title: Learn and apply: using multi-sensory storytelling to gather knowledge about preferences and abilities of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities--three case studies.
abstract: Knowledge about the preferences and abilities of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMDs) is crucial for providing appropriate activities. Multi-sensory storytelling (MSST) can be an ideal activity for gathering such knowledge about children with PIMDs. The aim of this study was to analyse whether using MSST did lead to changes in teachers' knowledge about preferences and abilities and whether this knowledge was then applied in practice. Three dyads of children with PIMDs and their teachers read an MSST book 20 times during a 10-week period. A questionnaire designed to identify the teachers' current knowledge was filled in before the 1st and again after the 10th and 20th reading sessions. Also, the teachers were asked for their opinion about their newly gathered knowledge. In all three cases, changes in the teachers' knowledge were observed. However, teachers are insufficiently aware of their new knowledge and do not apply it in practice.
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annet Ten
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Brug
authors.forename: Annette A J
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Van der Putten
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vlaskamp
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004519:Education, Special / Q000379:methods; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: adjusted activities; assessment; multi-sensory storytelling; profound intellectual and multiple disabilities; staff skills