The Sharland Foundation Developmental Disabilities ABA Research and Impact Network (SF-DDARIN) is conducting a short survey to find out how much adults with developmental disabilities read.
We already know that many people with developmental disabilities find it difficult to learn to read. This makes it hard for them to do some things for themselves. Teaching adults to read could help them take part in more activities and do more things independently. In a pilot study O’Sullivan, Grindle and Hughes (in press) examined the use of an on-line behaviourally-based intervention to teach basic reading skills to adults with mild developmental disabilities. Results were positive and showed improved reading skills and self-concept scores for both ‘intervention’ participants compared to the ‘treatment as usual’ participants.
What we do not know is how many people with a developmental disability may want to learn to read or to improve their reading skills. We believe that support workers are best placed to provide a description of the level of reading ability of those that they support, and to give an opinion on the potential motivation of those that they support to want to read, without having to conduct formal assessments.
The findings of this study will be used to scope the opportunity for a larger study examining the use of a support worker mediated on-line intervention to teach basic reading skills to people with a developmental disability.
We would be grateful if you would forward the link to the survey (below) to any organisations and their support workers that you work with. Their answers will be anonymous and there will be no way of identifying them, your organisation, or the persons that you support.
https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=150298560830
We shall share the findings of this survey with you once complete. Should we decide that there is scope for a larger study examining the use of a support worker mediated on-line intervention to teach basic reading skills to people with a developmental disability, your organisation/the organisations that you work with will be given the opportunity to take part. Training will be provided to any support workers willing to help those that they support with their reading programme.
If you have any questions or would like further information about this study please do contact me ([log in to unmask]).
Best wishes
Louise
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