ERIC ED395402: Videotelephones: A Tool for Facilitating Communication and Social Integration for Persons with Moderate Mental Retardation. TeleCommunity, RACE 2033 (Research in Advanced Communications Technologies in Europe). Final Report. Technology, Com

157 Pages·1995·2.6 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 395 402
EC 304 795
Brodin, Jane; Alemdar, Ingegerd
AUTHOR
Videotelephones: A Tool for Facilitating
TITLE
Communication and Social Integration for Persons with
Moderate Mental Retardation. TeleCommunity, RACE 2033
(Research in Advanced Communications Technologies in
Europe). Final Report. Technology, Communication,
Disability Research Report No. 13.
Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Inst. of Education.
INSTITUTION
Swedish Telecom, Stockholm (Sweden).
SPONS AGENCY
ISRN-LHS-SPEC-H-13-SE; ISSN-1102-7967
REPORT NO
PUB DATE
95
157p.; This project was also supported by the Swedish
NOTE
National Board of Industrial and Technical
Development and by the Swedish Transport and
Communications Research Board.
Stockholm Institute of Education, Dept. of Special
AVAILABLE FROM
Education, P.O. Box 47308, S-100 74 Stockholm,
Sweden.
Evaluative/Feasibility (142)
Reports
PUB TYPE
Tests/Evaluation Instruments (160)
MF01/PC07 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Adults; Communication Aids (for Disabled); Daily
DESCRIPTORS
Living Skills; Foreign Countries; Group Homes;
Interpersonal Competence; *Moderate Mental
Retardation; Normalization (Disabilities); *Personal
Autonomy; *Social Integration; Social Life; *Social
Networks; *Telephone Communications Systems;
Telephone Usage Instruction
Sweden; *Video Telephone
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This monograph presents the final report of the
Swedish component of TeleCommunity, a nine-nation European project
exploring the potential of videotelephones. This particular study
focused on the use of videotelephones to increase levels of
independence, social integration, and participation in social life
among adults with moderate mental retardation (Z1MR). Twenty-four
adults (ages 21-60) with MMR were drawn from six day centers and
group homes in Stockholm and Jonkoping (Sweden) to participate, each
having poorly developed spoken language and using graphic symbols for
regular daily communication. Pictogram symbols were selected for each
participant's concept keyboard, and participants were trained on use
of the equipment. Data on their subsequent use of the videotelephones
were gathered through questionnaires; assessment of communicative
ability, telephone protocols, and goal setting; and interviews with
family members, participants, and support staff. Results indicated
that participants' social networks were expanded, frequency of use of
the videotelephones increased, communication was genera'ly improved,
and increases were noted in both independence and initiative.
Appendices include protocol evaluation forms, communicative ability
assessment tools, and interview guidelines. (Contains 90 references.)
(PB)
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Office ot Educational Research and imprewnent
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CENTER (ERIC)
ktfhis document has been reproduced
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ecewed from the person or organization
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EDUCATION
STOCKHOLM INSTITUTE OF
improve reproduction quality.
Department of Special Education
. _
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official 0E81 position or policy
Crl
VIDEOTELEPHONES
communication and
A tool for facilitating
with moderate
social integration for persons
mental retardation.
Tele Community - Final report.
Alemdar
Jane Brodin and Ingegerd
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL
HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
(5rodi
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
ISSN 1102-7967
Research report No 13
ISRN LI1S-SPEC-H--13--SE
Disability
Technology, Communication,
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
VIDEOTELEPHONES.
integration for persons
A tool for facilitating communication and social
with moderate mental retardation.
Jane Brodin and Ingegerd Alemdar
Tele Community, RACE 2033
This report is the final report from the European project
The project was
(R...:search in Advanced Communications Technologies in Europe).
National Board for Industrial
supported by the Swedish telecom Telia and the Swedish
by tha The Swedish Transport
and Technical Development (NUTEK) in 1992-1994 and
and Communications Research Board in 1995.
P.O. Box 47308,
Stockholm Institute of Education, Department of Special Education,
737 96 30
S-100 74 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel [phone], fax +46 8
ISSN 1102-7967
Research report No 13
ISRN LHS-SPEC-H--13- -SE
Technology, Communication, Disability
Graphic Systems AB, MalmO 1996
Abstract:
Brodin, Jane & Alemdar, Ingegerd (1995)
Videotelephones. A tool for
facilitating communication and social integration for persons with
Research
moderate mental retardation, TeleCommunity - Final report.
report No 13. Stockholm Institute of Education: Department of Special
Education.
TeleCommunity is a European project within the area of videotelephony,
with nine countries involved. The overall aims of the Swedish ACE
(Advanced Communication Experiment) were to get knowledge of and
understanding of the issues whether videotelephones could increase the
level of independence, social integration and participation in social life.
The purpose of using videotelephones was to study if this kind of
telecommunication aid would help the participants with moderate mental
retardation to use telephones. The aims were to support, stimulate and
facilitate communication, to get access to telecommunications, to support
independent living and to increase social integration.
Twentyfour persons with moderate mental retardation from six day
centres in the Stockholm area and in the Jonkoping area participated in
the study. The age of the participants were between 21 and 60
yearsparticipants had a poorly developed spoken language and used
graphic symbols in their daily communication. They also had many
additional impairments. The methods used to collect data were
questionnaires, interviews with parents/relatives, staff from day centres
and group homes as well as inteviews with the participants themselves,
assessment of the communicative ability, goal setting and telephone
protocols. The results show that the participants' social network was
expanded, the frequency of use of the videotelephones increased,
communication was improved and developed, independence and the
ability to take initiatives increased.
Keywords: videotelephones, mental retardation, communication, social
network, independence
FOREWORD
with
1st 1992 and went,
2033, started on January
Tele Community, RACE
a
31st 1995. Tele Community was
extension, on till December
one year's
(Belgium, Finland,
nine countries involved
European project with
Sweden and
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Germany, Ireland, The
cooperation between
Swedish project was a
United Kingdom). The
AB, who was the main
Daltek AB and Telia
Stockholm University,
January 1st, 1995, the
Swedish participation. From
contractor for the
Stockholm Institute
Stockholm University to
project was tranferred from
Responsible for the
of Special Education.
of Education, Department
Nilsson, Master of
support were Sven-Hakan
technical development and
to look after
lén, Engineer. Their tasks were
Engineering, and Maria Fah
involved in the study. It
and assist the day centres
the technical equipment
running, and much
to keep the equipment
has not always been easy
influence occurred
technicians have not been able to
trouble which "our"
of
contribution and knowledge
ISDN-network. Their
e.g. with the
although it has
for me as a non-technician,
technology has been valuable
"languages".
understand the different
sometimes been difficult to
with when new
probably a fact you have to cope
Teething problems are
technology is implemented.
periods of the project.
involved during different
Many persons have been
project and who have
formed the basis for the
The individuals who have
with moderate
firstly the 24 individuals
made this study possible are
six
secondly the staff at the
their parents/relatives,
mental retardation and
homes. I would like to
and the staff at the group
day centres involved
their efforts made to
their assistance and all
thank all these persons for
conduct the project.
Master of Engineering,
thank Jan-Ingvar Lindstr6m,
I would also like to
comments. His
positive attitude and constructive
Telia AB, for his always
conditions and his
disabilities and their living
knowledge of persons with
help.
enthusiasm have been a great
especially Leonor Pereira,
in Tele Community,
Thank you all 'partners
who were all
Jan Heim and their teams,
Coleman O'Callaghan and
countries were involved
mental retardation. Nine
working in the area of
useful and giving.
meetings have been very
and the discussions at the
UK, who has had the
John Mc Ewan, NSSL,
I am especially thankful to
consortium. John's always
uniting link of the
hard job of being the
the work and he has been
helped us all to continue
positive attitudes have
of humour.
led the group with a lot
leader of the gang and
a marvelleous
I do admire his ability
to keep the partners from the
nine countries
together for almost four
years.
The Swedish project
team has during different periods
of time involved
various members
as the the project has been
interdisciplinary. Magnus
Magnusson, speech therapist,
has together with Fredrik
Thurfjell, also
speech therapist, worked
with communication.
Magnus has been
a
colleague of mine since
almost 18 years and
we have had a long and
giving cooperation. He has
made the interviews in Tele
Community and
Fredrik Thurfjell has worked
with the communicative
assessments of the
participants and the goal setting.
The work with background
descriptions,
social meetings, staff education,
telephone protocols and
reporting have
been done by Jane Brodin.
The extensive data collection
have been
processed in a computer,
analyzed, and documented by
Ingegerd Alemdar
and Jane Brodin.
It is my hope that this
study will be the starting
point for many other
activities in the
area of mental retardation. The study
shows that if
technology
is adapted for the
users from the start there
are great
opportinites for
persons with mental retardation
to have access to
technical aids and to be able
to participate in society.
Technology and
pedagogics must always
go hand in hand!
Finally, I would like
to thank our financiers, who
have given us
opportunities to effect the study.
In 19924994 the project
was supported
by Telia AB and The
Swedish National Board
for Industrial and
Technical Development
(NUTEK) and in 1995 by the
Swedish Transport
& Communications Research
Board (KFB). This last
year's financial
support has been very valuable
in order to complete the
data collection
and to be able to
process data.
Jane Brodin, Ph.D.
Project leader
CONTENTS
1
INTRODUCTION
1.
Background
1
1.1
2
Mental retardation - definition and classification
1.2
4
Implications of mental retardation in daily living
1.3
SERVICES IN SWEDEN FOR PERSONS WITH
2.
6
MENTAL RETARDATION
7
Dependence - Independence
8
Medical care and habilitation
2.1
9
Education
2.2
10
3.
COMMUNICATION
10
Communication in persons with mental retardation
3.1
15
Communicative competence
3.2
15
Telephoning and mental retardation
3.3
17
3.4
Augmented telecommunication
18
STUDIES ON TELECOMMUNICATION FOR
4.
PERSONS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION
18
Still picture telephones and fax communication
4.1
21
Videotelephones for persons with mental retardation
4.2
24
Videotelephones in health and cart services
4.3.
25
Videotelephony for users of sign language
4.4.
A minitrial on videotelephony aimed at testing
4.5
26
methodological and technical issues
27
Aim of the Pilot Study
27
Methods used in the evaluation
29
Description of the technical equipment
33
4.5.1 The Participants in the minitrial
33
Daniel - a personal description
33
Social network
34
Functional disorders
34
Pictureslcommunciationllanguage
Tom - a personal description
35
Social network
35
Functional disorders
35
Pictures1Communicationaanguage
35
Preparation and start of the minitrial
36
Starting point of project
- installation of equipment
38
Staff preparation
38
Conduction of the trial
38
4.5.2 Results of the minitrial
39
Technical aspects of the equipment
40
Frequency of use
41
User aspects
43
Staff aspects
44
Conclusions
44
Summary of studies in the videotelephony area
45
5.
TELECOMMUNITY
- THE SWEDISH ACE
48
5.1
Aims of the study
48
5.2
Service classification and staffing
49
6.
METHODS
50
Problem inventory
50
Literature reseach in databases
50
Equipment and network overview
51
6.1.
Selection of day centres, staff and participants
52
6.2
Staff education
54
6.3
Introduction meetings with participants and staff
54
6.4
Background descriptions
55
6.5
Interviews
56
6.6.
Assessment of the communcative ability
58
6.7
Individual goal setting and goal attainment
60
6.8
Telephone protocols
61
6.9
Parties and social meetings
62
7.
RESULTS
63
7.1.
Background information
63
Housing conditions
65
Schoolingleducation
65
Communication
65
67
Main activity at the day centre
68
Leisure time interests
69
Social network
72
Interviews with parents, staff and participants
7.2.
73
7.2.1 The first interview
73
7.2.2 Results from the first interview round
79
Comments to the interviews with the participants
81
7.2.3 The second interview
82
7.2.4 Results from the second interview round
83
Comments
84
Communicative assessment
7.3
87
Goal attainment scales
87
Example 1. Tore
E8
Example 2. Greta
90
7.4
Goal attainment
92
Telephone protocols
7.5
97
Social meetings with the participants
7.6
98
A case study - An example
7.7
99
7.7.1 A personal description of EVA
100
Community
7.7.2 EVA - one of the participants in Tele
102
7.7.3 Results of the case study
103
Evaluation of the technical equipment
7.8
107
Swedish ACE
7.9 A summary of the evaluation focus of the
108
7.9.1 Quality of Service
108
Service Organisation
108
Organisational structure
108
Organisational functions
108
Organisation of Service Delivery
108
Training, Selection, recruitment
108
Service Schedule and Delivery Profile
109
Staffing Profile
109
Delivery Style
109
Service Transaction Tasks
109
Service Network
110
7.9.2 Quality of Support
110
7.9.3 Quality of Effect
110
Personal Impact
110
Social Impact