Date

6-17-2026

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Nancy K. DeJarnette

Keywords

Augmentative and Alternative Communication, AAC, Paraprofessionals, Autism, Students with Autism, Speech-Generating Devices, Special Education, Communication Supports, Assistive Technology, AAC Implementation, Culturally Responsive AAC, Multilingual Learners, Island Education, Northern Mariana Islands, CNMI, K–12 Education, Sociocultural Theory, Zone of Proximal Development, Scaffolding, Transcendental Phenomenology, Qualitative Research

Disciplines

Education | Special Education and Teaching

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of paraprofessionals using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices to support students with autism in K–12 schools within the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, the study examined paraprofessionals’ perceptions, challenges, and adaptive strategies in AAC implementation. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of paraprofessionals implementing AAC devices to support students with autism in the Northern Mariana Islands? A transcendental phenomenological design was employed, using convenience and maximum variation sampling, to recruit 10 paraprofessionals across the CNMI. Data were gathered through interviews, focus group discussions, and journal prompts. Analysis followed Moustakas's procedures for transcendental phenomenology, employing the Stevick-Colaizzi- Keen method. Steps included epoché, phenomenological reduction, horizonalization, invariant constituents, clustering into themes, imaginative variation, and synthesis of textural-structuraldescriptions to construct the essence of the phenomenon. Six major themes and 24 sub themes emerged, revealing that AAC implementation was experienced as a deeply relational, culturally situated, and systemically dependent process. Paraprofessionals served as the primary communication partners despite receiving limited training, inconsistent systemic support, and tools that did not always reflect the island’s multilingual and multicultural realities. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed, with emphasis on culturally responsive AAC practices and professional development for paraprofessionals in island settings.

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