Assessment of potential communicative acts in three individuals with Rett syndrome

The present study focused on assessing the communicative potential of several existing responses produced by three individuals with Rett syndrome. It was hypothesized that some of the motor responses observed in these individuals (e.g., eye gaze, facial expressions, body movements) may have been conditioned as unconventional forms of communication. The functional assessment included interviewing teachers and direct-care staff. Next, observations were conducted under conditions of high and low social interaction. This was followed by structured probes that provided opportunities for greeting, conversation, requesting, and protesting. Teachers and staff interpreted the participants' existing behaviors as communicative. Results from the observations and structured probes indicated that some of the participants' existing behaviors were differentially sensitive to the various conditions, but it remains unclear if these behaviors were in fact forms of communication. Implications for communication intervention are discussed.