Synopsis of resource
This website was produced as one output from the NIHR funded research project. It provides a description of a theoretical model developed as a consequence of the research findings. This model supports consistent, and evidence based, decision-making during the recommendation of a communication aid for children who have poor or unintelligible speech. The resource offers freely downloadable materials and activities to enhance the assessment and recommendation process. They particularly focus on ensuring good team work and collective decision-making.
Additionally, it offers a section on public involvement (PI) in research, especially focussing on those groups often deemed hard to involve or include in research.
Key learning outcome
- Increase awareness of the complexity of matching a child to the most appropriate AAC technology/communication aid
- Introduced to an evidence-informed model to support decision-making
- Supported activities and resources guiding decision making
- Access to key research literature to support evidence-based decision-making
- Access to information to support the inclusion of service users and family members in the research process (Public Involvement)
Authors
Professor Janice Murray has a clinical and research reputation in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Her work has included clinical decision making (I-ASC), language learning through aided communication (Becoming an Aided Communicator), literacy and AAC (Picture–Think), and the development of a service user informed case study template to support single case experimental design in AAC (Communication Matters – Research Matters). She became a Fellow of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists in 2017 in recognition of her translational research involving service users as key members of research teams. She was awarded the national AAC research award in 2019 in recognition of her nationally and internationally recognised work.
