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

The goal of this multiple single case study with multiple randomized baseline (with four starting points and 18 measurements across time) is to conduct a reading intervention for 40 children with intellectual disabilities who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

The main questions to answer are:

1. Is there a functional relation between the use of "Lesing for alle" (Reading for all) and increased accuracy of sound blending by students age 6-14 with intellectual disabilities who require AAC?
2. Is there a functional relation between the use of "Lesing for alle" (Lesing for alle) and improved acquisition of letter sound correspondence by students age 6-14 with intellectual disabilities who require AAC?
3. Is there a functional relation between the use of "Lesing for alle" (Reading for all) and improved acquisition of phoneme segmentation by students age 6-14 with intellectual disabilities who require AAC?
4. Is there a functional relation between the use of "Lesing for alle" (Reading for all) and improved acquisition of recognition of sight words by students age 6-14 with intellectual disabilities who require AAC?
5. Is there a functional relation between the use of "Lesing for alle" (Reading for all) and improved acquisition of decoding by students age 6-14 with intellectual disabilities who require AAC?
6. Is there a positive and strong correlation between increasing skills from 1-3 and 4-5? Meaning, is there a transfer from lower level skills (phonological skills) to decoding skills?

The participants (age 6-14) will receive daily instruction in a reading material that follows all the strategies of Accessible Literacy Learning, developed by Janice Light and David McNaughton. It is the teachers who will carry out the teaching in the students fixed and familiar place at school. The reading material consist of tasks in sound blending, letter-sound correspondence, phoneme segmentation, sight words and decoding. The reading material will use explicit instruction, distributed and cumulative practice, and immediate and corrective feedback. The intervention will take place for a total of 18 months.

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.

Eligibility Criteria:
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