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Published on: March 27, 2012
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Using Visual Scene Displays with Young Children: An Evidence-Based Practice Synthesis.
Dana Patenaude1, David McNaughton1, Zhigao Liang1
1Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University.
Summary
Visual scene displays (VSDs) and video VSDs effectively support communication for young children with autism spectrum disorder and/or intellectual and developmental disability (ASD/IDD). This evidence-based practice is beneficial in early childhood settings.
Area of Science:
- Special Education
- Assistive Technology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) often experience speech and communication challenges.
- Visual Scene Displays (VSDs) offer a high-tech approach to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
- Video VSDs integrate dynamic visual elements to enhance communication support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the research on the effectiveness of VSDs and video VSDs for young children with ASD/IDD.
- To determine if VSDs meet the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Standards for evidence-based practices (EBPs).
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of research articles was conducted.
- The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Standards for evidence-based practices (EBPs) were used as quality indicators (Cook et al., 2015).
- Effectiveness was assessed based on the quality indicators and participant outcomes.
Main Results:
- 12 out of 14 reviewed articles met all eight quality indicators for EBPs.
- Positive communication outcomes were observed for 37 out of 42 participants utilizing VSDs or video VSDs.
- The reviewed studies demonstrated the efficacy of VSDs in supporting communication.
Conclusions:
- Visual scene displays (VSDs) and video VSDs are considered an evidence-based practice (EBP) for communication intervention in young children with ASD/IDD.
- These tools are effective during social interaction activities in early childhood settings.
- VSDs show promise as a valuable AAC tool for this population.
