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Communication Profile of a Minimally Verbal School-Age Autistic Child: A Case Study

Resource type
Authors/contributors
Title
Communication Profile of a Minimally Verbal School-Age Autistic Child: A Case Study
Abstract
Purpose The present clinical focus draws on an intrinsic case study to provide a thick description of the communication profile of John, a 9-year-old minimally verbal autistic student. Method Specifically, traditional behavioral assessments, classroom video observations, and semistructured interviews were used to gather information regarding John's communication profile and potential sensory–motor differences. Results Convergent evidence indicated that John's expressive profile was characterized by single words, emergent word combinations, some conventional gestures, and a low frequency of communicative initiations. Concomitant language comprehension challenges and poor intelligibility associated with motor speech impairment were also indicated. His sensory–motor profile was marked by fine motor impairment, relative strengths in gross motor abilities, and sensory differences across visual, hearing, and tactile modalities. Conclusion Direct implications for supporting minimally verbal autistic students like John include the need to (a) consider sensory–motor influences on social interaction and (b) support flexible use of multimodal communication resources, including augmentative and alternative communication. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12202448
Publication
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools
Volume
51
Issue
3
Pages
671-686
Date
2020-07-15
Journal Abbr
LSHSS
Language
en
ISSN
0161-1461, 1558-9129
Short Title
Communication Profile of a Minimally Verbal School-Age Autistic Child
Accessed
31/03/2025, 13:41
Library Catalog
DOI.org (Crossref)
Citation
Vidal, V., McAllister, A., & DeThorne, L. (2020). Communication Profile of a Minimally Verbal School-Age Autistic Child: A Case Study. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 51(3), 671–686. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_LSHSS-19-00021