A position paper is one that says what ASID believes in, based on the research in the area. A position statement is the same but shorter.
Facilitated Communication and Rapid Prompting Method
ASID has written a new position statement about facilitated communication and the rapid prompting method. It is often claimed that these techniques help people who have little or no speech to communicate. ASID recognises the importance of communication rights being accessible to all people, including those with little or no speech. All people have the same communication rights. ASID recognises that there are many methods of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) that can enable communication. However there is no scientific, rigorous evidence to support the use of Facilitated Communication or Rapid Prompting Method with people with intellectual disabilities with little or no speech
Scoping Review of Position Statements
In 2019 ASID paid for a scoping review of Position Statements relevant to people with intellectual disabilities.
The full report of the project is available here, and a paper based on the review is published in the 2021 June issue of RAPIDD.
A sub-committee of the ASID Board made up of academics, checked the 125 position statements identified to assess their currency, values and rigor. Two groups were identified those that were current, relied on evidence and aligned with the values of ASID and those that were dated, not based on evidence or did not follow the expected format of a position statement. Both sets of position statements can be accessed HERE.
In recent years ASID has produced position statements on Dedifferentiation and People with intellectual Disabilities and Intellectual Disability and Complex Support Needs and endorsed statements produced by other organisations on COVID 19 and People with Intellectual Disabilities, and the Importance of Physical and Mental Health for People with Intellectual Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System.
It should be noted that the Board has not yet endorsed any of these position statements.
Intellectual Disability and Complex Support Needs
Dedifferentiation
Disability policies increasingly refer to ‘people with disability’, often missing out on the unique issues associated with having an intellectual disability. There are advantages and disadvantages to this position.
For example, it can mean that specialist knowledge about supporting people with intellectual disability to participate is not recognised and that practice and programs are not well adapted to their needs. But it can also strengthen advocacy and avoid the stigma often associated with being labelled as having an intellectual disability. ASID has used the term Dedifferentiation to refer to not differentiating people with intellectual disability as a particular group.
ASID, in collaboration with Professors Jennifer Clegg and Christine Bigby has developed a position statement on Dedifferentiation, and two background papers, a literature review published in RAPIDD and a shorter summary.