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Precision Teaching to Develop Key Word Sign Skills in Practitioners in Intellectual Disability Services: A Proof‐of‐Concept Study.

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Title: Precision Teaching to Develop Key Word Sign Skills in Practitioners in Intellectual Disability Services: A Proof‐of‐Concept Study.
Authors: Vostanis, Athanasios (AUTHOR), Payne, Oliver Douglas (AUTHOR), Cox, Anthony (AUTHOR), Bradshaw, Jill (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. Jan2026, Vol. 39 Issue 1, p1-19. 19p.
Subjects: Motor ability, Research funding, Teaching methods, Educational tests & measurements, Learning, Speech-language pathology, Intellectual disabilities, Surveys, Communication devices for people with disabilities, Accuracy, Professional competence, Sign language
Abstract: Background: People with intellectual disabilities frequently communicate through Key Word Signs (KWS). Although various methods have trained practitioners to sign, they have not led to increased use. This study evaluated whether Precision Teaching would lead to improved outcomes. Method: Practitioners were divided into experimental (n = 4) and control conditions (n = 5) using a multiple baseline across participants design. Experimental participants received Precision Teaching for 60 signs three times a week for 14 weeks. Control participants had completed a one‐day training event via Makaton at least 1 year before. Naturalistic observations were conducted for all participants to measure signing while supporting service users. Results: Experimental participants demonstrated fluency, emergent application, and maintenance of improvements. They also signed more than control participants when supporting clients. Conclusion: Precision Teaching can lead to increased usage of KWS under naturalistic conditions. However, training in isolation might be inadequate. Additional elements, such as practice leadership, are required. Lay Summary: Many people with intellectual disabilities rely on Key Word Signs (KWS), but standard staff training methods often fail to increase their use.This study used Precision Teaching to train four staff members in 60 KWS.Staff showed fluent signing, maintained their skills, and signed more than colleagues who had received standard training when supporting service users.Precision Teaching may improve training outcomes, but additional support, like practice leadership, is needed to enhance sign use in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Precision Teaching to Develop Key Word Sign Skills in Practitioners in Intellectual Disability Services: A Proof‐of‐Concept Study.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vostanis%2C+Athanasios%22">Vostanis, Athanasios</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Payne%2C+Oliver+Douglas%22">Payne, Oliver Douglas</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cox%2C+Anthony%22">Cox, Anthony</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bradshaw%2C+Jill%22">Bradshaw, Jill</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Applied+Research+in+Intellectual+Disabilities%22">Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities</searchLink>. Jan2026, Vol. 39 Issue 1, p1-19. 19p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motor+ability%22">Motor ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+methods%22">Teaching methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+tests+%26+measurements%22">Educational tests & measurements</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning%22">Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech-language+pathology%22">Speech-language pathology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intellectual+disabilities%22">Intellectual disabilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Surveys%22">Surveys</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication+devices+for+people+with+disabilities%22">Communication devices for people with disabilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Accuracy%22">Accuracy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+competence%22">Professional competence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sign+language%22">Sign language</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: People with intellectual disabilities frequently communicate through Key Word Signs (KWS). Although various methods have trained practitioners to sign, they have not led to increased use. This study evaluated whether Precision Teaching would lead to improved outcomes. Method: Practitioners were divided into experimental (n = 4) and control conditions (n = 5) using a multiple baseline across participants design. Experimental participants received Precision Teaching for 60 signs three times a week for 14 weeks. Control participants had completed a one‐day training event via Makaton at least 1 year before. Naturalistic observations were conducted for all participants to measure signing while supporting service users. Results: Experimental participants demonstrated fluency, emergent application, and maintenance of improvements. They also signed more than control participants when supporting clients. Conclusion: Precision Teaching can lead to increased usage of KWS under naturalistic conditions. However, training in isolation might be inadequate. Additional elements, such as practice leadership, are required. Lay Summary: Many people with intellectual disabilities rely on Key Word Signs (KWS), but standard staff training methods often fail to increase their use.This study used Precision Teaching to train four staff members in 60 KWS.Staff showed fluent signing, maintained their skills, and signed more than colleagues who had received standard training when supporting service users.Precision Teaching may improve training outcomes, but additional support, like practice leadership, is needed to enhance sign use in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=191835088
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/jar.70188
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 19
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Motor ability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teaching methods
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational tests & measurements
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Speech-language pathology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intellectual disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Surveys
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Communication devices for people with disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Accuracy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional competence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sign language
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Precision Teaching to Develop Key Word Sign Skills in Practitioners in Intellectual Disability Services: A Proof‐of‐Concept Study.
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            NameFull: Vostanis, Athanasios
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            NameFull: Payne, Oliver Douglas
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            NameFull: Cox, Anthony
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            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Text: Jan2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 39
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
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