RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTIONS TO INCREASE COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR STUDENTS WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES

Communication skills are of great importance for children with developmental disabilities to be functional and independent in their own lives. This paper provides results of a comprehensive literature review on current researched-based intervention strategies that appear effective to increase communication skills for students who have severe disabilities. Researchers typically have combined intervention strategies and the actual effectiveness of isolated procedures is less clear. This review is aimed at investigating these isolated procedures and attempts to link research and practice in the area of communication. The ability to communicate in meaningful and acceptable ways is fundamental for participation in our society. Without an effective means of communication, individuals with moderate and severe disabilities can experience the phenomenon of learned helplessness (Guess, Benson, & Siegel-Causey, 1985). Communication skills are essential for everyday social and learning interactions. Most students with severe disabilities need systematic instruction to learn communication forms and strategies that are easily understood by others. Efficiently teaching functional skills so that students can participate in everyday interactions is the primary goal for systematic instruction in communication (Snell & Brown, 2006). Persons with severe disabilities are individuals who require extensive ongoing support on more than one major life activity in order to participate in integrated community settings and to enjoy a quality of life that is available to citizens with fewer or no disabilities (TASH, 1991, p. 19). Most individuals who are severely disabled are limited in their ability to communicate, though these skills can become functional with appropriate intervention. Communication is the key to learning because what we learn depends on interactions with others. Every time at least two people come together, communication can occur. Although all human being communicate, some individuals, due to the severity of their disabilities, may have limited communication skills. Individuals with severe and multiple disabilities may not have full access to, or full control of, the multiple means by which most individuals communicate (e.g., speech, facial expressions, body movements, gazing, gesturing, touching, and print). This inability to express themselves as others does not indicate that these individuals have nothing to say, nor does it diminish their need and right to communicate, but it can result in less interaction with others. Therefore, teaching communicative should be a very high priority in order to provide the best possible tool for these students to achieve their desired outcome without resorting to unconventional forms, such as challenging behaviors. A communicative action is successful when the partner understands the learner’s message. In general, success is reflected when a person obtains what he or she wants to receive or accomplish. Although the partner may decide not to do what the individual asks him or her to do, success is obtained when the partner acknowledges the learner’s communicative act. By experiencing success, communicative responses are shaped and become less ambiguous (Snell & Loncke, 2002). Researchers have documented different strategies for teaching communication skills to students who have severe communication difficulties. The current trend is to teach communication in ways that match the learner’s regardless of the mode of expression. What are the research / evidence-based intervention