Communication with Direct Support Professionals: The Experiences of AAC Users

In our current project (2024), we are gathering information about the experiences of AAC users in directing personal care.

We are especially interested in learning about how effective communication with Direct Support Professionals (e.g., personal care attendants, group home workers) can enhance participation in independent living and community activities for AAC users.

If you are an adult who uses AAC, and if you have ever provided directions for your personal care to a paid individual (e.g., a personal care attendant, a group home worker, a hospital staff) you are eligible to participate in this study.

We want to learn about effective strategies for directing paid caregivers to provide assistance with activities of daily living such as

• eating
• dressing
• personal hygiene
• transfers (e.g., from a bed to a wheelchair)

In this project we will ask AAC users to describe positive and negative experiences (if any) that they have had while managing their personal care. Participants will be asked to respond to 4 short google surveys; there will also be an optional zoom interview.

If you would like to participate, please complete the information at this link 
https://forms.gle/yfuMW8GMSVS2STnk7 .

After we have gathered this information, we will share the identified strategies with AAC users, teachers, and SLPs. We are especially interested in sharing this information with young AAC users, so that they can learn useful strategies for managing personal care from  experienced AAC users.

All participants will receive a $75 Amazon gift card payment.

The RERC on AAC Consumer Forum Research Team