Aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) forms of communication can prove beneficial for individuals who experience acquired communication disorders, such as those with stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson’s disease. It is important for aided AAC communicators to be assessed for the impact of communication difficulties on their communication-related quality of life (CRQoL); this is a person’s overall well-being and life satisfaction. Accessibility methods are critical when creating assessment tools for aided communicators with acquired communication disorders. ?o date, there are no available accessible assessment tools that measure CRQoL for aided AAC communicators. This study aimed to fill this gap by creating the COMMQUAL—a thorough, accessible, and inclusive tool designed specifically for aided AAC communicators with acquired communication disorder. Five aided AAC communicators and five speech and language pathologists (SLPs) in Cyprus participated in the study. The tool’s creation followed a three-phase framework: item generation, item selection, and item reduction. First, a list of domains was established via literature review and expert insights. These domains underwent refinement through semi-structured interviews with aided AAC communicators and additional focus group meetings with SLPs to ensure their relevance and thoroughness. Second, using Likert-scale ratings, the SLPs evaluated item clarity, significance, and prevalence. Third, item reduction was conducted using Classical Test Theory (CTT), Item Response Theory (IRT), and Rasch analysis to assess the internal consistency, reliability, and dimensionality of the items. Preliminary versions of the tool were trialed with the aided AAC communicators participating in the first phase, who provided input on the items’ relevance and response format. The received feedback informed the incorporation of features such as text highlighting, visual symbols, simplified language, compatibility with eye-gaze technology, and adjustable font sizes. The results indicated a high level of satisfaction among participants regarding the tool’s format and delivery. Paper-based and electronic format was developed collaboratively with aided AAC communicators, SLPs, and a web programmer. Design choices—like symbol selection and interface personalization were chosen based on aided AAC communicators. Thereby, the COMMQUAL is a collaboratively designed and accessible assessment tool that assesses CRQoL for aided AAC communicators with acquired communication disorders. The COMMQUAL integrates multimodal communication into the assessment process. Although the tool shows significant face and content validity, future studies will prioritize formally examining its psychometric properties, such as reliability and validity.
References
Beukelman, D., & Light, J. (2020). Augmentative and alternative communication: Supporting children and adults with complex communication needs.
Neumann, S., Quinting, J., Rosenkranz, A., De Beer, C., Jonas, K., & Stenneken, P. (2019). Quality of life in adults with neurogenic speech-language-communication difficulties: A systematic review of existing measures. Journal of Communication Disorders, 79, 24-45.
Pampoulou, E., Theodorou, E., & Petinou, K. (2018). The use of augmentative and alternative communication in Cyprus: Findings from a preliminary survey. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 34(1), 5–21.
Threats, T. (2007). Access for persons with neurogenic communication disorders: Influences of Personal and Environmental Factors of the ICF. Aphasiology, 21(1), 67–80.
