MLM ($)

Overview

A complete approach for supporting a project using the MLM tool to capture the participant's language preference, and then depending on their preference, display in English or Spanish, the surveys that the study team have built in English, as well as the survey related participant facing system messaging and the system generated interface elements (i.e. pop-up message, submit buttons, required alerts etc.). For more information, review the details about the MLM implementation.

Eligible Projects

Projects with surveys built in English for which the study team has:

• Obtained or will obtain Spanish translations  
  - OR -
• Approved translated Spanish versions of validated survey instruments

The MLM tool does not translate to Spanish the questions or other study materials embedded in a survey, but instead displays the Spanish translations that staff have entered into the MLM tool.

Building Considerations

Critical to understand: The MLM implementation trades off complexifying the effort involved in setting up a project in exchange for streamlining the effort to analyze the data collected.

Build: With a full MLM implementation there is a significant additional burden to both 1) learn the complexities of how to use the MLM tool to its full capacity, and 2) configure and test the MLM setup for the project, which makes this implementation best suited for:

• Builders with extensive experience setting up REDCap survey projects
• Builders who are not bandwidth constrained in allocating time and learning effort to setting up and managing a REDCap project

Analysis: Because for this implementation the study team only builds one version each survey, there are no duplicates of survey variables to complicate reconciling Spanish and English responses.

Support

We are currently piloting the full implementation of the MLM, and there are charges to participate in the pilot. If you're interested, please contact the REDCap Team at redcap@ohsu.edu for more information.

If you're participating in the pilot, we'll be adding to the reference materials listed below.

• Setting up English/Spanish surveys
• Testing English/Spanish surveys
• Set Up and Manage Language Preference for English/Spanish Surveys

• Test Language Preference Setup and Management for English/Spanish Surveys

• Set Up and Test Automated Survey Invitations for English/Spanish Surveys

MLM Lite

Overview

A limited approach for supporting a project using the MLM tool to display in Spanish, the participant facing system messaging and system generated interface elements (i.e. pop-up messages, submit buttons, required alerts etc.) for surveys that the study team has built in Spanish. For more information, review the details about the MLM Lite implementation.

Eligible Projects

• Projects with only Spanish surveys
• Projects with two versions of each survey, one in English and one in Spanish

Building Considerations

This 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 project 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.

Support

• We provide free support for MLM Lite via drop-in. 
• Email the REDCap Team to request that MLM Lite be enabled for your project.