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What's important in AAC decision making for children? Evidence from a best-worst scaling survey
Edward J D Webb1, David Meads1, Yvonne Lynch2
1a Leeds Institute of Health Sciences , University of Leeds , Leeds , UK.
Insights
AAC professionals prioritize child communication and cognitive needs over physical traits when selecting augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. Device features related to communication and language are also key decision factors.
Area of Science:
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Selecting appropriate augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices for children has significant long-term impacts.
- Limited understanding exists regarding the decision-making processes of AAC professionals making these crucial recommendations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the key child characteristics and AAC device attributes influencing decision-making by AAC professionals.
- To quantify the relative importance of these factors in AAC device selection.
Main Methods:
- A best-worst scaling methodology was employed, surveying 93 UK-based AAC professionals.
- Participants rated the importance of 19 child characteristics and 18 AAC device attributes.
- Statistical modeling was used to estimate the relative importance of each characteristic and attribute.
Main Results:
- Child characteristics related to language, communication, cognition, learning, and personality were deemed more important than physical features.
- AAC device attributes focusing on communication, language, and interface were prioritized over hardware and physical aspects.
- No significant influence of respondent demographics (e.g., experience, background) on the importance assigned to characteristics or attributes was observed.
Conclusions:
- Findings highlight the primary importance of functional and cognitive aspects of a child when selecting AAC devices.
- Communication, language, and interface attributes are critical considerations for AAC device features.
- This research can guide future studies and enhance practical AAC device selection processes.
Abstract:
The choice of which AAC device to provide for a child can have long lasting consequences, but little is known about the decision-making of AAC professionals who make recommendations in this context. A survey was conducted with AAC professionals using best-worst scaling methodology examining what characteristics of children and attributes of AAC devices are considered most important in decision-making. A total of 19 child characteristics and 18 device attributes were selected by the authors from lists generated from literature reviews and from focus groups with AAC professionals, people who use AAC, and other stakeholders. The characteristics and attributes were used to develop two best-worst scaling surveys that were administered to 93 AAC professionals based in the UK. The relative importance of characteristics/attributes was estimated using statistical modelling. Child characteristics related to language and communication, cognitive and learning abilities, and personality traits were generally found to be more important than physical features. Communication, language, and interface-related AAC device attributes were generally more important than hardware and physical attributes. Respondent demographics (e.g., experience, professional background) did not seem to influence the importance assigned to device characteristics or attributes. Findings may inform both future quantitative research into decision-making and efforts to improve decision-making in practice.
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