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Social Positioning to Increase Communication of Adults With Extensive Support Needs
Dena R Bonnike1, Karen H Douglas1, Yun-Ching Chung1
1Dena R. Bonnike, Illinois State University; Karen H. Douglas, Radford University; and Yun-Ching Chung and George R. Peterson-Karlan, Illinois State University.
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
|February 1, 2022
Summary
Social positioning, a strategy for individuals with extensive support needs (ESN), improved eye gaze and speech-generating device (SGD) use when participants were out of their wheelchairs. Further research is needed to confirm sustained communication gains.
Area of Science:
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
- Disability Studies
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Individuals with extensive support needs (ESN) often face communication barriers.
- Effective communication strategies are crucial for social participation and quality of life.
- Current research explores environmental modifications to enhance communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of social positioning on communication for adults with ESN.
- To determine if social positioning increases symbolic and nonsymbolic communication behaviors.
- To assess communication changes when participants are not in their wheelchairs.
Main Methods:
- A multiple probe design was employed.
- Ten adults with extensive support needs (ESN) participated.
- Communication was assessed via speech-generating device (SGD) activations, eye gaze, vocalizations, and reaching.
Main Results:
- A functional relationship was observed between social positioning and increased eye gaze.
- Speech-generating device (SGD) activations also increased with social positioning.
- Maintenance data for communication behaviors were variable.
Conclusions:
- Social positioning appears to be an effective strategy for enhancing specific communication modalities in adults with ESN.
- Further investigation is warranted to understand the long-term effects and optimize implementation.
- Findings have implications for clinicians and educators supporting individuals with complex communication needs.
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