ERIC Number: ED628992
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Feb
Pages: 38
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Engaging Stakeholders to Improve Social Validity: Intervention Priorities for Students with Complex Communication Needs
Online Submission
Many factors impact intervention implementation in everyday practice, including the social validity of these interventions. As a way of addressing social validity, this study aimed to understand the perspectives of multiple stakeholders of school-aged children and adolescents who use aided and unaided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) on their key intervention priorities for these children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 parents and professionals, which included special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Qualitative content analysis focused on (a) identifying a framework of intervention priorities for children with complex communication needs and (b) understanding stakeholders' underlying values and attitudes that influenced perceptions about these priorities. Participants shared many intervention priorities and several core values. These intervention priorities included approaches focused on improving children's intrinsic abilities (i.e., skills-focused) and on improving children's extrinsic supports and opportunities (i.e., environment-focused). However, participants often portrayed diverging attitudes about different aspects of intervention, particularly self-efficacy (e.g., persistence in the face of challenges; confidence about inclusive education) and perceptions of students (e.g., keeping high expectations). These findings have important implications for practice and future research related to how attention to social validity can help bridge the research-to-practice gap. [This paper was published in "Augmentative and Alternative Communication" (EJ1360991).]
Descriptors: Intervention, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessional School Personnel, Allied Health Personnel, Communication Problems, Stakeholders, Values, Attitudes, Ability, Student Needs, Students with Disabilities, Elementary Secondary Education, Program Implementation, Program Effectiveness, Interpersonal Communication, Interpersonal Relationship, Interaction, Inclusion, Access to Education, Play, Recreational Activities, Independent Living, Social Emotional Learning, Student Behavior
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A