scholarly journals Dynamic Assessment for 3- and 4-Year-Old Children Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Evaluating Expressive Syntax

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. 1946-1958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Binger ◽  
Jennifer Kent-Walsh ◽  
Marika King
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Speech Disorders ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Well Performance ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Developmental Readiness ◽  
Correlational Data ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Subsequent Intervention

Purpose The developmental readiness to produce early sentences with an iPad communication application was assessed with ten 3- and 4-year-old children with severe speech disorders using graduated prompting dynamic assessment (DA) techniques. The participants' changes in performance within the DA sessions were evaluated, and DA performance was compared with performance during a subsequent intervention. Method Descriptive statistics were used to examine patterns of performance at various cueing levels and mean levels of cueing support. The Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was used to measure changes within the DA sessions. Correlational data were calculated to determine how well performance in DA predicted performance during a subsequent intervention. Results Participants produced targets successfully in DA at various cueing levels, with some targets requiring less cueing than others. Performance improved significantly within the DA sessions—that is, the level of cueing required for accurate productions of the targets decreased during DA sessions. Last, moderate correlations existed between DA scores and performance during the intervention for 3 out of 4 targets, with statistically significant findings for 2 of 4 targets. Conclusion DA offers promise for examining the developmental readiness of young children who use augmentative and alternative communication to produce early expressive language structures.

scholarly journals Early Sentence Productions of 3- and 4-Year-Old Children Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. 1930-1945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Binger ◽  
Jennifer Kent-Walsh ◽  
Marika King ◽  
Lindsay Mansfield
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Receptive Language ◽  
Speech Disorders ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Baseline Phase ◽  
Rule Based ◽  
Graphic Symbols ◽  
Graphic Symbol

Purpose This study investigated the early rule-based sentence productions of 3- and 4-year-old children with severe speech disorders who used single-meaning graphic symbols to communicate. Method Ten 3- and 4-year-olds requiring the use of augmentative and alternative communication, who had largely intact receptive language skills, received instruction in producing up to four different semantic–syntactic targets using an Apple iPad with a communication app. A single-case, multiple-probe, across-targets design was used to assess the progress of each participant and target. Generalization to new vocabulary was assessed, and a subgroup also was taught to produce sentences using grammatical markers. Results Some targets (primarily possessor-entity) were mastered in the baseline phase, and the majority of the remaining targets were mastered during intervention. All four children who completed intervention for grammatical markers quickly learned to use the markers accurately. Conclusions Expressive language potential for preschoolers using graphic symbol–based augmentative and alternative communication systems should not be underestimated. With appropriate presentation and intervention techniques, some preschoolers with profound speech disorders can readily learn to produce rule-based messages via graphic symbols.

scholarly journals Effects of a Conversation-Based Intervention on the Linguistic Skills of Children With Motor Speech Disorders Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. 1980-1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria Soto ◽  
Michael T. Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Expressive Language ◽  
Speech Disorders ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Motor Speech ◽  
Motor Speech Disorders ◽  
Grammatical Skills ◽  
Severe Motor ◽  
Expressive Language Delay

Purpose This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a conversation-based intervention on the expressive vocabulary and grammatical skills of children with severe motor speech disorders and expressive language delay who use augmentative and alternative communication. Method Eight children aged from 8 to 13 years participated in the study. After a baseline period, a conversation-based intervention was provided for each participant, in which they were supported to learn and use linguistic structures essential for the formation of clauses and the grammaticalization of their utterances, such as pronouns, verbs, and bound morphemes, in the context of personally meaningful and scaffolded conversations with trained clinicians. The conversations were videotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT; Miller & Chapman, 1991). Results Results indicate that participants showed improvements in their use of spontaneous clauses, and a greater use of pronouns, verbs, and bound morphemes. These improvements were sustained and generalized to conversations with familiar partners. Conclusion The results demonstrate the positive effects of the conversation-based intervention for improving the expressive vocabulary and grammatical skills of children with severe motor speech disorders and expressive language delay who use augmentative and alternative communication. Clinical and theoretical implications of conversation-based interventions are discussed and future research needs are identified. Supplemental Materials https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5150113

scholarly journals Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems with Signs and Eye Tracker Used in Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-45
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Kujawa ◽  
◽  
Grzegorz Żurek ◽  
Agata Gorączko ◽  
Roman Olejniczak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Speech Disorders ◽  
Augmentative Communication ◽  
Eye Tracker ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Alternative And Augmentative Communication ◽  
Assistive Communication ◽  
Tracking Device

Patients who do not communicate verbally or speak in an understandable way are a serious problem in providing appropriate care to patients due to a lack of understanding of their needs. Therefore, it is important that nursing staff have the knowledge and skills of alternative and assistive communication to communicate with patients with speech disorders. The purpose of article is to present the current state of knowledge of the alternative and augmentative communication with special consideration the signs used in Poland with a practicular emphasis laid to the revelant description of the eye tracking device. The literature has been reviewed, including also in this relation topics: alternative and augmentative communication, examples of signs used in alternative communication in Poland and communication and eye tracking. Not everyone has the ability to communicate verbally with the environment. In relation to this problem the solution is the alternative and augmentative communication which uses signs and devices to enable the patient to communicate with other people. (JNNN 2020;9(1):39–45) Key Words: alternative communication, augmentative communication, AAC system, speech disorders, eye track, C-Eye

scholarly journals Mobile Interaction for Augmentative and Alternative Communication: a Systematic Mapping

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Rúbia Eliza de Oliveira Schultz Ascari ◽  
Roberto Pereira ◽  
Luciano Silva
Keyword(s):  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Speech Disorders ◽  
Verbal Communication ◽  
Interactive Systems ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Systematic Mapping ◽  
Technological Support ◽  
Alternative Means

Verbal communication is essential for socialization, meaning construction and knowledge sharing in a society. When verbal communication does not occur naturally because of constraints in people’s and environments capabilities, it is necessary to design alternative means. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) aims to complement or replace speech to compensate difficulties of verbal expression. AAC systems can provide technological support for people with speech disorders, assisting in the inclusion, learning and sharing of experiences. This paper presents a systematic mapping of the literature to identify research initiatives regarding the use of mobile devices and AAC solutions. The search identified 1366 potentially eligible scientific articles published between 2006 and 2016, indexed by ACM, IEEE, Science Direct, and Springer databases and by the SBC Journal on Interactive Systems. From the retrieved papers, 99 were selected and categorized into themes of research interest: games, autism, usability, assistive technology, AAC, computer interfaces, interaction in mobile devices, education, among others. Most of papers (57 out of 99) presented some form of interaction via mobile devices, and 46 papers were related to assistive technology, from which 14 were related to AAC. The results offer an overview on the applied research on mobile devices for AAC, pointing out to opportunities and challenges in this research domain, with emphasis on the need to promoting the use and effective adoption of assistive technology.

Natural Speech and AAC Intervention in Childhood Motor Speech Disorders: Not an Either/Or Situation

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 117-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth R. Oommen ◽  
John W. McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Speech Disorders ◽  
Speech Development ◽  
Natural Speech ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Motor Speech ◽  
Motor Speech Disorders ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Speech Intervention

The future of natural speech development is uncertain for children with motor speech disorders (MSD). There is a strong desire to put plans in place as early as possible to anticipate long-term needs. Simultaneously, the knowledge that natural speech development may take time and effort and the idea that augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can help to fill in the gap while such progress is being made makes sense on a foundational level. However, practical questions remain about the balance of natural speech intervention along with AAC use, particularly when both skills may require intervention and practice before functional benefits are realized. Although AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication, what the acronym does not provide is an indication of how balance between augmenting natural speech and seeking more of an alternative is to be obtained. In this article, we review impairments in natural speech in children with MSDs. Through this lens, we navigate a path to understanding how, on a practical level, AAC and natural speech strategies can be implemented simultaneously and in a complementary fashion. Following an overview of literature, we move to a discussion of the dual paradigm approach. Finally, we conclude with practical applications of principles through a case study.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication Treatment for Persons With Primary Progressive Aphasia

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 99-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Fried-Oken
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Language Competence ◽  
Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Primary Progressive ◽  
Gradual Loss ◽  
Insidious Onset ◽  
And Performance

Abstract Persons with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) are appearing more frequently in our AAC clinics. The syndrome is identified by the insidious onset and gradual loss of word finding, object naming, or word-comprehension skills with otherwise intact cognitive skills over a 2-year period in adults. Management of persons with this language-based neurodegenerative disease challenges our understanding of language competence and performance in adults. Clients present us with questions about when and how to provide intervention techniques and how to change the treatment as they slowly lose language skills. An AAC framework for intervention during the neurodegenerative language process seen in Nonfluent Progressive Aphasia is proposed. Tools and strategies are presented that have been reported in clinical cases for individual clients.

scholarly journals Developing a Culture of Successful Communication in Acute Care Settings: Part I. Solving Patient-Specific Issues

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 1028-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Marshall ◽  
Richard R. Hurtig
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Companion Paper ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Institutional Barriers ◽  
Complex Communication Needs ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Patient Provider Communication ◽  
Communication Needs

Purpose Establishing services for hospitalized patients with complex communication needs requires identifying and addressing both patient-based and institutional barriers. In this 1st article, we focus on overcoming patient-based barriers. The companion paper ( Marshall & Hurtig, 2019 ) addresses overcoming institutional barriers. Method We present a series of cases that illustrate both the challenges and some of the solutions that have emerged in addressing the specific needs of individual patients with complex communication needs. Results Each case illustrates how a dynamic assessment approach was used to allow patients with complex communication needs to more effectively communicate with caregivers and participate in their care. Conclusion Building a culture of improved patient–provider communication involves more than just providing patients with augmentative and alternative communication tools.

The Effect of Symbol Background Color on the Speed of Locating Targets by Adults Without Disabilities: Implications for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Display Design

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 1482-1488
Author(s):  
Jennifer J. Thistle
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
The Other ◽  
Background Color ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Display Design ◽  
Line Drawings ◽  
Research With Children ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Perceptual Factors

Purpose Previous research with children with and without disabilities has demonstrated that visual–perceptual factors can influence the speech of locating a target on an array. Adults without disabilities often facilitate the learning and use of a child's augmentative and alternative communication system. The current research examined how the presence of symbol background color influenced the speed with which adults without disabilities located target line drawings in 2 studies. Method Both studies used a between-subjects design. In the 1st study, 30 adults (ages 18–29 years) located targets in a 16-symbol array. In the 2nd study, 30 adults (ages 18–34 years) located targets in a 60-symbol array. There were 3 conditions in each study: symbol background color, symbol background white with a black border, and symbol background white with a color border. Results In the 1st study, reaction times across groups were not significantly different. In the 2nd study, participants in the symbol background color condition were significantly faster than participants in the other conditions, and participants in the symbol background white with black border were significantly slower than participants in the other conditions. Conclusion Communication partners may benefit from the presence of background color, especially when supporting children using displays with many symbols.

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