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BackgroundSharing personal experience in narrative is challenging for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The aim was to investigate the potential of Storysharing® (Storysharing is an innovative communication method based on personal narrative, which has been developed to support conversations with people who have severe difficulties in communication) intervention.Materials and MethodsThe study involved eleven pupil‐educational supporter dyads at a special school. Storysharing® was implemented over a 15‐week period. Personal narratives were captured on video pre‐ and post‐intervention. The data were analysed for discourse and narrative.ResultsSignificant differences revealed a decline in 'query‐answer' sequences and an increase in supporter use of 'prompts'. After intervention, there were fewer story episodes. Narrative structure showed gains in action sequences leading to climax, and in closing elements, indicating a more complete narrative.ConclusionsThe Storysharing® intervention appears to be associated with changes to the dyadic, personal narratives illustrating its potential.

Background  Project @pple (Access & Participation for People with intellectual disability in Learning Environments)1 was about exploring the terms on which young people with intellectual disability access and participate with e‐Learning and the Web. The current study is one of a number of related studies. It explores the culture of information and communication technology (ICT) and the potential to support communication and empowerment.Materials and Methods  Semi‐structured interviews were carried out with 20 young people with intellectual disability. The interviews involved a low‐technology, augmentative communication method called Talking Mats (Murphy & Cameron 2002).Findings  Information and communication technology and rich and multiple media featured in the participants' narratives and contributed to self‐concept and inclusive communication. Positive value was attributed to ICT options by many, although some difficulties were expressed with regard to operational aspects of the technology.Conclusions  The lives of young people with intellectual disability provide a fertile culture for developments in this area, offering some new opportunities for communication and empowerment.

Background  Social skills training is increasingly used to help adolescents with intellectual disabilities to adapt to life after school.Methods  This paper describes a training course for a group of students in their final year at school. Teacher and student self‐evaluation measures were used to assess the course.Results  The teacher's scores showed that the students had improved significantly; however, the students saw themselves as significantly less skilled after training.Conclusions  The present authors conclude that the two measures assess different aspects of the training and that both should be used in its assessment. Self‐assessment appears to have limitations as a measure of progress, but may be used to monitor the students' responses to training, and the extent to which they require individual support and attention during it.

In a social and political climate which encourages active participation in decision‐making by people who have severe and profound intellectual disabilities, the onus is often on practitioners, carers and advocates to represent the wishes and interests of individuals. The issue of the validity of their interpretations is then foregrounded. This paper discusses theoretical issues associated with the development of guidelines to support a process of validation. It is argued that meaning should be viewed as the negotiated outcome of interactions, always involving inference. Validity of interpretation is thus a continuous rather than a categorical variable, and needs to be supported by the systematic collection of evidence from a range of sources. This framework is compatible with a social constructivist view of communicative development, and allows for information derived from subjective, intuitive insights to be combined with information obtained through observation and testing.

AbstractBackgroundThis trial aimed to measure the effects of extrinsic and intrinsic factors on users' comprehension of health information provided in adapted written "easy read" material.MethodSixty adults with intellectual disabilities undertook The Easy Read Task, randomly allocated with stratification by reading ability to one of four conditions (with and without simplified language/with and without mediation).ResultsNeither linguistic complexity of the text nor mediation independently or combined made a significant difference to the understanding of information. Post hoc testing revealed that the group who received simplified language with mediation performed significantly better than the group that had complex text with mediation. None of the other differences between the remaining groups were significant.ConclusionsConstructing meaning needs to extend beyond a consideration of form as found in "easy read" documents to recognize the role of individual capacity for language processing.

Despite laudable intentions, since its inception, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 of England and Wales (MCA) has proved to be a controversial piece of legislation. The majority of legal scholarship has concentrated on the problems created by the Act in relation to the treatment of incapacitated patients. However, there is an additional and somewhat unexplored dimension to the MCA, that of research. We argue here that the research provisions of the MCA are poorly drafted and do not provide an appropriate balance between protection and empowerment. We also assert that contrasting obligations and expectations are placed on different parties in the approval process, which creates a blurred sense of responsibility and a potential chilling effect.

Abstract Purpose: Information regarding the nature, availability and distribution of rehabilitation services for children with disabilities across developing countries is scarce, and data that do exist are of variable quality. If planning and development are to progress, information about service provision is vital. The aim was to establish the scope and nature of rehabilitation support available to children with disabilities (0-15 years) and their families in rural Kenya. Method: A comprehensive sample comprising service provision in the health and special education sectors was established. Non-governmental and community-based organisations were also included. A survey of rehabilitation services was conducted through examination of service-related documentation and key informant interviews with the heads of services. Results: Rehabilitation comprised hospital-based occupational therapy, physiotherapy and orthopaedic technology; and seven special education establishments plus an education assessment resource centre. There was one non-government organisation and one community-based organisation relevant to children with disabilities. Activities focused on assessment, diagnosis and raising community awareness. Provision was challenged by inadequate staffing, resources and transport. Government funding was supplemented variously by donations and self-sufficiency initiatives. Rehabilitation approaches appeared to be informed by professional background of practitioner, rather than the needs of child. Service documentation revealed use of inconsistent recording methods. Conclusions: The data highlight the challenges of rehabilitation, demanding greater investment in personnel and their training, more material resources, improved access to the community and better recording mechanisms. Implications for Rehabilitation There needs to be greater investment in rehabilitation provision in developing countries. Consideration of community-based initiatives is required to support better access for all. In order to argue the ...