Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
Students with complex communication needs (CCN) are guaranteed the right to a free and appropriate public education as well as the supports necessary to make progress in the general education curriculum. However, students with CCN are at risk of not receiving the support needed to fully participate in academic instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the academic experiences of students with CCN to understand how they participated in instruction and the supports educators implemented for them. We observed students with CCN across the United States and collected student and teacher demographic information from their educators. Sixty-nine students with CCN were included in the present analysis. Communication supports were infrequently implemented in all four educational placements, and 26% of students with CCN in our sample did not use speech, sign, symbols, or a speech-generating device and relied on gestures and/or vocalizations. Few students in segregated classrooms had access to speech-generating devices, and communication supports were only observed to be implemented in these settings during 12%–16% of observations. Implications for research are presented from the perspective of increasing the use of research-based supports for students with CCN to support their academic progress.
Direct answer
What can I do from this paper page?
Use this page to scan "Academic Experiences of Students With Complex Communication Needs" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility research, save the paper, or map adjacent work.
Research areas
Follow related topics
Citation
BibTeX
@article{Zagona2026Academic,
title = {Academic Experiences of Students With Complex Communication Needs},
author = {Alison L. Zagona and Jennifer A. Kurth and Elissa Lockman Turner},
journal = {Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1177/15407969261455306},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/15407969261455306}
}FAQ
Using this paper in a discovery workflow
How do I find related work for this paper?
Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.
How can I keep up with new Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility research papers?
Follow Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility research in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.
Can I cite this paper from this page?
This page includes a static BibTeX block for Academic Experiences of Students With Complex Communication Needs. Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.
Follow this research in Scollr
Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.
Get the app