Optimizing Language Outcomes for Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Written Language Intervention Using Functional Texts

患有智力和发育障碍（IDD）的人往往表现出有限的识字成绩 这导致缺乏促进书面语言发展的机会（Moni等人，2011年）。 然而，如果向患有缺碘症的年轻成年人提供机会， 高中，他们继续发展和提高他们的书面和口头语言技能，这是 与改善的职业和独立生活选择相关（Erickson 2006; Hua et al.，2019年）。到目前为止， 很少有研究审查了有效的沟通干预，往往代表性不足的人口， 年轻的IDD患者。拟议研究的目的是研究可行性、可接受性和 嵌入自然发生的日常活动中的功能性书面语言干预的初始有效性 (e.g.,短信、电子邮件）。核心假设是：（a）明确的书面 功能语篇的语言干预（WLIFT）将导致更多的阅读理解的使用 在阅读之前、期间和之后使用策略;（B）使用阅读理解策略将 与书面和口头语言结果的改善相关。具体目标包括：（1） 检验WLIFT干预对功能语篇中阅读理解策略使用的影响， 2）检查干预对远端书面语言结果的影响，以及 (3)检查干预对远端口语结果的影响。拟定的研究将 招募40名患有IDD的年轻成人。两组中的个体将被评估：（a）在研究开始时，（B）在 干预结束时，以及（c）干预结束后6个月。IDD患者 在WLIFT组将接受3个月的干预，其中：（a）利用功能性文本-日常活动 涉及书面语言的生活（例如，文本消息），（B）是基于表型特别设计的 在年轻人向独立过渡的关键时期提供，（c） 包括在阅读之前、期间和之后实施的教学和评估理解策略， 先前已被证明与更强的书面和口头语言技能有关， 读者，以及（d）通过远程实践来实施，以促进在有意义的背景下为 IDD患者。该研究具有重要意义，因为它有望应用，适应和评估 书面语言策略被发现在其他挣扎的读者群体中有效，从而促进 IDD患者的语言发展领域，在该领域中，沟通能力显著缺乏 干预研究这一初步试点研究将证明可行性，可接受性和初步效果 支持未来R 01应用中的全面临床试验所必需的。

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often present with limited literacy achievement which results in an absence of opportunities to foster written language development (Moni et al., 2011). However, when young adults with IDD are provided opportunities to broaden their literacy education even after high school, they continue to develop and improve their written and spoken language skills, which is associated with improved vocational and independent living options (Erickson 2006; Hua et al., 2019). To date, few studies have examined effective communication interventions for the often underrepresented population of young adults with IDD. The objective of the proposed study is to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and initial effectiveness of a functional written language intervention embedded in naturally occurring daily activities (e.g., text messages, emails) for young adults with IDD. The central hypothesis is: (a) that explicit written language intervention for functional texts (WLIFT) will result in greater use of reading comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading and (b) that use of reading comprehension strategies will be associated with improvements in written and spoken language outcomes. The specific aims include (1) examining the effects of WLIFT intervention on use of reading comprehension strategies in functional texts by young adults with IDD, 2) examining the effects of the intervention on distal written language outcomes, and (3) examining the effects of the intervention on distal spoken language outcomes. The proposed study will enroll 40 young adults with IDD. Individuals in both groups will be assessed: (a) at the start of the study, (b) at the conclusion of intervention, and (c) six months following the conclusion of intervention. Individuals with IDD in the WLIFT group will receive 3-months of intervention that: (a) utilizes functional texts—activities of daily living that involve written language (e.g., text messages), (b) is specifically designed based on the phenotype of commonly occurring IDDs and is delivered at a critical time as young adults transition to independence, (c) involves teaching and assessing comprehension strategies implemented before, during, and after reading that have been previously shown to be associated with stronger written and spoken language skills in struggling readers, and (d) is implemented via telepractice to promote service delivery in meaningful contexts for the individual with IDD. The proposed research is significant because it is expected to apply, adapt, and evaluate written language strategies found to be effective in other populations of struggling readers, thereby advancing the field of language development in individuals with IDD, where there is a striking paucity of communication intervention research. This initial pilot study will demonstrate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial effects necessary to support a full-scale clinical trial in a future R01 application.