DOI: 10.3886/icpsr36515
title: Requests for Assistance with Adaptive Switches from Individuals with Severe Communication Impairments, 2007 to 2012 [California, Kansas, and Washington]
title: Archival Version

description: The Requests for Assistance with Adaptive Switches from Individuals with Severe Communication Impairments study is one of the three projects in the Communication of People with MR, 2006 to 2012 Series, which focuses on identifying participant variables that predict success in increasing communication skills of individual with intellectual disabilities. The study data were collected to show how children and adults with profound multiple impairments can learn to request assistance with adaptive switches and to on examine the change from pre-intentional to intentional symbolic communication.
The study examined 77 respondents, ages 2 through 71, by administering three assessments: the Communication Complexity Scale (CCS), the Mullen Scales of Early Learning and a functional vision assessment. The CCS was administered to 68 respondents on up to three occasions. The first occasion of administration was to participants who were pre-intentional communicators. The CCS was administered on a second occasion to participants when they were identified as being on the cusp between pre-intentional and intentional communication. The third and final occasion of administration occurred when participants were identified as "learners" and could express preferences using switches and other means.
The Mullen Scales were administered to 22 of the participants. Of the 77 participants initially selected for the study, 7 did not complete either scale. Vision impairment was identified in 68 respondents, 28 who had no functional use and 41 who had some functional use of their vision.
description: This study was focused on examining the change from pre-intentional to intentional symbolic communication.
description: The Communication Complexity Scale (CCS) was administered on up to three occasions to study participants. The first occasion of administration was to participants who were pre-intentional communicators. The CCS was administered on a second occasion to participants when they were identified as being on the cusp between pre-intentional and intentional communication. The third occasion of administration occurred when participants were identified as "learners" and could express preferences using switches and other means.
description: Presence of Common Scales: 
Complexity of Communication Scale
Mullen Scales of Early Learning
description: Respondents were convenience sampled through their participation in a requesting-via adaptive-switch intervention. Respondents were selected from the group participating in the intervention because of their severe and multiple disabilities and suspected vision impairments. Respondents were between ages 2 to 71 years.
description: Datasets: 
DS1: Requests for Assistance with Adaptive Switches from Individuals with Severe Communication Impairments, 2007 to 2012 [California, Kansas, and Washington]
description: children and adults with profound multiple intellectual and developmental disabilities.
description: coded on-site observation; coded video observation; cognitive assessment testRespondents in the public-use version have been de-identified by ICPSR staff. For details on the confidentiality measures taken to de-identify respondents, please see the codebook notes at the beginning of the codebook. To obtain the original demographic information data users may request access to the restricted-use data.This study is one of the three projects in the Communication of People with MR, 2006 to 2012 Series. The other two studies in this series are:

Language Development of Non-verbal Children Age 3 Years through 7 Years, 2007 to 2012 [Kansas City Metro Area] (ICPSR 36472)
Young Children with Physical Disabilities, 2007 to 2012 [Seattle, Washington] (ICPSR 36516)
This study used two scales. The Communication Complexity Scale, which was developed for the Communication of People with MR 2006 to 2012 series, and the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. For more information on the Communication Complexity Scale, see the following publication:
Brady, N., Fleming, K., Thiemann-Bourque, K., Olswang, L., Dowden, P., Saunders, M., and Marquis, J. (2012). Development of the Communication Complexity Scale. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 21(1), 16-28.
Link to source: https://lsidata.ku.edu/ccs/index.php