NOT-DC-23-009: Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Promoting Language and Communication in Minimally Verbal/Non-Speaking Individuals with Autism

PA-21-201 – Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
PA-21-200 – Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
PA-21-199 – Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-21-107 - NIDCD Early Career Research (ECR) Award (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
PA-20-195 - NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-20-196 - NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
PAR-21-063 - NIDCD Low Risk Clinical Trials in Communication Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Required)
RFA-DC-23-001  - NIDCD Research Opportunities for New Investigators to Promote Workforce Diversity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-21-064 – NIDCD Cooperative Agreement for Clinical Trials in Communication Disorders (U01-Clinical Trial Required)
PA-20-185 - NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PAR-21-154  - Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)
PAR-21-155  - Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PAR-21-357  - Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Required)
PAR-22-060  - Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-21-151 – NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-22-176 – PHS 2022-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-22-177 - PHS 2022-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44 Clinical Trial Required)
PA-22-178 - PHS 2022-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-22-179 - PHS 2022-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42 Clinical Trial Required)
Issued by
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders ( NIDCD )
Purpose
The purpose of this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) is to encourage applications for research to promote language and communication in autistic individuals who are minimally verbal/non-speaking. Further research is needed to evaluate and tailor existing interventions, develop novel interventions, develop and apply new research designs and methods to intervention efforts, and identify meaningful outcome measures.   
Background
The NIDCD sponsored a  webinar/workshop on January 24-25, 2023 entitled: “Minimally Verbal/Non-Speaking Individuals with Autism: Research Directions for Interventions to Promote Language and Communication.” This workshop reflected NIDCD’s long-standing efforts to encourage and support research focused on minimally verbal/non-speaking individuals with autism, as well as research on augmentative and assistive communication for a variety of populations. In 2020, an  NIDCD workshop focused on nonverbal children with autism  resulted in funding opportunities and prioritizing of research projects on the topic. A follow-up to the 2010 workshop was deemed appropriate and timely to address novel interventions, research designs and methods for intervention studies, and meaningful outcome measures. The goal of the 2023 workshop was to foster the development of critical research studies addressing the varying communication needs and abilities of this population.
The presenters and discussants of the 2023 workshop represented a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives. Active participants in the workshop included individuals on the autism spectrum (both speaking and minimally verbal/non-speaking, with a range of communication skills), parents of minimally verbal/non-speaking autistic individuals, researchers, and clinicians and educators with many years of experience in the field of autism. In addition, there were presentations about interventions and research findings from non-autistic but minimally verbal/non-speaking populations, including those with co-occurring cognitive disabilities, to allow cross-fertilization of approaches to inform autism research.
Research Objectives
This NOSI encourages applications that are responsive to the research opportunities and needs of minimally verbal/non-speaking autistic individuals, especially those identified by workshop participants, as noted in the  summary and  recordings . The workshop highlighted the need for further research to incorporate new technologies into augmentative and assistive communication (AAC) devices, better characterize the heterogeneity of this population, evaluate and tailor existing interventions, develop novel interventions, develop and apply new research designs and methods to intervention efforts, and identify meaningful outcome measures. In addition, to specific topics, workshop participants had three suggestions about how research should be conducted. To implement these ideas, applicants are highly encouraged to:
Adopt a community engaged research approach that involves minimally verbal/non-speaking individuals and their families as collaborators at all research stages, including conceptualizing, planning, implementing, interpreting, and disseminating research.
Maximize efforts to achieve diverse participation in the proposed research to better reflect the population of minimally verbal/non-speaking individuals with autism.
Measure broad outcomes, such as well-being and quality of life, as well as participant perspectives on clinical approaches, in addition to more standard, communication-focused measures.
This NOSI encourages applications responsive to many of the areas addressed at the webinar, including but not limited to:
Improve augmentative and assistive communication (AAC) devices to generate speech that is age- and gender-appropriate
Improve AAC devices to better convey the social nuances of communication (e.g., sarcasm, emotion)
Develop and evaluate interventions and support strategies for increasing independent usage of AAC devices for full communication of thoughts and ideas
Develop and evaluate novel and effective interventions for individuals unable to use or unsuccessful with AAC technology, such as approaches using sign or gesture
Characterize possible subgroups of minimally verbal/non-speaking individuals with autism to guide intervention options
Develop and evaluate approaches to determining individual and stakeholder needs to guide intervention options
Evaluate how support needs vary by age and ability to guide intervention development and tailoring
Apply new research designs to evaluate adaptations of interventions to better suit individual needs and improve outcomes
Develop and evaluate approaches for identifying fast, slow, or non-responders to guide efficient decision making about continuing or discontinuing a treatment
Develop and evaluate interventions to promote literacy, receptive understanding, motor functioning, and other related skills
Develop and evaluate assessments of receptive understanding, cognition, and brain and behavior readiness
Identify meaningful intervention outcomes that consider developmental stages and incorporate input from minimally verbal/non-speaking individuals and their families
Conferences to engage minimally verbal/non-speaking individuals and their families in identifying and prioritizing research goals and objectives and form partnerships to conduct community engaged research
Conferences to engage minimally verbal/non-speaking individuals and their families in identifying best practices for community engaged research
Applications Not Responsive to this NOSI:
Applications with research outside of the NIDCD mission.
Applications with a research focus other than promoting language and communication in individuals with autism who are minimally verbal/non-speaking.
Application and Submission Information
This notice applies to due dates on or after June 5, 2023, and subsequent receipt dates through June 6, 2026. 
Potential applicants to this NOSI are strongly encouraged to contact Scientific/Research staff prior to submission.
Submit applications for this initiative using one of the following notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) or any reissues of these NOFOs through the expiration date of this notice.
PA-21-201 – Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
PA-21-200 – Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
PA-21-199 – Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-21-107 - NIDCD Early Career Research (ECR) Award (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
PA-20-195 - NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-20-196 - NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
PAR-21-063 - NIDCD Low Risk Clinical Trials in Communication Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Required)
RFA-DC-23-001  - NIDCD Research Opportunities for New Investigators to Promote Workforce Diversity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
PAR-21-064 – NIDCD Cooperative Agreement for Clinical Trials in Communication Disorders (U01-Clinical Trial Required)
PA-20-185 - NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PAR-21-154  - Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)
PAR-21-155  - Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PAR-21-357  - Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Required)
PAR-22-060  - Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
 
PA-21-151 – NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-22-176 – PHS 2022-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-22-177 - PHS 2022-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44 Clinical Trial Required)
PA-22-178 - PHS 2022-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-22-179 - PHS 2022-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42 Clinical Trial Required)
All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the notice of funding opportunity used for submission must be followed, with the following additions:
Applicants must include “NOT-DC-23-009” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.
Applications nonresponsive to terms of this NOSI will not be considered for the NOSI initiative.
Inquiries
Please direct all inquiries to the Scientific/Research, Peer Review, and Financial/Grants Management contacts in Section VII of the listed notice of funding opportunity.
Scientific/Research Contact(s)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders ( NIDCD )
Telephone: (301) 496-5061 
Email:  holly.storkel@nih.gov
Peer Review Contact(s)
Examine your eRA Commons account for review assignment and contact information (information appears two weeks after the submission due date).
Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders ( NIDCD )
Telephone: 301-402-0909