Applying the Diagnostic Intervention Model for Fostering Harmonious Interactions Between Deaf-Blind Children and Their Educators: A Case Study - JVIB - February 2006

This article demonstrates the use of the Diagnostic Intervention Model in everyday practice and the effects of its application in a case study of Kris and his educator using individual coaching. The implications of the case for everyday practice are discussed. The studies underlying the intervention model presented here were financially supported by the Stichting Fonds voor Doven and the Stichting Kinderpostzegels Nederland. The authors acknowledge the work of Yvette Klinkers and Bernadette Van den Tillaart and other staff of the Deaf-Blind Department at Viataal, Sint-Michielsgestel, the Netherlands. In an earlier article (Janssen, Riksen-Walraven, & van Dijk, 2003b), we presented the Diagnostic Intervention Model for use as a guide in the design and conduct of interventions to foster harmonious interactions between children who are deaf-blind and their educators in various settings. An interaction coach, who consults with and supervises the educators, plays a central part in http://www.afb.org/jvib/jvib000204.asp (1 of 21)3/1/2006 2:57:54 PM Applying the Diagnostic Intervention Model for Fostering Harmonious Inter...f-Blind Children and Their Educators: A Case Study JVIB February 2006 the diagnostic intervention process. As Box 1 shows, the interaction coach aims to foster harmonious interactions between a deaf-blind child and his or her educator by improving the educator's ability to recognize the child's signals, attune his or her behaviors to those of the child, and adapt the interactional context to promote the occurrence of a particular child's behaviors. The intervention is designed, carried out, and evaluated using a fivestep intervention protocol that is depicted in Box 1. After the coach has determined and clarified the questions for interaction coaching for a child who is deaf-blind (Steps 1 and Step 2 in the intervention protocol), observations of interactions between the child and the educators are taken as the basis for the formulation of intervention aims (goals for intervention) in terms of eight core categories of interactive behavior (Step 3). Next, the intervention is carried out (Step 4), and the effects of the intervention are assessed in terms of the same set of behavioral categories (Step 5). These observations may then be taken as the starting point for a new intervention cycle (Daelman, Nafstad, Rødbroe, Souriau, & Visser, 1996; De Bruyn, Pameijer, Ruijssenaars, & van Aarle, 1995; Dekker & Biemans, 1994; Janssen, Riksen-Walraven, & van Dijk, 2004; Rowland & Scheigert, 1997; Trevarthen, 1993; Weiner, Kuppermintz, & Guttman, 1994). In an earlier study (Janssen, Riksen-Walraven, & van Dijk, 2003a), the effectiveness of the Diagnostic Intervention Model was shown in a sample of six deaf-blind children and their 14 educators. The present article demonstrates the application of the model in everyday practice by describing a single case from the former study--that of Kris--in more detail. After the case is described, the assessment of the effects of the intervention for Kris and his educator is discussed. Finally, we go further into the most important implications of the case for everyday practice (Janssen, van den Tillaart, van der Heijden, van Duijnhoven, & http://www.afb.org/jvib/jvib000204.asp (2 of 21)3/1/2006 2:57:54 PM Applying the Diagnostic Intervention Model for Fostering Harmonious Inter...f-Blind Children and Their Educators: A Case Study JVIB February 2006