jircd (print) issn 2040–5111 jircd (online) issn 2040–512x doi : 10.1558/jircd.19318 Journal of Interactional Research in Communication Disorders jircd vol 10.1 2019 67–98 © 2021, equinox publishing Article Facilitators’ use of a communication device following children’s aided turns in everyday interaction Maja Sigurd Pilesjö 1 and Niklas Norén 2 1 University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark 2 Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden Abstract Tis conversation analysis study investigates facilitators’ simultaneous use of speech and aided means in instructional interaction with children with complex commu- nication needs (CCN), who use aided communication in an everyday setting. Te participants were children with severe speech impairments and their everyday com- munication partners. Te analysis focused on facilitators’ aided turns immediately fol- lowing aided turns by the children, within so-called retro-sequences. Retro-sequences were found in interactions involving four out of nine children. Te facilitators sys- tematically combined a spoken turn with an aided turn, a speaking and pointing (SAP) practice. Te pointing consisted of a single graphical word, mostly a noun. Te multimodal practice generally highlighted, emphasized, or exposed graphical words that increased noticeability and understandability within the local context. Adult repeats were treated as requests for confrmation of a candidate understanding and were responded to by the child using vocal and embodied resources. Reformulations (recasts) were treated as proferings of candidate understandings and were responded to using the communication device. Te fndings indicate that the partner’s use of a spoken and aided follow-up action shaped the immediate context for device use. Te fndings are relevant for the design of naturalistic interventions and may be used Afliations 1 University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark Email: msp@language.sdu.dk (corresponding author) 2 Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden Email: niklas.noren@edu.uu.se