Systems and methodologies are described that provide half-duplex communication in a frequency division duplex (FDD) system. Communications in an FDD system may be divided into half-duplex interlaces, wherein a terminal may receive at one time period and transmit at another time period. An access network in an FDD system may then utilize half-duplex communication to communicate with an access terminal that is not capable of transmitting and receiving simultaneously by using a half-duplex interlace. Further, an access network may also utilize full-duplex communication to communicate with an access terminal that is capable of transmitting and receiving simultaneously.