JCPSLP Vol 21 No 3 2019

NDIS planning outcomes Ten (17%) of the surveyed participants had an NDIS plan prior to attending KC2Y, 3 (30%) including funding for communication aids. At the time of the survey, 12 (34%) families of the 0–6 year age group reported knowing how to access communication aids; 19 (54%) of the 0–6 age group had completed NDIS plans and only 13 (68%) had received funding for communication aids. Twelve (92%) participants reported their children were using communication aids, with 9 (70%) asserting that KC2Y had helped them with their NDIS planning meeting. Of participants representing school-age children, 11 (48%) said they had learned about NDIS and communication aids. Nineteen (82%) school-age children had NDIS plans in place, 15 (79%) included funding for SLP (9 were accessing it) and 10 (52%) included communication aid funding of whom 10 (90%) reported current use of communication aids; and 7 (78%) reported that KC2Y had helped them in their planning meeting. One participant commented “Kids Chat helped knowing to ask for budget for communication aid.” All 19 children in the 0–6 year age group received SLP funding, with 12 (63%) accessing it. Only 5 (14%) participants had reported learning about support services available in their localities. Similarly 3 (13%) participants representing school-age children had reported increased knowledge of services available in their locality, and of the 10 school-age children who received funding for communication aids, only 4 (40%) were accessing SLP support. Eight children with ASD under 7 years-of-age had NDIS plans in place; 50% received communication aid funding and also SLP support, which they were accessing. In contrast, of the 12 school-age children with ASD only 7 (58%) received funding for communication aids, of which three also had SLP support. Discussion Authentic choice and control rely on knowledge about options. Families of children who stand to benefit from AAC require AAC knowledge in order to advocate effectively for their children, especially in Australia’s new funding environment. The aim of KC2Y was to support children to access communication aids, by upskilling family members with information to request NDIS funded support for their communication needs. This study demonstrated potential benefits of community capacity-building AAC services. Although findings cannot be attributed directly to KC2Y, the results suggest that increasing caregiver knowledge in AAC can support their children’s uptake of AAC (Iacono & Cameron, 2009; Light & McNaughton, 2012). Findings indicated parental awareness of the need for early access to appropriate AAC systems and supports to use them (Romski et al., 2010; Wright et al., 2013). Most participants had wanted information on how to access communication aids, new ideas for their child’s communication, and self-reported that their knowledge of AAC had increased; they had learned how to access AAC, and had gained confidence using communication aids. The KC2Y service appeared to make a difference to communication aid use. Light and Drager (2007) discussed the need for a multi-component AAC system and this reality was borne out nine-months following AAC workshops and information consultations with 98% of participants using multiple aids and 56% using a mixture of aided low-tech, high-tech and unaided strategies. School-age children

only 5 (9%) in the 13–18 year age group. Of all school- aged children, 15 (65%) had ASD, 9 (39%) had intellectual disability, 8 (35%) a genetic disorder, 3 (13%) epilepsy, 2 (9%) cerebral palsy, and for one child, the diagnosis was unknown. Multiple diagnoses were reported for 14 (61%) school-age children, all of whom had an intellectual disability and/or ASD. Reasons for attending KC2Y Participants could report on one or more reasons for attending KC2Y. Of the 35 participants with children aged 0–6 years, the majority ( n = 23, 66%) wanted new ideas for their child, with 22 (63%) wanting information to access communication aids. Participants predominantly reported being self-motivated to attend KC2Y, while 7 (20%) were instructed by their SLP to attend. Over half ( n = 21, 60%) wanted a communication aid for their child. Representing the 23 school-age children, a majority of survey participants attended KC2Y for new ideas for their child ( n = 21, 91%), to learn about communication ( n = 14, 61%), and information to access communication aids ( n = 11, 48%). One parent commented “It was an amazing workshop which helped me understand the resources that were there and helped me think outside the box with how to communicate with my son”. Nine, family members (39%) reported being directed to attend by their SLP, and one commented “It gave me more communication ideas to use with my son, over and above what has been suggested by my son’s special school [SLP]” Changes in communication aid use Survey participants reported on use of communication aids before and after receiving the KC2Y service. There was an increase in the number of children using communication aids from 34 (59%) to 43 (74%). The largest increase occurred for children in the 0–6 year age group, going from 15 (43%) to 25 (71%). All 12 children aged under 7 years with a diagnosis of ASD were using communication aids after their family attended KC2Y. Only one child had stopped using them. Survey participants could select multiple options to describe their experience of the workshops and consultations: most reported they had learned about the range of communications aids available ( n = 20, 57%), and about modelling the use of communication ( n = 16, 46%). Nineteen of the 23 school-age children (83%) had used communication aids prior to KC2Y, including all of those with an intellectual disability, and 13 of the 14 with ASD. As for the younger age group, the majority of participants with school-age children reported learning about the range of communication aids available ( n = 18, 78%) and how to use them ( n = 14, 61%). However, a decrease in the use of communication aids was reported for children aged 13–18 years (5 to 3), with an intellectual disability (8 to 6), and with ASD (13 to 11). Types of communication aids Twenty of the 25 children (80%) aged 0–6 years for whom communication aid use was reported were using low-tech modalities. Results were similar for school-age children, with 17 of the 23 (74%) using low-tech aids, 16 (70%) using more than one communication aid, and 13 (57%) using multiple modalities. One parent commented “The workshop has provided me with knowledge regarding the many different ways and tools to communicate with my child.” aids. Sixteen (64%) were using more than one communication aid; 11 (44%) were using multiple

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JCPSLP Volume 21, Number 3 2019

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