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Rapid literature review on assistive technology in education: research report
- Author:
- EDYBURN Dave L.
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Education
- Publication year:
- 2020
- Pagination:
- 49
- Place of publication:
- Manchester
Assistive technologies (AT) are specialised products designed for people with special educational needs and disabilities. This report summarises the available evidence concerning AT use and outcomes in education for policy makers, administrators, educators, researchers, and industry in order to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the evidence informing when, where, and for whom AT works. The goal was to understand both the state of the art (as reflected in literature for practitioners), and the state of the science (as reflected in peer-reviewed research literature), concerning AT use and the outcomes and benefits experienced by pupils and students with SEND. The findings of this rapid review of the AT literature revealed a knowledge base of over 950 documents of which 96 were literature reviews. 30 evidence reviews provide moderate – strong evidence concerning the efficacy of specific applications of AT. The most research validated AT intervention focuses on speech, language, and communication disabilities and the use of communication systems known as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. This body of research evidence is strong and exceedingly clear: providing individuals with a method of communicating, the earlier the better, improves a variety of outcomes relative to independence, educational outcomes, and quality of life. AT is an under-utilised intervention to provide pupils and students with special needs and disabilities a means for accessing and engaging in the curriculum in ways that are representative of the ubiquitous nature of technology in society. Realising the potential of assistive technology will require the coordinated efforts of students, parents, educators, administrators, policymakers, developers, service providers, and researchers to scale the number of pupils and students benefitting from AT interventions that have been shown to be effective. (Edited publisher abstract)
Speech, communication and use of augmentative communication in young people with cerebral palsy: The SH&PE population study
- Authors:
- COCKERILL H., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child: Care, Health and Development, 40(2), 2014, pp.149-157.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: Communication is frequently impaired in young people (YP) with bilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Important factors include motoric speech problems (dysarthria) and intellectual disability. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) techniques are often employed. The aim was to describe the speech problems in bilateral CP, factors associated with speech problems, current AAC provision and use, and to explore the views of both the parent/carer and young person about communication. Methods: A total population of children with bilateral CP (n = 346) from four consecutive years of births (1989–1992 inclusive) with onset of CP before 15 months were reassessed at age 16–18 years. Motor skills and speech were directly assessed and both parent/carer and the young person asked about communication and satisfaction with it. Results: Sixty had died, eight had other conditions, 243 consented and speech was assessed in 224 of whom 141 (63%) had impaired speech. Fifty-two (23% of total YP) were mainly intelligible to unfamiliar people, 22 (10%) were mostly unintelligible to unfamiliar people, 67 (30%) were mostly or wholly unintelligible even to familiar adults. However, 89% of parent/carers said that they could communicate 1:1 with their young person. Of the 128 YP who could independently complete the questions, 107 (83.6%) were happy with their communication, nine (7%) neither happy nor unhappy and 12 (9.4%) unhappy. A total of 72 of 224 (32%) were provided with one or more types of AAC but in a significant number (75% of 52 recorded) AAC was not used at home, only in school. Factors associated with speech impairment were severity of physical impairment, as measured by Gross Motor Function Scale level and manipulation in the best hand, intellectual disability and current epilepsy. Conclusions: In a population representative group of YP, aged 16–18 years, with bilateral CP, 63% had impaired speech of varying severity, most had been provided with AAC but few used it at home for communication. (Publisher abstract)
Putting words into their mouths?: interviewing people with learning disabilities and little/no speech
- Author:
- BREWSTER Stephanie J.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 32(4), December 2004, pp.166-169.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
People with learning disabilities who are unable to speak are often excluded from research. Techniques to support interviewing, such as Talking Mats, which, in common with many techniques to augment communication, relies on someone else selecting the vocabulary to be made available, can help to improve the quality of research in which such people could not otherwise participate. Outlines the Talking Mats framework and discusses various methods of vocabulary selection, in particular reporting on empirical work with two effective communication aid users who were invited to advise on vocabulary. It is proposed that many of the difficulties of research involving people with limited communication can be ameliorated by viewing the process of accessing their views not as a one off event but as an ongoing process.
Communicating with children and young people with speech, language and communication needs and/or developmental delay: frontline briefing
- Author:
- SHAW Pamela
- Publisher:
- Research in Practice
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 20
- Place of publication:
- Dartington
This resource supports frontline practitioners undertaking assessment with children and young people with speech, language and communication needs and/or developmental delay. It highlights the importance of listening to their views, wishes and feelings in order to carry out effective assessments. The resource is relevant for those undertaking assessments in the context of safeguarding and child protection concerns or assessing needs more generally. It also contains guidance on how to work with adolescents to consider appropriate risk enablement. (Edited publisher abstract)
Text messaging with picture symbols - experiences of seven persons with cognitive and communicative disabilities
- Authors:
- MULLER Ingrid Mattsson, BUCHHOLZ Margret, FERM Ulrika
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Assistive Technologies, 4(4), December 2010, pp.11-23.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
A three year project in Sweden is looking at ways of increasing participation for persons with cognitive and communication disabilities. It has a particular focus on text messaging with picture symbols. Three men and four women were given one of two available phone devices that met the aims of the project and their needs; the Micro Rolltalk or the Handifon. Tailored software included a picture symbol database and speech synthesis. Clients’ professional and social support networks were instructed in how the equipment was to be used. Semi-structured interviews investigated satisfaction with the mobile phone, handling the phone, involvement in daily life and project participation. At this point participants had been using their phones for between 7 and 13 months. The researchers experienced the anticipated challenges associated with interviewing people with cognitive impairments. Scale and yes/no questions were more easily answered than open questions. A compromise was found in the use of “Talking Mats” (textured mats with topic pictures and visual scales). Overall most participants were satisfied with their mobile phones, found them easy to handle, and liked to use them for a variety of purposes, not just text messaging. All except one wanted to continue to use them after the project ended.
‘I know how I feel’: listening to young people with life-limiting conditions who have learning and communication impairments
- Author:
- MITCHELL Wendy
- Journal article citation:
- Qualitative Social Work, 9(2), June 2010, pp.185-203.
- Publisher:
- Sage
While current government policy in the United Kingdom encourages involving children in decisions about their lives, disabled children are often marginalised and not consulted, especially those with learning disabilities and communication impairments. This article, drawing on an ongoing English Government funded longitudinal study exploring different groups of service users’ choices, uncovers the important contribution that qualitative research methods, especially non-traditional methods, can identify when working with young people who are either non-verbal or have limited speech. The author describes how working with young people with life-limiting conditions raises some specific challenges for researchers, where it is necessary to adapt existing project wide materials and research methods in order to gain some thematic continuity across different service user groups. Some of these considerations and challenges are discussed by the author, especially the development of non-verbal forms of communication. Practical experiences, both positive and negative are investigated. The author concludes by considering some wider implications of using symbols based methods for future research and how these methods can be used in multiple disciplines and by practitioners in their everyday work.
Management of communication needs in people with learning disability
- Editors:
- ABUDARHAM Samuel, HURD Angela
- Publisher:
- Whurr
- Publication year:
- 2002
- Pagination:
- 342p.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
Work in this neglected field is greatly needed, and practitioners will welcome this practically oriented textbook. While its principal target audience is the undergraduate and newly qualified speech and language therapist (SLT), a wider audience is anticipated among other professionals. Attempting to cover the communication needs of the entire age range of people with learning disability it is useful to see the reality of the lifelong nature of developmental disability acknowledged: a reality often masked by the tendency on the part of service delivery and undergraduate training to compartmentalise into children and adults.
An investigation of speech and language therapy to improve the communication environment of people with severe learning disabilities who have communication difficulties and behaviours that challenge services
- Author:
- CHATTERTON Sarah
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Learning Disabilities for Nursing Health and Social Care, 2(4), December 1998, pp.203-211.
Describes a project which investigates the effect of speech and language therapy on the communication environment in a home for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour. It uses the principles of: facilitating cares in the understanding of the nature and causes of challenging behaviour, particularly in relation to communication; facilitating carers in understanding the role of the environment and their own communication in relation to the clients challenging behaviour; support carers in developing appropriate activities for the client. Concludes that speech and language therapy was effective in improving the communication environment. The impact of the improved communication environment on challenging behaviours was not measured.
Using individualised communication for interviewing people with intellectual disability: a case study of user-centred research
- Authors:
- CAMBRIDGE Paul, FORRESTER-JONES Rachel
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 28(1), March 2003, pp.5-23.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The importance of participative research methodologies is now widely acknowledged. A case study using individualised communication for interviewing people with intellectual disability in outcome and quality of life research is reported. The methodology and processes employed are described and lessons for the wider application of the model identified. In collaboration with Somerset Total Communication and local speech and language therapists, researchers from the Tizard Centre developed a flexible communication strategy for involving service users, drawing on core, local and individual vocabularies and using signs, graphic symbols and photographs to supplement spoken English. Individualised communication was used both to ascertain informed consent to participation in the research and to conduct the user interview. The initiative was part of a wider study looking at the outcomes and costs of community care 12 years on from de-institutionalisation. The approach was found to facilitate user participation compared with previous follow-ups, with wider lessons evident for user involvement.
Approaches to communication through music
- Author:
- CORKE Margaret
- Publisher:
- David Fulton
- Publication year:
- 2002
- Pagination:
- 99p.
- Place of publication:
- London
One of the ways forward when working with those who have little or no speech, or limited comprehension of language, is to use music. In this book tried and tested approaches and activities devised to promote the development of communication and social interaction at a fundamental level are set out.