Promoting Participation through Communication

Caroline Barden, Liz Dean and Luan

Harrold

Arden College

Learning Disability and Communication Skills: the

facts Between 50% and 90% of people with learning

disabilities have communication

difficulties

80% of those with severe learning disabilities do

not acquire spoken languageRCSLT 2006

About 60% of people with learning disabilities have some skills in symbolic communication such as speech, signs or symbols/pictures

Around 20% have no verbal communication skills

Up to 20% have no intentional communication skills

Learning Disability and Communication Skills: the facts cont

Communication Disability -> Exclusion All key strategic drivers across the UK cite

communication disorder as a reason that people with learning disability can be socially excluded or marginalised from mainstream services

Work and Education are recognised as key areas

Valuing People 2001Bercow Report 2008Valuing People Now 2009 RCSLT Position Paper on Adult Learning Disability

(Forthcoming)

The full impact of a communication disorder

The Imperativefor the Communication Team and the SLT is to work within a social model of learning disability to maximise

• the communication skills of the individual

•the communication skills of communication partners

•the wider communication environment within the College

Creating ‘Capable’ Environments

(RCP, BPS, RCLST,2007; RCSLT forthcoming)The challenge is to create teaching and learning environmentsthat are ‘fit for purpose’ to meet the needs of people with communication difficulties

Accessible and Inclusive

Supportive and Responsive

Empowered

•

The Central QuestionHow can we adapt the educational situation in order to

MINIMISE the effects of the communication disorderand MAXIMISE learning

participation

independence

Examples presentedFocus on

Learners who

•have limited spoken language skills•have intentional communication skills •can recognise 2 dimensional visual cues •have difficulty completing written work sheets •can select symbols by hand, or eye, pointing

Two Interdisciplinary Projects

Using Task Cards to promote Independence

Enabling Evaluation and Reflection

Using Task Cards to Promote Independence

WORKSHOP 1

Characteristics of Task Cards

•Accessible and Inclusive format

•For individual use, or to use by all across the college

• Additionally the cards may have the following: - Sign prompts - Photographs - Evaluation and assessment sheets

Who will find the cards useful?

An individual who is learning a new task

finds it difficult to remember how to do a task.

knows how to do the task, but needs help with sequencing each step.

Staff so that they can support a learner in a

consistent way.

Transferable skills

Learners will develop their organisational skills by approaching a

task in an ordered and organised way

develop the skill of following step by step instructions

Making a task card for your own environment

WORKSHOP 2

Task Cards: the underlying rationale

Consistency

Promoting Independence

Recognising and Evaluating Achievements

Evaluation and Reflection

WORKSHOP 3

Enabling Evaluation And Reflection

If learners are to be empowered through the Capable Environment they need to be offered opportunities to

Reflect on their learning and achievement

Express their opinions

Make choices

Talking about the College Experience

Project 2008

Reflecting and evaluating the assessment for prospective students at Arden College

The Residential Questionnaire

The College Day Evaluation

The Residential Questionnaire

• Completed at the end of the assessment visit

• Completion supported by residential staff

• Covers essential areas (linked to CSCI inspection framework)

• food,• room • staff• peers

The Residential Questionnaire cont

• Links with the ‘Welcome to Unit’ booklet which has photos to aid recall and inform choice making

• Uses photos of staff, peers etc to enable choice making

• Can be completed in symbols or writing

• If symbols are used they can be accessed using pointing, eye pointing, touching

The College Day Evaluation

• Completed with teacher support

• Completed in the last session they attend

• Links with Arden College Photo pack

•

The College Day Evaluation cont

• Empowering participation in planning the personal timetable

– allowing choice of vocational area

– planning for sessions and accreditation that complement chosen vocational area

Work in progress• Evaluations are continually evolving

• The range of answer ‘options’ is continually evaluated and revised

• Evaluations link with the accessible Welcome to Arden College/Unit booklets sent to new students

Background References

Department of Health. London. (2001) Valuing People

Bercow J. (2008) Review of services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. Dept Children, Schools and Families. London

Department of Health. London. (2009) Valuing People Now

Royal College of Psychiatrists, British Psychological Society and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists 2007 Challenging Behaviour: A Unified Approach

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (2003) Speech and Language Therapy Provision for Adults with Learning Disabilities

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (2006) Communication Quality 3. Guidance on best practice

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (forthcoming) ALD Position Paper