Mission
Our mission is to develop, deliver, and evaluate interventions to improve communication, including augmentative and alternative communication use, in autistic and intellectually/developmentally disabled people who are unable to use speech effectively (those who are minimally or non-speaking). We are committed to supporting family members and other natural communication partners, particularly those from minoritized and underrepresented groups.
Purpose
The purpose of the Coach to Communicate (C2C) lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is to investigate the use of communication interventions, especially augmentative and alternative communication, to improve communication in autistic and intellectually/developmentally disabled people of all ages, including via telepractice approaches. The lab’s research involves engaging family members, and other natural communication partners, in eliciting new communication skills for this population. Families from minoritized backgrounds have been included in this work most recently. The lab was founded in Nebraska in 2023 by Dr. J.B. “Birdie” Ganz, as a continuation of their work beginning in 1999 and their prior lab in Texas. Dr. Ganz has conducted numerous single-case research and systematic reviews and meta-analyses involving augmentative and alternative communication and other communication interventions in natural settings and contexts. This lab provides research and scholarly opportunities for students in special education, communication disorders, and related disciplines. School districts, other direct service providers, and caregivers who are interested in this work are invited to contact us.
