Many Speech-Language Pathologists treat individuals who are minimally verbal with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are a variety of intervention approaches available that facilitate improvements in communication. This investigation explored the effects of (Faded) Aided Language Stimulation (ALS), an intervention approach that can address both augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and verbal vocabulary needs for those individuals. The research purpose of this experiment was to implement (Faded) ALS as a faded prompt to examine the effects on expressive vocabulary productions for minimally verbal children with ASD. This investigation was an ABCD single-subject design evaluated across a single participant, which evaluated the impact of this intervention approach on expressive vocabulary as measured through total number and the varied number of both AAC and verbal vocabulary productions. Current literature demonstrates that ALS has had secondary positive effects on verbal productions. This study aimed to specfically examine the direct impacts on verbal productions, to take the next logical step to expand upon research in the speech-language pathology field. This investigation aims to build on the currently available literature to determine how fading ALS would effect expressive vocabulary production. This experiment included a single participant. Results revealed that this participant exhibited a significant increase and maintenance in both the varied and total number of AAC and verbally-produced vocabulary following the intervention. Faded aided language stimulation appeared to be linked with an increase and maintenance of expressive vocabulary for a minimally-verbal child with ASD.
