JCPSLP Vol 21 No 3 2019

Multimodal communication

Capacity building outcomes of Kids Chat 2 You A state-wide service providing families with augmentative and alternative communication services Hilary Johnson, Marion Van Nierop, Alison Heppell, Jasmin Prewett, and Teresa Iacono

Kids Chat 2 You (KC2Y) was a community capacity building project that assisted families to advocate for funding for AAC and related speech-language pathology (SLP) support under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Delivering local workshops and individual information consultations, KC2Y SLPs provided families with AAC information, low-tech communication aids and Key Word Sign resources prior to NDIS rollout for each region. The aim of this study was to explore changes in children’s access to communication aids and the extent to which the KC2Y service supported family members to advocate for their child’s needs. Family members were invited to complete a survey nine months following the KC2Y service. Results indicated that families benefited from AAC education, with an increase in the number of children using multi-component AAC systems. However, advocacy is needed across all ages to support access to communication aids and related supports. D eveloping communication competence requires a complex array of skills. Within the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) field, a competent communicator is able to independently interact with others, influence their environment and fully participate in society (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). Achieving communication competence is particularly challenging for those who have limited speech and/or comprehension skills, and, hence, they stand to benefit from using AAC. Individuals who have complex communication needs may have single or multiple disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability, or disorders of speech and language (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). People with complex communication needs require access to AAC supports to maximise community participation and quality of life (Light & McNaughton, 2014). AAC assists individuals to “express their needs and wants, develop social closeness, exchange information

and participate in social etiquette routines” in a range of environments (Light & McNaughton, 2014, p. 27). It encompasses a continuum of supports that can augment or provide an alternative to speech on a permanent or temporary basis (Allen, Schlosser, Brock, & Shane, 2017; Beukelman & Ray, 2010). An individual may require multi- component AAC systems, including unaided AAC, such as Key Word Sign (KWS), or aided AAC, such as high-tech speech generating devices and low-tech supports, such as calendars and communication books (Light & Drager, 2007). In Australia, approximately 127,900 children aged under 13 years live with communication disability, with 80.5% requiring either formal or informal communication support (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2017). These children may benefit from access to AAC, which needs to be modelled and supported by their communication partners (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). Children who require AAC are vulnerable to immediate and long-term impacts if access to functional communication to support their ongoing learning, social inclusion, and overall quality of life is not provided (Iacono, 2019). Early use of AAC (before 3 years) can aid language development (Romski et al., 2010; Wright, Kaiser, Reikowsky, & Roberts, 2013) through supporting both comprehension (Brady, 2000) and expression (Romski, Sevcik, Barton-Hulsey, & Whitmore, 2015). Capacity building in AAC requires supporting people with complex communication needs, their family, and the broader community. It involves supporting a person to access required services and learn how to use recommended AAC supports, providing instruction for key stakeholders, including family members, and providing community education (McNaughton et al., 2019). Family members are paramount to AAC success as they understand the strengths and challenges faced by the child. They are well-placed to help identify goals for the child, provide input into the type of AAC the child uses and generalise AAC to everyday activities. A lack of family member education on the benefits of AAC has been identified as a significant barrier to its uptake (Iacono & Cameron, 2009; Light & McNaughton, 2012), as well as its abandonment (Bailey, Parette, Stoner, Angell, & Carol, 2006). Additionally, family members may not be aware of the most suitable AAC system for their child and the importance of accessing effective supports and interventions (McNaughton et al., 2019). Family members may need to be informed about the benefits of AAC and

KEYWORDS ALTERNATIVE AND AUGMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION

LOW-TECH NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME CAPACITY BUILDING FAMILY CHILDREN

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN PEER- REVIEWED

Hilary Johnson (top) and Marion Van Nierop

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JCPSLP Volume 21, Number 3 2019

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au