Reading Intervention for Children With Intellectual Disabilities Who Require Augmentative and Alternative Communication

The acquisition of reading skills is a critical need for all individuals and allow fuller participations in education and employment and gives access to personal expression, social media and enjoyable leisure pursuits. Individuals with intellectual disabilities who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) often face challenges in that they are met with too low expectations and low ambitions. There is also a lack of evidence-based reading programs and reading materials adapted for individuals who require AAC.

This study will conduct a reading intervention for children with intellectual disabilities who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Through the reading intervention, students will work with components such as sound blending, letter-sound correspondence, phoneme segmentation, sight words, shared reading and decoding. It will be used components of effective evidence-based literacy intervention such as explicit instruction, distributed and cumulative practice, and immediate and corrective feedback. All the instructional activities have been adapted, oral/spoken responses are not required, and the students can use alternative methods, such as signs, pointing at symbols or pointing with their eyes.

The aim of this study is to conduct a reading intervention for 40 children with intellectual disabilities who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to see if the students can acquire functional reading skills. Even simple reading skills can contribute to major changes in the individual's quality of life and to a greater independence in communication with the environment.

Inclusion criteria

• Students between 6 and 14
• Students who are diagnosed with intellectual disabilities
• Students who do not have a functional speech, i.e. require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to understand and/or make oneself understood.
• Students must use AAC as their primary form of communication
• Students cannot follow ordinary curricula (LK20) but have their own education plan.

Exclusion criteria

• Students younger than six years and older than 14 years
• Students who have not been diagnosed within intellectual disabilities
• Students who have a functional speech and do not require AAC
• Students who follow ordinary education