Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the communication applications (apps) that can be used with devices such as the iPad, iPod and iPhone to support augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Design/methodology/approach – A brief discussion of the research into the use of high-technology communication aids is followed by an introduction to the iPad, iPod and iPhone AAC apps. Findings – These devices and apps clearly have a role within the spectrum of AAC devices currently available. They may have some distinct advantages in cost, ease of use and acceptability but more research into their use is needed. Originality/value – This article starts with a model of communicative competence and presents some recent research into barriers in the use of high-technology AAC. It suggests some ways in which AAC apps may address some of the barriers to implementation and functional use. Finally, the need for individual assessment to determine specific communication needs is stressed. These devices and apps may not always be the best solution for people with complex communication needs.

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to provide a commentary on Harding et al.'s article about the involvement of people with learning disabilities in university teaching and conference presentations. Design/methodology/approach – The article reviews research into communication strengths and needs and into communication partnerships between service users and members of staff with a view to identifying communication barriers to the involvement of people with learning disabilities. Findings – The generally poor communication environments in which people are supported are likely to limit opportunities for involvement. Originality/value – It is suggested that increased involvement is likely to result from increased quality of daily communication. This may best occur as part of general service-wide approaches to improving service quality, such as person-centred active support.

Background This study sought to gather information about the impact of extended training in positive behaviour support on staff knowledge, causal attributions and emotional responses. Methods Students completed questionnaires at the beginning, middle and end of a University Diploma course to measure changes in their knowledge of challenging behaviour, their causal attributions and their emotional responses. Results Students' knowledge significantly increased across the three data points. Students became less likely to attribute challenging behaviour to emotional causes. Changes in respect of making more behavioural attributions varied across different measures. Negative emotional responses reduced especially those related to depression/anger. Conclusions The training course presented here was associated with changes in student knowledge, attributions and emotional responses that are likely to be associated with better staff performance and better outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities.

Objectives Active support was implemented in three community houses (active support houses), with 11 service users with severe learning disabilities. Methods This was evaluated with reference to changes in levels of engagement, challenging behaviour (major and minor) and staff contact, measured against three comparison services (non-active support houses). Results All measures increased for the active support houses. Significant increases in activity levels were found in one house. Statistically significant increases in activity and minor challenging behaviour were also found when all active support houses were compared with all non-active support houses. In the non-active support houses, all measures decreased, with the exception of mean level of staff contact in one house. Conclusions Unlike previous research findings, those service users who were less able did not receive comparatively more support from staff post-training and changes appeared unrelated to staff contact.

Deinstitutionalization has generally had a positive impact on the lives of people with learning disabilities, although provision of appropriate and individualized support in the community has proved difficult. Communication is often seen in isolation, its role within integration passing unacknowledged. This paper suggests an integrated framework around individual needs.

The University Affiliated Programme (UAP) aims to improve service quality by working in partnership with local services. This article Reports on the establishment and development of linked services: three services for people with learning disabilities, living in small community houses that opened in late 1999 and early 2000. The focus of resources on a small number of linked services was designed to maximise the effectiveness of the involvement of the Tizard Centre, along with the Subscriber Network. It was intended that work in the linked services would be disseminated through this network. The UAP has worked with service users and providers since 1996, during which time users have moved from a long-stay NHS hospital to community services. The service provider is also now a private organisation. The article outlines some of the projects which have been introduced or developed in these linked services and discusses some of the issues that have arisen while working in partnership with them. The benefits of working through a UAP will also be identified.

Staff reports of the communication acts taking place with 22 adults with intellectual disability were compared with video observations of the communication acts used by staff with 12 of these service users. The interactions were coded in terms of the form of communication used, the function of the act and the level of complexity. The results show that staff tend to underestimate their own use of verbal communication and overestimate their use of non-verbal communication. The findings also indicate a mismatch between the reported level of understanding of the service user and the level of complexity of the language used. Staff appeared unable to adapt their communication to the skills of the service user and an average of 45% of communicative acts were outside the reported understanding skills of the individual. The implications of these findings are discussed and possible explanations for staff behaviour are suggested.

There are many definitions of profound and multiple learning disabilities. Most definitions include having a high degree of learning disability in conjunction with at least one other severe impairment, such as visual, auditory or physical impairments (Male, 1996; Ware, 1996; Lacey, 1998). Bunning (1997) adds that people with such disabilities are very reliant on others for support, including support in taking part in communicative events. Establishing reliable and consistent methods of communication may be exceptionally difficult (Florian et al, 2000). However, it is important to consider the individuality and extreme diversity of this population (Detheridge, 1997; Hogg, 1998), which includes variability in communication strengths and needs (Granlund & Olsson, 1999; McLean et al, 1996). Communication is often given little attention when services are planning ways of supporting individuals to participate, develop independence and make choices (McGill et al, 2000). While the individual's communication strengths and needs should remain central within any discussion, the significant others and the environment will also have an important influence. This article explores some of the communication issues experienced by people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and highlights the importance of the communication partnership within interventions

An approach to implementing a total communication environment with a man who has severe learning disabilities, a profound hearing loss and challenging behaviour is described. This involved teaching the staff team visual modes of communication and supporting staff to use these methods. The intervention was evaluated by conducting observations of the communication acts taking place prior to and one year after the intervention. Improvements were found in the amount of communication acts which were accompanied by signs and the range of communication functions employed. Changes were also reported in the communication skills set of the person with learning disabilities. Staff's perception altered from seeing him as someone who was challenging, to someone who was challenged by his hearing loss and communication difficulties.

This handbook is a great resource which is essential in helping ensure that there is a competent workforce that has the capabilities to provide effective, ethical and high quality support to people whose behaviour is described as challenging. It can be used as a stand alone resource but also supports out training pack - 'Challenging Behaviour'.

An essential training pack in helping ensure that there is a competent workforce that has the capabilities to provide effective, ethical and high quality support to people whose behaviour is described as challenging. Key features: Written by experts in partnership with the Estia Centre; flexible modular training materials; full materials to support the delivery of the course. About the resource: People with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour are one of the most vulnerable groups of individuals in our society. They risk exclusion from services, being denied opportunities and being placed away from their local communities and families. Furthermore, they are vulnerable to poor practice and abuse. This user friendly and accessible resource emphasises the importance of respecting people using services, their families and carers. It aims to support those working in services, to empower service users and to improve the quality of care. The authors developed this material with every effort to adhere to the Charter that has been developed by the Challenging Behaviour National Strategy Group. The approach is based on positive behavioural support, offering person-centred support, individualised interventions that are clearly based on a functional assessment, understanding the person’s needs and the environment in which they live. Key to this training resource has been the inclusion of the perspectives from families and people with learning disabilities. Modules are included that address assessment and a range of interventions, such as communication, reactive strategies, active support and skills teaching. In addition to good practice, other important issues such as autism and legal frameworks are included. Contents include: · Values, principles, definitions and approaches · Understanding and assessing challenging behaviour · Interventions: – The environment · Interventions – Communication · Interventions – Focused support strategies · Interventions – Reactive strategies · Interventions – Cognitive approaches · Developing skills · Use of medication · Supporting yourself and your team · Autism and challenging behaviour · What do people with learning disabilities think about challenging behaviour · Legal aspects · Working with families · Active support · Mental health problems · Challenging behaviour and offending

This excellent, informative and well presented, a book provides the reader with fourteen edited chapters covering an area of policy and practice that is quite specific but will inform anyone interested in the development of a service user participation ethos in adult social care. It is a book that is relevant to managers and practitioners, both as students and qualified professionals, as well as academics. Care management is now well established in the everyday practice of predominantly statutory organisations. This book revisits the principles of this method of assessing and planning the care needs of adult service users, and introduces Person Centred Planning (PCP) as a suitable method for ensuring that much of the empowerment rhetoric care management is actually realised.

Teaching pack aimed at all staff working with people with learning difficulties and mental health problems. Contains material on: the aetiology of learning difficulties; individual, family and social adjustment; emotional disorders; the use of behavioural strategies; challenging behaviour; commonly used medication; mental health service factors; epilepsy in people with learning difficulties; stress and burnout; and legal and ethical issues.