MATERIALS AND METHOD: This study was conducted in Malaysia. Six students were observed twice each in their classroom and their classroom interactions were video recorded. The video recordings were transcribed and coded for the presence of a communication event, the student's mode of communication and communication function, the communication partner involved, and access to the AAC system.

RESULTS: Contrary to past studies, most students in this study spontaneously initiated interaction almost as many times as they responded. They primarily communicated with gestures and verbalizations/vocalizations despite having been introduced to an AAC system. When students communicated using their AAC system, they mainly interacted with the teachers, and for the function of either behavioral regulation or joint attention. It was found that for 39% of communicative events, the student's aided AAC system was not within arm's reach.

METHODS: Twenty-five typically developing children and 25 children with Down syndrome aged between 12 and 36 months were involved in this study. They were recruited from an early intervention center and various kindergartens from the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Their play skills were assessed using the Symbolic Play Test Second Edition, and information about their vocabulary was obtained through the MacArthur Bates Communicative Development Inventories that was filled out by their parents.

RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the vocabulary and symbolic play scores of children with Down syndrome compared with typically developing children. There was also a positive correlation between symbolic play scores and receptive and expressive vocabulary scores for both groups of children.

METHOD: A web-based questionnaire was developed to obtain information about SLPs' practises during assessment, planning and treatment.

RESULT: A total of 53 SLPs completed the questionnaire. When assessing the children, participants either always or usually involved parents, suggesting that they understood the importance of family involvement in services provided. When planning goals, the SLPs relied mostly on their clinical experience and less on research evidence. Participants reported that, most often, they employed a one-to-one approach when providing treatment. There was, however, great variation in the frequency of treatment provided, reflecting the different workplaces of participants.

MATERIALS AND METHOD: An online survey distributed for this study was completed by 235 parents.

RESULTS: Most of the parents of children with CCN who participated in this study reported that their children used low-tech AAC systems. A majority of respondents were satisfied with their child's AAC system. Parental satisfaction was positively associated with the frequency of use and whether the use of AAC helped parents understand the child better. Challenges reported by parents when using AAC and the reason some families abandoned the use of AAC were similar. Examples of challenges include parents having limited time and the child lacking the motivation to use the AAC system.

METHOD: Surveys (Study 1) and semi-structured interviews (Study 2) were used to collect data. Thirty-eight respondents completed the Affiliate Stigma Scale (ASS), Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), and Care-related Quality of Life (CarerQol) scales (GMFCS). Eleven respondents took part in semi-structured interviews, which were then thematically evaluated.

RESULTS: Parents did not feel stigmatized because they had a child with CP. However, parents needed some form of short-term relief from caregiving. After controlling for demographics, high stress respondents experienced high affiliate stigma whereas low stress respondents had better quality of life. Although the respondents with less stigma had a better quality of life, this effect was moderate. Three major themes emerged from the interviews.