The Communication Supports Inventory-Children & Youth (CSI-CY), a new instrument based on the ICF-CY

Abstract

Purpose: Two studies are presented that evaluated the Communication Supports Inventory-Children & Youth (CSI-CY), an instrument designed to facilitate the development of communication-related educational goals for students with complex communication needs (CCN). The CSI-CY incorporates a code set based on the ICF-CY. The studies were designed to determine the effect of using the CSI-CY on IEP goals for students with CCN and to evaluate consumer satisfaction.

Method: In Study 1, sixty-one educators and speech–language pathologists were randomly assigned to either (a) provide a student’s current IEP (control group) or (b) complete the CSI-CY prior to preparing a student’s next IEP and to submit the new IEP (experimental group). Study 2 was a field test to generate consumer satisfaction data.

Results: Study 1 showed that IEP goals submitted by participants in the experimental group referenced CSI-CY-related content significantly more frequently than did those submitted by control participants. Study 2 revealed high satisfaction with the instrument.

Conclusions: The code set basis of the CSI-CY extends the common language of the ICF-CY to practical educational use for children with CCN across diagnostic groups. The CSI-CY is well regarded as an instrument to inform the content of communication goals related to CCN.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• The CSI-CY will guide rehabilitation professionals to develop goals for children with complex communication impairments.

• The CSI-CY is a new instrument that is based on the ICF-CY for documentation of communication goals.

Keywords:

• Augmentative and alternative communication
• complex communication needs
• ICF
• ICF-CY
• individualized education programme

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declarations of interest. All of the authors participated in the research program and in preparing this manuscript for publication.This work was supported by U.S. Department of Education, Grant #R324A090028. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.