Literacy and Communication Support for Children with Developmental Disabilities

Research Topic
Literacy and Communication Support for Children with Developmental Disabilities  

Lead Researcher
Sakiko Yoshikawa, Program-Specific Professor, Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University

Collaborating Researchers
Nobuo Masataka, Professor, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University

Yasuko Funabiki, Professor, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University

Chika Nagaoka, Associate Professor, Business Administration, Otemon Gakuin University

Kohei Tsunemi, Associate Professor, Shukutoku University

Shino Ogawa, Researcher, Research Institute for Child Development and Learning Support

Center Co-Researcher
Ayana Tamura, Researcher, Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University

Children with developmental disabilities often need special support because they have difficulties learning and communicating. However, because of individual differences in their needs, diagnosis alone does not provide a guide for how to support these children. In some cases, diagnoses are difficult because of secondary disorders and double disabilities. It is necessary to understand the multilayered characteristics of these conditions in order to support these children. Furthermore, even if a child has some sort of problem, they may not go to a hospital or a child consultation center due to a feeling of resistance or anxiety about being diagnosed. There is also the case that a problem may not be deemed as serious enough to require medical institutions, even if it causes trouble for the person. He or she will lose an opportunity to receive support, and the difficult situation will become even more serious.

In this study, we conduct an applied research focusing on learning support for children with developmental disabilities or suspected developmental disabilities. In the field of learning support, considering and supporting the characteristics of developmental disabilities, which doesn’t seem to be related to learning, may lead to effective learning support. Therefore, this study evaluates the characteristics of developmental disabilities along with the cognitive characteristics of each individual, and verifies the effectiveness of learning and communication supports based on these multilayered characteristics.

As one of the evaluations of the multilayered characteristics of children with developmental disabilities, we use Multi-dimensional Scale for PDD and ADHD (MSPA) developed by our collaborating researcher, Yasuko Funabiki. The MSPA is a scale that evaluates the characteristics of developmental disabilities from 14 items, such as “Communication” and “Carelessness,” and quantifies the degree of the characteristics and degree of need for support into nine levels (Funabiki, et al., 2011). Each item is evaluated as a characteristic from infancy and is obtained through interviews with the child and their guardians.

2020/05/29