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Autism Spectrum Disorder. Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Lesson plan. Teacher training.
Limited dissemination of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in schools, the absence of adequate teacher training, difficulties in planning classes and in establishing efficient communication are obstacles to the academic development of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this sense, the present research aims to analyze the effects of a training program in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) on the lesson plans of teachers who teach students with ASD in the regular classroom. Five teachers who worked in Elementary School participated in the study. The training program, structured in a dialogic perspective, discussed by Shulman (1986), was based on the real demands presented by the participants. Regarding the research methodology, strategic action research was used and, for data analysis, the principle of Content Analysis proposed by Bardin (1977) was followed. The IRAMUTEQ software (Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires) was used to assist in data processing. The results reveal that the training program expanded the teachers' knowledge about ASD and AAC. In general, they were able to modify and implement AAC systems in their lesson plans. Despite these results, some teachers had difficulties in using the AAC with a focus on the socio-communicative aspects of the students, even though they seemed to understand the central objectives of AAC. The findings of this research underscore the need for studies focused on the lesson plan and teacher training models.