The aim of this study is to investigate , via a randomized control trial (RCT), the effectiveness of an online video training platform designed for teachers to support the improvement of basic reading skills of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). This intervention will include 14 schools and 70 students with ID who require AAC age 6-14 years old. The research question is:

1) What is the difference between online video training and in-person training on improving word-level readig skills and phonological awareness?

The students will work with a reading material, Reading for All, that follow the strategies of Accessible Literacy Learning, developed by Janice Light and David McNaughton. Reading for All is based on the research of Janice Light and David McNaughton. The reading material are adapted for AAC-users and the students can answer with pointing or their AAC-systems. Teachers will implement the instructions at the students familiar place at school for three to five days, each week, for a year.

The reading material consist of tasks in sound blending, letter-sound correspondence, phoneme segmentation, sight words, shared reading and decoding. The teachers will use evidence based, systematic and explicit instructions and immediate and corrective feedback

Children with disabilities who require AAC may experiance challenges in various areas development, including communication skills, speech, language, cognitive and conceptual development, literacy, social participation, access to education, and overall quality of lifte. Acquiring reading skills may lead to higher levels of communication. Students who require AAC may be more dependent on others to provide and teach symbols to represent their language. Acquireing reading skills, may incrace the possibility to independently express themselves, and increace their access to for example text based communication devices.

There is a laci of evidence-based reading material adapted for students with ID who require AAC.

Primary outcomes will be assessed six times every two months over one year. The reading test are based on the reading material, which will be validated before the beginning of the trial.

Secondary outcome: four-time points (baseline, fourth, eighth, and twelfth month).

Inclusion Criteria:

• ages 6-14 years,
• diagnosed with intellectual disability, confirmed by multidisciplinary assessments carried out by the Child rehabilitation service,
• not have a functional speech, i.e. require AAC to understand and make oneself understood,
• must use AAC as their primary form of communication,
• cannot follow ordinary curricula (LK20) but have their own education plan.

Exclusion Criteria:

• having a severe visual impairment and not being able to decode single words (e.g., severe hearing impairment).

Following the FAIR Data Principles, the trial protocol, its registration, and models created to analyze the data during the project will be made available on platforms such as OSF and https://clinicaltrials.gov/. Project objectives and results will be communicated to the general public through newsletters, social media, mainstream media (regional newspaper), and presentations at showcase events. Lastly, we plan to launch a publicly accessible website of the project, describing the project, including its goals and the partners.

Study protocol: January 2025- August 2027 Statistical analysis Plan: May 2026- August 2027 Analytic Code: June 2026- August 2027