Roles of Animation in Augmentative and Alternative Communication: a Scoping Review

This scoping review aimed to map the literature on the role of animation in AAC (a) when studied with individuals who are typically developing and (b) with individuals who have developmental disabilities. Animation is a technology that has come of age and might be leveraged for individuals with developmental disabilities using and learning to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. To be included, a study had to feature an AAC system with animation settings or features or be part of an instructional method intended to teach the use of an AAC system and be published as a peer-reviewed journal article, conference proceedings, or an unpublished master’s thesis or dissertation. Electronic databases, ancestry searches, and author contacts were used to identify potential studies. Each included study was summarized in terms of participants, design, animation characteristics (i.e., animated AAC component, its intended function, and delivery), dependent variable, results, and risk-of-bias assessment. A total of 18 studies involving 1076 typically developing participants (698 children and 378 adults) qualified for inclusion. A total of 12 studies involving 156 children with developmental disabilities were included. The certainty of evidence ratings varied, but more higher quality studies were found among the data set involving typically developing individuals. There has been an uptick in animation research in AAC since 2010. Most of the research has studied animation as a tool to enhance symbol recognition or understanding. Gaps in the literature are identified and directions for future research are posited.