Toward greater involvement of youth with complex communication needs in the selection of augmentative and alternative communication devices

Abstract

Purpose: The study aim was to examine the measurement properties of the Youth Evaluation of Products Scale for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (YEP-AAC) as a means to understand the product attitudes of youth toward their AAC devices.

Methods: In study 1, four males and two females between the ages of 8 and 17 years (median age = 14 years) participated in face-to-face interviews. A researcher administered the YEP-AAC and then asked youths to explain the rationale for their item ratings. Two researchers analyzed masked transcripts of the interviews to predict the valence of item ratings assigned by youths. In study 2, 18 families participated in a mailed survey to examine the reliability and validity of the scale domains. Seventeen mothers/one father and their children (9 male/9 female) between the ages of 10 and 20 years participated (median age = 16 years).

Results: The level of chance-corrected agreement between valences converted from youth ratings on the YEP-AAC and those assigned by researchers was fair (weighted kappa = 0.38). Internal consistencies of the scale domains were acceptable. Youths who rated their AAC devices more favourably had higher functional communication as hypothesized.

Conclusion: The two studies provide support for the face validity, internal consistency and convergent validity of the YEP-AAC as a measure of the product attitudes of youth with complex communication needs.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Developing reliable ways to understand the product needs, preferences and values of youth with complex communication needs will help to support the selection, acquisition and use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.

• Consumer socialization helps to explain how youth may acquire the skills, knowledge and experience relevant to their role as AAC consumers.

• Reliable youth-report questionnaires that are grounded in consumer socialization provide an expedient way to understand the product attitudes of young consumers with complex communication needs.

Keywords:

• AAC
• speech-generating device
• consumer involvement
• technology assessment
• childhood disability

Notes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the youth and their families who participated in the research studies, a young AAC consumer who reviewed and advised on the content and format of the study 2 survey, and Catherine Wojnowska who conducted youth interviews and participated in data management.

Notes

1 The graphic symbols used with YEP-AAC items are Picture Communication Symbols ©1981–2015 by Mayer-Johnson LLC a Tobii Dynavox company. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Used with permission. Boardmaker® is a trademark of Mayer-Johnson LLC.

2 Vantage Lite is a trademark of Prentke Romich Company, Wooster, OH. www.prentrom.com

Additional information

Funding

Funding for the research was provided through a grant (129916) from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.