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JCPSLP
Volume 14, Number 2 2012
Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology
is adopted from American Sign Language. Prior to our
involvement in the project, we knew little about KWS&G
and thought that the approach consisted of a unique set of
signs to be used specifically for persons with disabilities.
KWS&G is used by hearing children and adults who
cannot speak or have speech that is difficult to understand.
KWS&G typically borrows signs from the deaf community
of the host country. While both speech and sign are used
together, only the key words of a spoken sentence are
signed (e.g., “Can
you help
me
open
the box”?).
As a first step, we investigated the uptake of KWS&G
using Auslan (Australia) as an interim common signing
approach to meet the immediate needs of the clients
within a MINDS school as part of the pilot study for 2011.
Auslan was chosen because we wanted to use training
materials and resources related to KWS&G (Australia) that
schools, not in the adult sector. Only recently, in 2011, were
speech therapy positions created in the adult sector.
Historical use of signs in MINDS
In the past, manual signs from different signing systems
were used in MINDS schools. School-based speech
therapists, employed by MINDS, collated booklets and
developed their own videos of basic functional signs and
gestures as a medium for dissemination of information to
involved parents and teachers.
The school’s sole therapist, working with large caseloads,
cited “time-consuming”, “energy-exhausting” and
“repetition of work” as factors accounting for the pitfalls in
information dissemination (on manual signs) to the various
people involved in caring for the clients. With respect
to the adult sectors at MINDS, there was no system at
all for dissemination of this kind of information. Indeed,
several challenges were faced, particularly as our clients
transitioned across settings: from schools to the adult
employment-training development centres.
An initiative by the Allied Health
Professionals Hub
In 2008, MINDS speech therapists acknowledged the need
for an organisation-wide common signing approach. The
implementation of a common signing approach was
recognised as an essential step towards enhanced quality
of service delivery to the clients at MINDS, aligning
communication methods across the schools, adult sectors,
and home (Loh & Singh, 2011). Approved by the
organisation management (for financial years 2009–2011),
the KWS&G Project was an initiative by the MINDS Allied
Health Professionals Hub (made up of 11 multidisciplinary
team members). Their aim was to look into the possibility of
implementing a common signing approach within the
organisation to cater to the communication needs of our
clients within MINDS.
The learning and use of KWS&G may be compared to
learning a language and/or embracing a new “culture”
of communication. People need to be immersed in an
environment where a common communication method
is being used. Johnson, Douglas, Digby, and Iacono
(2009) further highlighted that addressing attitudes of
adult communication partners may result in persons with
intellectual disabilities being supported more effectively. The
communication partner’s use of the AAC system signifies
a valuing of the AAC system; it is through this that the
communication partner promotes learning of the system
by the AAC user, and everyday AAC-use to others in their
environment (Johnson et al., 2009).
Interestingly, studies have found that staff caring for
persons with intellectual disabilities were more likely to
use verbal communication, irrespective of the mode of the
communication of their communication partner or their
perceived communicative competence (Bradshaw, 2001).
The goal of an effective signing environment to support
persons with intellectual disabilities cannot be pursued
in isolation (Lodge-Miller & Elfenbein, 1994). Rather,
commitment from many people (i.e., senior management,
principals, teachers, parents) involved in the care of clients
is essential to the successful implementation of a common
signing approach within an environment.
The pilot study
Setting the scene
In Singapore, the sign language that is most commonly
used by the deaf community is Signing Exact English which
were readily available to facilitate the pilot study, rather
than reinventing the wheel. Indeed, the ultimate long-term
intention of the MINDS Allied Health Professionals Hub is
to develop Key Word Sign, incorporating Signing Exact
English that could cater specifically to the needs and culture
of our local context in Singapore.
Specifically, our project team was exploring the potential
for creating a “culture” of signing environment as a long-
term goal which, in this instance, was using KWS&G as
part of a total communication approach when interacting
with persons with intellectual disabilities. An action research
framework (Morton-Cooper, 2000) was adopted for the
pilot study, aimed to help us to critically reflect on our work
practices and arrive at some consensus regarding the kind
of services to better cater to our clients, and the reason(s)
for providing the service(s) in a particular way.
Parents and teachers involved were trained using
KWS&G via a train-the-trainer model, after one of the
team members (a speech therapist) attended a KWS&G
Presenter Training Course in Melbourne, Australia in 2009
to be Singapore’s first qualified KWS&G Presenter (Scope,
2010). It was anticipated that the findings from the pilot
study would help guide decisions with regards to KWS&G
use within the entire organisation.
Aims
The pilot study aimed to explore 1) the attitudes and
perceptions of teachers, parents, and students towards
KWS&G use as part of a total communication approach,
and 2) the willingness and abilities of teachers and parents
to use KWS&G with greater accuracy, confidence, and
frequency when communicating with their students/
children, after having received training.