This study surveyed 25 siblings of persons with Down Syndrome to gain an ecological perspective about important communication competence indicators. Siblings favorably described persons with Down Syndrome as “effective” and “good” communicators who “communicate to potential.” Siblings regarded social communication skills as especially important, i.e., being able to communicate without fear, being able to express wants, needs, opinions, and feelings, being able to ask questions, and alerting partners to communication breakdowns. Siblings also regarded language comprehension as an important skill. Favorable descriptive labels were often applied to adult-aged persons with mild ID and normal hearing. Clinical implications are discussed focused on functional communication planning and implementation that takes into account the perspectives of family members, teachers, and rehabilitation personnel.
BallL. J.BeukelmanD. R.PatteeG. L.Communication effectiveness of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosisJournal of Communication Disorders37197–2152002
3.
BernsteinD. K.Tiegerman-FarberE.Language and communication disorders in childrenAllyn & BaconBoston2002th ed.
4.
BurbulesN.Dialogue in teaching: Theory and practiceTeachers College PressNew York1993
5.
BaumannS. L.DychesT. T.BraddickM.Being a siblingNursing Science Quarterly1851–592005
6.
CarrellL. J.WillmingtonS. C.ClayS.The relationship between self-report measures of communication apprehension and trained ob-servers' ratings of communication competenceCommunication Reports1187–961998
7.
CascellaP. W.Communication disorders and children with mental retardationChild and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America861–751999
8.
CascellaP. W.Expressive communication strengths of adults with severe to profound intellectual disabilities as reported by group home staffCommunication Disorders Quarterly26156–1632005
9.
CascellaP. W.McnamaraK. M.Empowering students with severe disabilities to actualize communication skillsTeaching Exceptional Children37338–432004
10.
ChaneyC.MedinaK.O'connellA.TobarA.Relationships among social status, pragmatic skills, and academic achievement. Paper presented at the meeting of the Western States Communication AssociationPortland, OR1995, September
11.
CuskellyM.GunnP.Sibling relationships of children with Down Syndrome: Perspectives of mothers, fathers, and siblingsAmerican Journal of Mental Retardation108234–2442003
12.
CuskellyM.HayesA.ChantD.Behaviour problems in the siblings of children with Down Syndrome: Associations with family responsibilities and parent stressInternational Journal of Disability, Development, and Education45295–3111998
13.
DalyJ. A.MccroskeyJ. C.Avoiding communication: Shyness, reticence, and communication apprehensionSageBeverly Hills1984
14.
DollB.SandsD. J.WehmeyerM.PalmerS.SandsD. J.WehmeyerM. L.Promoting the development and acquisition of self-determined behaviorSelf-determination across the life spanPaul H. BrookesBaltimore65–901996
15.
FergusonD. L.Is communication really the point? Some thoughts on interventions and membershipMental Retardation327–181994
16.
HazenL.BlackB.Preschool peer communication skills: The role of social status and interaction contextChild Development60867–8771989
17.
HustadK. C.BeukelmanD. R.Effects of linguistic cues and stimulus cohesion on intelligibility of severely dysarthric speechJournal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research43497–5102001
18.
HustadK. C.GearhartK. J.Listener attitudes toward individuals with cerebral palsy who use speech supplementation strategiesAmerican Journal of Speech-Language Pathology13168–1822004
19.
KentJ.KentR.RosenbekJ.WeismerG.MartinR.SufitR.Quantitative description of the dysarthria in women with amyotrophic lateral sclerosisJournal of Speech and Hearing Research35723–7331992
20.
KleinmanL. I.Functional communication profileLinguiSystemsEast Moline, IL2003
21.
LightJ.Toward a definition of communicative competence for individuals using augmentative and alternative communication systemsAugmentative and Alternative Communication5137–1431989
22.
LomasJ.PickardL.BesterS.ElbardH.FinlaysonA.ZoghaibC.The communicative effectiveness index: Development and psychometric evaluation of a functional communication measure for adult aphasiaJournal of Speech and Hearing Disorders54113–1241989
23.
MccarthyJ.LightJ.Attitudes toward individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication: Research review. Augmentative and Alternative Communicationin press
24.
McdowellE.An exploratory study of interpersonal communication competence: Assessing performance in selection interviews of day and extension studentsAnnual Meeting of the Central States Communication AssociationSt. Louis, MO1997. April
25.
McleanL. K.BradyN. C.McleanJ. E.Reported communication abilities of individualswith severe mental retardation.American Journal of Mental Retardation100580–5911996ASHA Supplement
26.
National Joint Commission for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities. (2004). Supporting documentation for the position statement on access to communication services and supports: Concerns regarding the application of restrictive “eligibility” policies. ASHA Supplement 23, 73-81.
27.
PavittC.HaightL.The “competent communicator” as a cognitive prototypeHuman Communication Research12225–2411985
28.
Payne-JohnsonJ. C.Evaluation of communication competence in patients with closed head injuryJournal of Communication Disorders19237–2491986
29.
RalphE. G.Insights on effective communication: Some 'sabbatical' observations. Education11920–291998
30.
RiniD. L.HindenlangJ.PaulR.CascellaP. W.Family-guided practiceIntroduction to clinical methods in communication disordersPaul H. BrookesBaltimore2007
31.
SavignonS.Communicative competence: Theory and classroom practiceAddison-WesleyReading, MA1983
32.
SmytheM. J.PowersW. G.When Galatea is apprehensive: The effect of communication apprehension on teacher expectationsCommunication Yearbook2487–4911978
SpitzbergB. H.Communication competence as knowledge, skill, and impression. Communication Education32323–3291983
35.
SpitzbergB. H.HechtM. L.A component model of relational competenceHuman Communication Research10575–5991984
36.
Van RiperM.Family variables associated with well-being in siblings of children with Down SyndromeJournal of Family Nursing6267–2872000
37.
WillmingtonS. C.SteinbrecherM. M.Assessing Listening in the Basic Course: The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Listening TestJoint Meeting of the Southern States Communication Association and the Central States Communication Association, LexingtonKY1993, April
38.
YorkstonK. M.BeukelmanD. R.A comparison of techniques for measuring intelligibility in dysarthric speechJournal of Communication Disorders1499–5121978
