Addressing the Needs of Children With Complex Communication Needs and Their Partners in Areas of Poverty: To Haiti and Back

Abstract

An estimated 1 billion people (15% of the world's population) experience a disability, such as a communication disability. Individuals with disabilities have an increased likelihood of living in poverty and often experience decreased access to medical, educational, and rehabilitation services (Danquah et al., 2014; World Health Organization & The World Bank, 2011) with approximately two-thirds of the world's poor living in low-and middle-income nations such as Haiti (Rank & Yadama, 2007). The aim of this article is to describe augmentative and alternative (AAC) service delivery considerations for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who work with individuals who live in poverty. Case examples of AAC services within areas of poverty in Haiti and the United States are provided to illustrate practice recommendations. To achieve best-practice standards, SLPs who provide AAC services must consider how poverty might influence a family's socio-historic context, access to resources and services, and community participation goals. Furthermore, it is critical that SLPs recognize individuals' and families' strengths, evaluate the sustainability of AAC services, and work within a team to empower individuals with complex communication needs to participate in desired roles within the community.