The Organization of a Choice-Making Activity: Inviting Self-Determination for Children With Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities

Background: This study explores choice-making opportunities for children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) and the use of a method called partner-assisted scanning. The method has been described as a viable means of choice-making in augmentative and alternative communication. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore how a method to support choice-making with children with PIMD was employed in everyday activities. Method: Applied multimodal conversation analysis was used to collect, transcribe, and analyze the data. The analysis features video-recorded data with four children with PIMD in choice-making activities with staff at a special education preschool. Results: The interaction is organized in a trajectory of several phases, where each phase establishes a different task. Vocalizations and embodied resources are treated as responses in the question–response phase. Discussion/Conclusions: The staff member arranges a sequential frame for interaction, and the actions of the child are interpreted within that frame. The embodied actions used by the child are carefully monitored and fitted into the interaction by the staff member. The practice provides opportunities for choice-making and promotes self-determination for persons with PIMD.