Meaning, Value and Purpose of AAC Clinical Trial
Official title:
What Does AAC Mean to You?: An Exploration of the Meaning and Value of AAC to Users and Stakeholders.(AAC: Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
The perception of disability has changed throughout history, and today, people who previously did not have a way to communicate are able to express themselves through Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). However, the potential of AAC is not being fully realised and devices are often abandoned. It is therefore essential to hear the voice of those who use it and those who interact with them on a daily basis, in order to find out what the meaning, value and purpose of AAC is for them. This will support SLTs in directing intervention and establishing priorities, as well as in advocating for funding and acknowledging the voice of AAC users. The study uses a qualitative descriptive approach, using thematic analysis to establish emerging themes from surveys completed by AAC users, family members, health professionals, teachers, and face to face interviews with children who use AAC.
Research indicates that AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) has the potential to
change the lives of many people with complex communication needs, but is often under-utilised
and/or abandoned. Therefore, the research aims to investigate the meaning, value, and purpose
of AAC for different stakeholder groups, as well as to what extent these are shared or
unique? This information will support Speech and Language Therapists to understand the
meaning, value, and purpose of AAC for key stakeholders, and therefore adapt intervention to
meet these needs. It can also support families considering AAC in decision making.
Participants can also benefit through reflecting on what AAC means to them. It is also an
important part of evidence based practice to listen to the voice of the client and family.
A qualitative descriptive study is proposed, utilising thematic analysis. The study will be
implemented using a survey which will be presented in different formats
(paper/online/face-to-face) depending on the stakeholder. It will investigate the perceptions
of people who use AAC, family members, teaching staff and health professionals who work with
AAC users. Family members, adult AAC users, teachers and health professionals will receive a
link to an online survey, distributed by professional groups and charities. Parents of
children attending local special schools will be given paper copies of the survey. Face to
face interviews with up to 5 children who use AAC will also be carried out at local special
schools, following consent from the parents. Interviews will be conducted by a trained Speech
and Language Therapist using symbols to support communication via a Talking Mats style
approach,and children will be accompanied by an adult. It is estimated that interviews will
last between 20 and 30 minutes.
Participants filling in the paper or online survey are encouraged to write as much or as
little as they like; it is estimated that it will take around 10 minutes to complete,
although others may spend longer.
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