Exploring multiple factors affecting participation outcomes for children with communication aids

Supporting and developing participation in everyday life is an ultimate goal of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention. Participation is defined by the World Health Organisation as “a person’s involvement in a life situation” (WHO, 2001 p.213), where ‘involvement’ is characterised as “…taking part, being included or engaged in a life area, being accepted…” (WHO, 2001 p.15). While in many cases the provision of communication aids can significantly promote children’s participation in everyday life, some children apparently do not benefit fully from communication aids.

It has long been acknowledged that multiple and various factors can influence the take-up and use of communication aids and the impact of communication aids on children’s participation in everyday activities. Research in the AAC field has identified many of these factors. Arguably however, the ways in which such factors interact to influence the impact of communication aids on children’s participation is apparently less well understood.

This brief paper provides an outline of pilot research being undertaken to establish a reliable parent-response questionnaire aimed at exploring how environmental, personal and child factors interact to affect children’s communication aid use and participation. Some preliminary findings concerning children’s profiles of participation are also presented.