Support Staff-client Interactions With Augmentative and Alternative Communication

NCT02099773 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: S56517
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 3

Brief Summary

This exploratory and observational study focuses on adults with an intellectual disability (ID) and their support workers. Two groups of clients are observed: clients using Key Word Signing, and clients using aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Approximately half of adults with ID is estimated to experience communication difficulties. AAC supports them in their daily communication aiming at optimal participation in society. Current communication models, such as Participation Model (Beukelman \& Mirenda, 2005) and International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO, 2001), regard both client-related and environmental factors as important elements of communication. A substantial part of the environmental factors is made up of the communication partners' characteristics. In daycare and residential services for adults with ID the support worker is an important communication partner .

Conditions

Intellectual Disability

Keywords

AAC; support worker; direct care staff; intellectual disability; learning disability; communication; adults

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Signing rate of support workers and individuals with intellectual disabilities

  Proportion: number of signed utterances divided by total number (spoken + exclusively spoken) of utterances

  Three observation sessions over period of 2 weeks per participant, 2 years for all participants

• Sign imitation rate support workers and individuals with intellectual disabilities

  Proportion: number of manual sign imitations divided by total number manual signs produced

  Three observation sessions over period of 2 weeks per participant, 2 years for all participants

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Explicit Attitude of direct care staff towards manual signs

  One testing per participant, over period of 6 months for all participants

• Implicit Attitude of direct care staff working in towards manual signs

  One testing per participant, over period of 6 months for all participants

• Communicative functions of individuals with intellectual disabilities

  Three observation sessions over period of 2 weeks per participant, 2 years for all participants

Study Arms (2)

support workers & AAC users

Support workers who use KeyWordSigning in the communication with their client who has an intellectual disability

support workers & KWS users

Support workers who use aided AAC in the communication with their client who has an intellectual disability

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Support workers who work in residential facilities or day-centres for adults with intellectual disability, in Flanders.

You may qualify if:

• uses AAC with client
• client has congenital intellectual disability
• supports client for at least 6 months

You may not qualify if:

• client has dementia symptoms
• client has severe, non-corrected visual impairment
• client has diagnosed autism

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven: lead

Study Sites (3)

KULeuven

Leuven, Flanders, Belgium

Location

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, 3000, Belgium

Location

KULeuven

Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, 3000, Belgium

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Intellectual Disability; Learning Disabilities; Communication

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders; Communication Disorders; Behavior

Study Officials

• Ellen Rombouts, PhD cand.

  KU Leuven

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 24, 2014
• First Posted: March 31, 2014
• Study Start: March 1, 2014
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2016
• Study Completion: May 1, 2017
• Last Updated: December 11, 2017

Record last verified: 2017-11

Locations

BE (3)