, were included. Studies on children, as well as duplicates, reviews, and those that addressed other methods of communication were excluded. Results: 13 articles characterized the alternative communication strategies used with adults and the elderly. There was a prevalence of intubated or tracheostomized patients, and health professionals, nurses being the ones with the highest citation, and researches on a qualitative approach. Six studies have used high and low technologies; however, most have shown a greater use of low-tech tools. Conclusion: a variety of high and low-tech strategies were identified, a reduction in communication difficulties being noted, as well as improvements in the quality of life and communication with professionals. The most used tool was the communication board, due to its hospitals' availability and its simple use. The evaluation and the effectiveness of communication tools in distinct clinical settings and profiles should be studied.