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86 JCPSLP Volume 14, Number 2 2012 Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology
Their communication difficulties compound a lack of social
infrastructure. This highlights an urgent need for capacity
building.
There is a dearth of published information about the
application of capacity building to people with complex
communication needs. More research is needed into
the efficacy of this approach as well as strategies and
resources to assist in successful capacity building with this
population.
The application of capacity building approaches to
people with complex communication needs is a new
and complex enterprise. Consideration should be given
to how people with complex communication needs and
speech pathologists can be adequately trained, resourced,
and supported to undertake effective and meaningful
community projects.
References
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building: A practical guide. Paper no. 6. Hobart, Tas.:
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Practical%20Guide.pdf
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old, something new...? Critical Social Policy, 27, 335–359.
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approaches to capacity building in health: Consequences
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(2005). Effective engagement: Building relationships with
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explained. Stronger Families Learning Exchange Bulletin, 1,
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McLennan, F., Vickers, K., Mason, K., Bloomberg,
K., Leadbetter, V., & Engel, M. (2006). Capacity building
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improve health. Retrieved from .
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can be helpful. Ensuring that meetings take place at
times and venues that are convenient to attendees is also
useful. Speech pathologists and project teams can work
collaboratively with advocacy groups as well as disability
support services in order to reach more isolated and less
empowered community members.
Speech pathologists generally have many skills in
facilitating the inclusion of people who have communication
difficulties in community projects. In some cases it is
necessary to have resources such as meeting agendas and
partnership agreements in accessible formats. Depending
on their experience, some project participants may benefit
from training in meeting procedure and etiquette. Others
may wish to attend meetings in an observer’s capacity
before being expected to contribute. It is often helpful to
allow extra time for meetings and consultations, to permit
people who use augmentative communication systems
the time needed to have their say. Sending out meeting
agendas in advance also allows participants to pre-program
appropriate vocabulary into their communication devices.
Another way of involving people with diverse
communication skills in a project is to have a range of roles
available to cater for different skills and interests. Such
roles may include project planning, trainer/co-trainer and
evaluation assistant. Some projects, such as police training
call for practice communication partners, where trainees
have the opportunity to practise conversing with people
with complex communication needs.
If speech pathologists are to undertake capacity building,
relevant training needs to be available, either in entry-level
courses, or through postgraduate study. Similarly, project
managers from other disciplines need training in complex
communication needs, to allow participation of people with
complex communication needs in broader capacity building
projects.
In order for capacity building to be valued and funded
within speech pathology, there must be an evidence base
to support it. Projects must have clear evaluations. There
is a wide range of qualitative and quantitative evaluations
which can be applied to capacity building projects (Simister
& Smith, 2010). Whichever methods are selected, it is vital
to audit the capacity building process as well as evaluating
project outcomes. This will guide other practitioners in
developing effective capacity building projects. Where
possible project audits and evaluations should be published
in order to increase the body of knowledge available to the
profession.
Directions for future research
There is a great need for research into the applications and
efficacy of capacity building with people with complex
communication needs. In particular it would be useful to
know what capacity building methodologies have been
used with people with complex communication needs; the
effectiveness or otherwise of these methodologies; and
strategies for successful community engagement of people
with complex communication needs. In addition there is a
need for a broad needs-analysis to determine what projects
have been undertaken to increase communication
accessibility in the community; what further needs are
identified by communities with complex communication
needs, either locally or on a wider (e.g., national) scale; and
what priorities are identified for future projects.
Conclusion
People with complex communication needs form a
fragmented and diverse community with low social capital.