Facilitated communicators' performance on a task of receptive language

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Linguistics
• Special Education

Background:

• Facilitated Communication (FC) is a controversial method used to aid communication for individuals with disabilities.
• Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding the validity of FC, with limited evidence supporting its efficacy.
• The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) is a standardized assessment often used in studies examining communication methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the validity of Facilitated Communication (FC) for individuals with autism or severe to profound cognitive impairments.
• To assess FC's effectiveness specifically on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R).
• To examine the influence of auditory versus visual input modes on performance during FC-assisted assessments.

Main Methods:

• Facilitators were screened from visual and auditory stimuli to prevent unintentional cueing.
• Participants included individuals diagnosed with autism or severe to profound cognitive impairments.
• The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) was administered using Facilitated Communication (FC) with varying input modes (auditory and visual).

Main Results:

• The study did not validate the use of Facilitated Communication (FC) for administering the PPVT-R in the studied populations.
• No significant difference in performance was observed between auditory and visual input modes when using FC.
• Facilitator screening did not yield positive validation of FC for the PPVT-R.

Conclusions:

• Facilitated Communication (FC) was not validated as a reliable method for the PPVT-R assessment in individuals with autism or severe cognitive impairments.
• The mode of input (auditory or visual) did not significantly impact performance when using FC.
• Further rigorous research is needed to establish the validity and reliability of FC across different populations and assessment tools.