Communication Interventions for Individuals with Severe Disabilities

Exploring Research Challenges and Opportunities

Rose A. Sevcik, Ph.D., MaryAnn Romski, Ph.D.

Higher Education

This authoritative research volume investigates the effectiveness of today's communication interventions, synthesizes evidence from current studies, and identifies urgent research directions for the future.

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What does the latest research tell us about communication interventions for people with severe disabilities? Find out in this authoritative research volume, which investigates the effectiveness of today's communication interventions, synthesizes evidence from current studies, and identifies urgent research directions for the future.

Shaped by a conference of The National Joint Committee on the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC), this interdisciplinary book includes contributions from more than 30 top scholars from diverse fields, including psychology, special education, and speech-language pathology. Each chapter gives readers a brief summary of research studies on a key intervention topic, insights on research design and measurement challenges, thoughts on future advances, and real-world clinical and educational recommendations. Essential for the reference libraries of educators and professionals, this book offers powerful insights about today's communication interventions—and sets a clear agenda for tomorrow's groundbreaking research.

TOPICS COVERED:

• prelinguistic communication intervention for young children with intellectual disabilities
• challenging behavior and communicative alternatives
• interventions for children who are deafblind
• augmented language interventions for children with severe disabilities
• parents as partners in communication intervention
• the role of cultural, ethnic, and linguistic differences
• targeted and phenotypic communication interventions for children with Down syndrome or ASD
• issues related to research study design, including sample size, the effectiveness of randomized controlled trials, and integration of single-case and group designs
• assessment and measurement of communication and language skills in individuals with severe intellectual disabilities
• and more

Reviews

1. Linda Bambara, Professor of Special Education, Lehigh University

“A phenomenal synthesis of research—comprehensive, authoritative, envelope-pushing. A must read for anyone interested in advancing communication interventions.”

2. Juan Bornman, Professor and Director, Centre for AAC, University of Pretoria

“This edited volume provides accessible interdisciplinary viewpoints and valuable insight into measurement and design challenges confronted by researchers seeking to evaluate the effectiveness of communication and language interventions. It will stimulate and enrich both researchers and clinicians towards deeper reflection of their own practices whilst the advances from research evidence will leave all readers with a sense of optimism for the future. An indispensable up-to-date book by the leading minds in our field.”

3. David Yoder, Professor Emeritus, Speech & Hearing Sciences, Director Emeritus, Center for Literacy & Disability Studies, Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine

“The strength of this book is its interdisciplinary approach to a very complex set of issues related to a diverse population, a diverse set of intervention strategies, and a diverse set of research approaches to providing communicative competencies for persons with severe communication challenges... This book demonstrates that the current themes of intervention and research have come a long way since the 1972 publication of Language Intervention with the Retarded: Developing Strategies... this book is a must read for persons providing education and clinical services, and who are conducting research with persons demonstrating severe communication disabilities.”

4. Susan Johnston, University of Utah

“Kudos to the authors….this comprehensive analysis of research challenges and future directions is a must-read for all stakeholders who support the communication needs of individuals with severe disabilities.”

5. Jon Miller, ASHA Fellow and Honoree, Emeritus Professor, University of Wisconsin–Madison

“An enormous contribution to the field, bringing together internationally recognized interdisciplinary experts to document the state-of-the-science on improving the language and communication of persons with severe disabilities … a must read for everyone engaged in fostering the communication abilities of this population.”

6. Pat Mirenda, Professor, Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia

“This book provides thorough overview of the research evidence on interventions for individuals who experience significant communication challenges. Equally as important is that it points the way forward and provides a roadmap for the next decade of research in this important area.”

Volume Editors: Rose A. Sevcik Ph.D., MaryAnn Romski Ph.D. Chapter Authors: Roger Bakeman, R. Michael Barker, Andrea Barton-Hulsey Ph.D., CCC-SLP, ... (additional authors omitted for brevity)