PERCEPTIONS
OF STAFF MEMBERS ON THE USE OF SPEECH
GENERATING
DEVICES BY YOUNG ADULTS WITH
DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES
R.
Nitzan Wolkowicz1, D. Sachs2,
T. Lebel2
1
Beit Noam, Israel ;
2 Department
of Occupational Therapy University
of Haifa
People with
developmental disabilities often experience significant
difficulties in
communication in addition to the many challenges they
face in other areas
of function. Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (AAC)
provides them the ability to communicate with
people in their
environment through the help of systems that are
individually
tailored to them. The process of assimilating the use of
AAC aids in general
and Speech Generating Devices (SGD) in
particular, is
accompanied by difficulties that are liable to cause them
to be relinquished.
One of the main factors affecting this process is the
attitude of the
professional staff involved. The aim of the current study
is to examine the
perceptions of a multi-disciplinary staff regarding the
use of SGDs among
young adults with developmental disabilities. A
qualitative method
was selected for the study. Participants were eight
staff members from
various disciplines who work at Beit Noam, a day
center for young
adults with developmental disabilities. Data collection
was carried out
using semi-structured, in-depth interviews and
participant
observations. Three main themes emerged from the data
analysis: 1) The
use of SGDs is associated with difficulties and
opportunities; 2)
Relationship between the SGD devices and the
communication
process itself; 3) Perception of assimilation as a
significant and
professional process that is characterized by
requirements on all
the parties involved. The perceptions of staff
members with
respect to SGDs can be found on a continuum that
ranges between
resistance and difficulties, to a fondness of the field
and attempts to
overcome the difficulties.
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