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Completed Research Activities

• Determining the construct validity of the Triple C - Checklist of Communicative Competence.

Karen Bloomberg, Denise West and Teresa Iacono have recently completed analysis of checklists completed for 170 adults with intellectual disability. The results indicate that the Triple C has good internal consistency and taps intentional to early symbolic communication skills. Some problems were found with Stage 1 items, however. As a result of the study, the Triple C has been modified by combining Stages 1 and 2, renaming of all the stages, and modifying item descriptions and examples.

Conference Presentations:


• Bloomberg, K., West, D., & Iacono, T. (2004). "The Triple C: Checklist of Communicative Competencies." Paper presented at the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Biennial Conference, Natal, Brazil, October.
  
• Bloomberg, K., West, D., & Iacono, T. (2004). "The Triple C: Checklist of Communicative Competencies." Paper presented at the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability, Montpellier, France, June.

  Publication

• Iacono, T., Bloomberg, K., & West, D. (in press). A preliminary investigation into the internal consistency and construct validity of the Triple C: Checklist of Communicative Competencies. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
  

• Measuring the outcomes of speech pathology intervention for adults with developmental disability and complex communication needs.

This project has been partially funded by a Speech Pathology Australia Clinician Research Grant awarded to Karen Bloomberg. Karen, Sheridan Forster and Ruth Bryce, with the assistance of Teresa Iacono have investigated the usefulness of a new assessment tool in planning and evaluating intervention for three adults with developmental disabilities and complex communication needs who had recently moved into the same Community Residential Unit. The tool, Social Networks: A Communication Inventory for Individuals with Complex Communication Needs and their Communication Partners (Blackstone & Hunt Berg, 2003) involves interviewing the person with complex communication needs (if possible) and a person within the person's first and fourth Circles of Communication Partners, in this case, a parent and support workers, respectively. The results indicate that the two informants provided complementary information and different perspectives about the person's communication with different communication partners. Comparisons by speech pathologists of Social Networks inventories completed prior to and following a 9 month period of intervention have shown that the tool is a useful outcomes measure. Qualitative analysis of post-intervention interviews are in progress and will be compared with analysis of pre-intervention interviews.

Conference Presentation and Publication:

• Iacono, T., Forster, S., & Bryce, R. (2005). "Changes in the social networks and communication supports of an adult with developmental disability following group home intervention." Paper presented at the 1st Asia-Pacific Regional Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability (IASSID), Tapei, Taiwan, June.
  
• Iacono, T., Forster, S., & Bryce, R. (2004). "Communication patterns of three adults with developmental disabilities: A comparison of parent and direct support worker perspectives." Paper presented at the ASSID Disability Support Worker Conference, Melbourne, November.
  
• Iacono, T., Bryce, R., Forster, S., & Bloomberg, K., Measuring the outcomes of speech pathology intervention for adults with developmental disability and complex communication needs. Paper presented at the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Biennial Conference, Natal, Brazil, October.
  
• Iacono, T. (2004). Exploring social networks as a tool for measuring outcomes - and beyond. Paper presented at the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Research Symposium, Natal, Brazil, October.
  
• Iacono, T., Bryce, R., Forster, S., & Bloomberg, K. (2004). "Measuring the outcomes of speech pathology intervention for adults with intellectual disability and complex communication needs." Paper presented at the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability, Montpellier, France, June.


• Iacono, T., Forster, S., Bryce, R., & Bloomberg, K. (2006). Perspectives on communication in adults with severe intellectual disability according to a social networks inventory. Manuscript submitted for publication


• Expectations and outcomes of a speech pathology intervention for an adult with disability

This study was a follow-on from the project - Measuring the outcomes of speech pathology intervention for adults with developmental disability and complex communication needs. The aim was to explore the meaning of a communication intervention and changes for an adult with severe intellectual disability who had participated in the previous study, from the perspective of his key communication partners. Interviews were conducted with parents and key support workers of a 22 year-old man, Mark, with intellectual disability and complex communication needs. They were guided by the Social Networks inventory and were conducted prior to and following a speech pathology intervention. Interview transcripts were analysed qualitatively with a focus on the subjective meaning of communication changes. These changes were explored according to both specific information sought through use of the inventory and additional information provided. The findings were organised into three global themes relating to Mark, his familiar partners (i.e., parents and disability support workers), and the community. Findings indicated that Mark’s reported communication level remained stable across the intervention, although many small gains in his communication skills were evident on more in-depth analysis of the interview transcripts. From the perspective of the familiar partners, key sub-themes related to changes in ascription of responsibility and strategies related to communication. Furthermore, greater involvement of Mark in his own home community was evident.

Publication:

• Forster, S., & Iacono,T. (2006). Expectations and outcomes of a speech pathology intervention for an adult with disability. Manuscript submitted for publication.