Research of promoting of communication among persons with multiple disabilities

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The purposes of the present study were to find out activities that institutionalized persons with multiple disabilities could share their experiences, and to clarify the roles of support-staffs promoting communication among them. The participants were five members (four males and a female) aged 29 to 51 years, and were restricted in function of language expression rather than reception due to severe physical disabilities. Staffs were author and two graduate students.For the former purpose, staffs made two propositions to members ; first was a activity which they experienced to wheel their wheelchairs by manipulate of switches on their own. Second was a activity which they shot photographs by using instant cameras (Polaroid cameras) activated by switches. Members manifested interest in and tried to both activities, and then gave their several impressions. Their impressions were one of topics of conversations in next situation for the latter purpose.For the latter purpose, chances of peer conversations have set up once a month. In the conversation there were several topics (e.g., some events and activities in their institution, their families, staffs, foods, and experiences of above-mentioned two activities). In the early stages members talked about personal topics individually, but they progressively became to give questions and comments of peer's topics. In this approach staffs were needed the three roles of interpreter, facilitator and participant. Especially, the role of interpreter was very important, and for playing the role, staffs should investigate subject's background (e.g., daily life, family, interests, etc.). It was also important that staffs considered individual characters of members for playing roles of facilitator.