LAUSR

ABSTRACT This study investigated special education teachers’ perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators when using Augmentative and Alternate Communication (AAC) with students with multiple disabilities. A sample of 172 teachers of such students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, responded to two questionnaires concerning barriers and facilitators to using AAC. The findings indicate that the school environment dimension poses the most serious barriers, more than the dimensions of teacher skills and students. Female teachers are more aware of their lack of knowledge and skills as barriers than are male teachers. Positive correlations were confirmed between previous AAC training and teaching experience as well as recognition of the seriousness of barriers. Participants also expressed positive and strong agreement about what facilitators provided to AAC use. The findings suggest fruitful ways to increase AAC use and improve the experiences of teacher and student users.