Describing the Outcomes of PODD to Support Interaction with Children: Perspectives of Professionals

This project will investigate the commonly used but under-researched communication tool, Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display Communication Books (PODD). The aim of the project is to seek and report on the use of PODD from the perspective of professionals such as speech pathologists and educators by investigating reported outcomes of its implementation.

Nineteen professionals participated in an in-depth semi-structured interview from October – November 2022. In the interviews professionals were prompted to retrospectively describe and report outcomes of a case study from their professional experience. Thematic analysis of interview data was completed.

Thematic analysis revealed two overarching themes: client communication skills and other skills. Each contained a number of subthemes. Critically, further research reporting perspectives of PODD users, and communication partners is required to gain a fuller understanding of the authentic outcomes of PODD.