Please note: The material in this page is intended to: 1) describe OHSU's model of support and OCTRI operations, and 2) supplement the help material integrated into REDCap itself. If you are interested in learning more about a specific this feature, check REDCap for a video, check the REDCap FAQ, and review the documentation in REDCap.


Description

"MLM Lite" refers to a limited implementation of the Multi-Language Management (MLM) tool for Spanish only surveys that supports research participants taking a survey(s) in Spanish, by rendering REDCap system messaging on surveys, such as button text and pop-up alerts, etc. in Spanish. 

Feature Type

Optional module

Fees/Costs

There are no set fees for enabling the MLM Lite for Spanish only survey projects or projects with separate English and Spanish versions of their study surveys when a project is in development.

There are charges for enabling MLM Lite for a project after its moved to production.

Eligible Projects/Project Status Dependency

  • MLM Lite is available for research projects using the Standard Service for research support track.
    • The MLM is not available for non-research projects to use.
    • The MLM is not available for research projects using the Self Service for research support track.

  • MLM Lite is available for Spanish only survey projects, where all participants will complete the survey(s) in Spanish. In the example below, the MLM tool would be enabled in the OCTRI 1234 Research Study **Spanish Only** project.


  • MLM Lite is available for survey projects with a separate Spanish and English version of their survey(s), where a participant is routed to a specific version of the survey depending on their language preference. In the example below, the MLM tool would be enabled for participants to select their language preference, and then if their preference is Spanish, be routed to the Study Survey - SPANISH.

  • Recommended
    • Project Status at setup = Development
      • Best practice is to request to enable MLM while building and testing the project.
  • Permissible
    • Project status at setup = Production
      • Enabling MLM Lite after a project has been moved to production and started data collection is permissible, but not recommended. It is high impact change that requires custom support, for which there would be charges for set up and testing.

Request Process

Contact the REDCap Team at redcap@ohsu.edu to request using MLM Lite in your project.

REDCap Skills

Operations, Set Up and Implementation


Support Track Availability

Standard Service for Research

This is advanced or optional functionality that can only be enabled or installed by a REDCap admin and requires special instruction & support.

Multi-Language Management (MLM) Homepage


Building Considerations

The MLM Lite implementation trades off simplifying the effort involved in setting up a project in exchange for complicating the effort for analyzing the data.

Build: With MLM Lite there is no additional burden to learn the complexities of how to use the MLM tool to its full capacity, which makes this implementation best suited for:

  • New REDCap builders
  • Builders new to setting up REDCap survey projects
  • Builders who are bandwidth constrained in allocating time and learning effort to setting up and managing a REDCap project

Analysis: Because the implementation requires separate English and Spanish versions of each surveys, meaning duplicates of every survey variable, there is an additional burden during analysis to reconcile Spanish and English responses.



E-Consent in Spanish

For eligible survey projects (described above), MLM Lite is available for use, at no cost, for distributing the Spanish version of the e-consent survey.

If your consent requires signatures, an attestation form for study team signatures will be needed for each consent (i.e. one for English and one for Spanish). 

User Management

Every user on the project who has permission to the Project Design and Setup user right will have access to the MLM tool via the inclusion of a Multi-Language Management link in the project's left-hand navigation menu  However, once the REDCap Team enables and configures the MLM tool for use for a project, no other action is needed, and any modifications a project user makes to the MLM setting risks invalidating the MLM functionality.

Because REDCap software does not have a specific MLM user right, it is critical that the project point person 1) carefully manage assigning permissions to the Project Design and Setup user right by applying the principle of least privilege when adding users and assigning permissions, 2) include the MLM terms of use in onboarding new users about who are assigned the Project Design and Setup user right.

Setup Instructions

  • Build your survey(s) in Spanish, using either translations obtained from translation services, or a translated Spanish versions of validated survey instruments that the study has gotten approval to use.

  • Email the REDCap Team to request that MLM Lite be enabled for your project.
  • Sign up for a drop-in for the REDCap Team to implement MLM Lite for your project by:
    • Configuring the MLM tool to render, in Spanish, system generated participant facing messaging for your Spanish surveys.
    • Reviewing with you basic information about the MLM tool and testing your Spanish surveys.

Survey Related System Messaging & Embedded Functionality Translated by the MLM Tool

  • All buttons, such as Next page, Previous page, Submit, Save & Return, Close survey, Download, Today, Now, etc.

  • All pop-up alerts, such as response required, wrong type of data entered in a field, etc. 

  • All inline alerts, such as this field required, download PDF of survey, etc.

  • All embedded tools, such as the reset link (for radio buttons), increase or decrease font-size, queue link, save & return page etc.

  • The certification statement checkbox for e-consent surveys that require the participant to sign the consent by entering their first and last name.

  • Survey Queue components a participant interacts with.

  • Survey Login components a participant interacts with.

Terms of Use

  • The REDCap Team enables the MLM tool and configures the tool for use for the project.

    • Project users modifying any MLM settings risks invalidating functionality and violates the terms of use for the MLM.

    • Charges would apply for help from the REDCap Team to reconfigure the MLM.

  • The translations for survey messaging and survey tools provided by the MLM tool cannot be modified.

  • The study team is responsible for obtaining:

    • Translations for their participant surveys from Translation Services or already published translated versions of validated survey instruments.

    • Translations of participant facing messages from Translation Services.

    • IRB approval for their translated materials.

  • All project users with permission to Project Design  and Setup user rights can access to the MLM module.

    • The study team is responsible for onboarding and training users regarding the terms of use of for the MLM tool.