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

智力和发育障碍(IDD)患者的识字成就往往有限 这导致缺乏促进书面语言发展的机会(Moni等人，2011年)。 然而，当为患有IDD的年轻人提供机会扩大他们的识字教育时，即使在 高中，他们继续发展和提高他们的书面和口语技能，这是 与改进的职业和独立生活选择相关(Erickson 2006；hua等人，2019年)。到目前为止， 很少有研究考察对经常代表不足的老年人的有效沟通干预。 患有IDD的青壮年。拟议研究的目标是检查可行性、可接受性和 植入自然发生的日常活动的功能性书面语言干预的初步效果 (例如，短信、电子邮件)为患有IDD的年轻人提供服务。中心假设是：(A)明确的书面 功能语篇的语言干预(WLIFT)将导致阅读理解的更多使用 阅读前、阅读中和阅读后的策略以及(B)阅读理解策略的使用 与书面和口头语言成绩的改善有关。具体目标包括(1) WLIFT干预对功能语篇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)考察干预对远距离口语输出的影响。拟议的研究将 招募40名患有IDD的年轻人。将对两组中的个人进行评估：(A)在研究开始时，(B)在 (C)干预结束后六个月。患有IDD的个体 WLIFT组将接受为期3个月的干预：(A)利用功能文本-日常活动 涉及书面语言(例如，短信)的生活，(B)是基于表型而专门设计的 在年轻人向独立过渡的关键时刻提供，(C) 包括教授和评估阅读前、阅读中和阅读后实施的理解策略 以前曾被证明与较强的书面和口语技能有关 以及(D)通过远程实践来促进在有意义的背景下为 患有IDD的个人。这项拟议的研究具有重要意义，因为它有望应用、适应和评估 书面语言策略在其他有困难的读者群体中被发现是有效的，从而推动了 IDD患者的语言发展领域，那里的交流明显不足 干预研究。这项初步的初步研究将论证可行性、可接受性和初步效果 在未来的R01应用中支持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.