Session 104

Instructional Level: Intermediate

Working with individuals with intellectual disabilities who have limited verbal skills and exhibit idiosyncratic communication styles presents significant challenges in person-centered service delivery. Understanding and addressing these challenges from the individuals’ perspective is crucial for providing effective support and promoting their well-being and the pursuit of their happiness. This presentation explores the importance of recognizing the unique communication needs of such individuals within person-centered care frameworks. It emphasizes the significance of tailoring supports to individual communication styles and preferences to ensure meaningful engagement and inclusion.

This presentation introduces the GIFT (Gestures, Interaction, Face Expression) tracker, an innovative tool designed to measure caregiver performance when working with individuals who have limited verbal skills, by closely observing and interpreting the person supported non-verbal cues such as gestures, interactions, and facial expressions. This approach is particularly beneficial for engaging with individuals who have limited verbal skills and idiosyncratic communication styles. The GIFT tracker aims to provide a structured method for evaluating the person’s interactions, thereby enhancing the quality of person-centered care for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify at least two reasons why technology to facilitate communication channels with people with limited verbal skills is critical to improve the quality of ABA services.
2. Identify at least two dimensions assessed by the GIFT scale.
3. Identify at least two potential further developments to apply the GIFT scale to assess other needs and promote the pursuit of happiness.