Comparison of two spelling instruction techniques for adults who use augmentative and alternative communication

The study employed an alternating treatment design to investigate the effects of two instructional techniques on the acquisition and retention of spelling vocabulary by two adults with cerebral palsy who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC): (a) the Copy-Write-Compare method (CWC) and (b) the Student-Directed Cueing method (SDC). SDC differs from CWC in that it directs the subject to attend to the differences between the subject's incorrectly spelled version of the word and the correct spelling. The results indicated that the subjects improved their spelling performance using both of the instructional techniques. Only minor differences were observed with respect to rates of acquisition of spelling vocabulary items for the two techniques. Post-test scores revealed a retention advantage for the SDC method of instruction for both subjects, although variation in the strength of the effect was observed. The study provides preliminary, empirically based guidelines for AAC specialists to consider in the development of spelling instruction programs for adults who use AAC.