Extended Communication Samples of Augmented Communicators I

1990 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn M. Yorkston ◽  
Kathleen Smith ◽  
David Beukelman
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Single Word ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Clinical Concern ◽  
Total Communication ◽  
Word Lists ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Compare And Contrast

Vocabulary selection for linguistically intact augmented communicators is a growing clinical concern. The purpose of this study as to compare and contrast the relative benefits of word lists that were individualized for these augmented subjects to word lists selected from standard vocabulary sources. Communication samples were collected for 14 consecutive days from 10 subjects who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. These samples were analyzed to determine the frequency of single word occurrence, and the results were compared with those obtained from analysis of standard vocabulary lists. The conclusions of the study were (a) that when vocabulary lists are individually created, based on the frequency of word occurrence natural communication samples, relatively short lists can represent a large proportion of the total communication sample; (b) that individualized word lists are more efficient than standard vocabulary lists, if efficiency is defined as a large proportion of the total sample represented by a small list; and (c) that if used in their entirety, standard lists are not efficient because they contain large number of words that are rarely used.

Framework for Selecting Vocabulary for Preliterate Children Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 1000-1009
Author(s):  
Allison Bean ◽  
Lindsey Paden Cargill ◽  
Samantha Lyle
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
School Based ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Nonverbal Children ◽  
Grammatical Structures ◽  
Insufficient Knowledge

Purpose Nearly 50% of school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide services to school-age children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). However, many SLPs report having insufficient knowledge in the area of AAC implementation. The objective of this tutorial is to provide clinicians with a framework for supporting 1 area of AAC implementation: vocabulary selection for preliterate children who use AAC. Method This tutorial focuses on 4 variables that clinicians should consider when selecting vocabulary: (a) contexts/environments where the vocabulary can be used, (b) time span during which the vocabulary will be relevant, (c) whether the vocabulary can elicit and maintain interactions with other people, and (d) whether the vocabulary will facilitate developmentally appropriate grammatical structures. This tutorial focuses on the role that these variables play in language development in verbal children with typical development, verbal children with language impairment, and nonverbal children who use AAC. Results Use of the 4 variables highlighted above may help practicing SLPs select vocabulary that will best facilitate language acquisition in preliterate children who use AAC.

The Effects of Direct Instruction on the Single-Word Reading Skills of Children Who Require Augmentative and Alternative Communication

2004 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1424-1439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen A. Fallon ◽  
Janice Light ◽  
David McNaughton ◽  
Kathryn Drager ◽  
Carol Hammer
Keyword(s):  
Direct Instruction ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Reading Skills ◽  
Word Reading ◽  
Instructional Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Single Word ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Single Word Reading

Current literature suggests a lack of empirically validated strategies for teaching reading skills to children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The current study implemented a single-subject, multiple-probe-across-subjects design to investigate the effects of direct instruction in single-word reading on the performance of students who use AAC. The instructional program targeted the reading skills of 5 participants who had severe speech impairments and ranged in age from 9 to 14 years old. All 5 participants reached criterion for matching targeted written words to corresponding pictures. Three of the 5 participants demonstrated generalization of reading skills to novel-word reading, and 4 of the 5 generalized reading skills to book contexts. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

scholarly journals Developing the Alphabetic Principle to Aid Text-Based Augmentative and Alternative Communication Use by Adults With Low Speech Intelligibility and Intellectual Disabilities

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna C. Schmidt-Naylor ◽  
Kathryn J. Saunders ◽  
Nancy C. Brady
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Alphabetic Principle ◽  
Computer Based Training ◽  
Selection For

PurposeWe explored alphabet supplementation as an augmentative and alternative communication strategy for adults with minimal literacy. Study 1's goal was to teach onset-letter selection with spoken words and assess generalization to untaught words, demonstrating the alphabetic principle. Study 2 incorporated alphabet supplementation within a naming task and then assessed effects on speech intelligibility.MethodThree men with intellectual disabilities (ID) and low speech intelligibility participated. Study 1 used a multiple-probe design, across three 20-word sets, to show that our computer-based training improved onset-letter selection. We also probed generalization to untrained words. Study 2 taught onset-letter selection for 30 new words chosen for functionality. Five listeners transcribed speech samples of the 30 words in 2 conditions: speech only and speech with alphabet supplementation.ResultsAcross studies 1 and 2, participants demonstrated onset-letter selection for at least 90 words. Study 1 showed evidence of the alphabetic principle for some but not all word sets. In study 2, participants readily used alphabet supplementation, enabling listeners to understand twice as many words.ConclusionsThis is the first demonstration of alphabet supplementation in individuals with ID and minimal literacy. The large number of words learned holds promise both for improving communication and providing a foundation for improved literacy.

scholarly journals Video Visual Scene Displays With Dynamic Text: Effect on Single-Word Reading by an Adolescent With Cerebral Palsy

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1272-1281
Author(s):  
Kelsey Mandak ◽  
Janice Light ◽  
David McNaughton
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Word Reading ◽  
Visual Scene ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Academic Vocabulary ◽  
Single Word ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Communication Devices ◽  
Single Word Reading

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Transition to Literacy (T2L) feature within video visual scene displays (VSDs) on the single-word reading of academic vocabulary concepts (i.e., weather concepts) by a preliterate adolescent with cerebral palsy and minimal speech. Method A single-subject, multiple-probe, across-word-sets design was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention. The intervention used an augmentative and alternative communication app programmed with video VSDs embedded with hot spots with the T2L feature to teach the adolescent 12 academic vocabulary words. Results The adolescent acquired all target words successfully with only minimal exposure to the written words through the app and was able to generalize her learning to two novel tasks. Using Tau-U to evaluate the size of the observed effects, there were very large effects across all word sets. Conclusions The findings from this study demonstrate the effectiveness of the T2L feature to improve single-word reading in preliterate individuals with minimal speech. The use of video VSDs and T2L technology together may offer professionals a unique way to complement current augmentative and alternative communication devices and literacy instruction for adolescents with minimal speech who are preliterate.

scholarly journals Effects of a Literacy Feature in an Augmentative and Alternative Communication App on Single-Word Reading of Individuals with Severe Autism Spectrum Disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-34
Author(s):  
Jessica Caron ◽  
Janice Light ◽  
David McNaughton
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Word Reading ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Single Word ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Single Word Reading ◽  
Severe Autism

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app with transition to literacy (T2L) software features (i.e., dynamic text and speech output upon selection of a graphic symbol within the grid display) on the acquisition of 12 personally relevant single words for individuals with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who had minimal or no speech. The study implemented a single-subject, multiple-probe, across word sets design with four participants. All four participants in this study demonstrated increased accuracy reading targeted single words and results from this study provide preliminary evidence that the T2L features can positively affect the single-word learning of individuals with ASD who have minimal speech and limited literacy skills.

Extended Communication Samples of Augmented Communicators II

1990 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn M. Yorkston ◽  
David R. Beukelman ◽  
Kathleen Smith ◽  
Robert Tice
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Word Retrieval ◽  
Frequency Of Occurrence ◽  
Message Content ◽  
Single Word ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Custom Software ◽  
Communication Efficiency

The three primary purposes of this project are (a) to identify those word sequences that occur frequently across a group of 10 linguistically intact augmented communicators, (b) to determine the communality with which the various augmented communicators use specific word sequences, and (c) to evaluate the usefulness of word sequences in providing keystroke savings for users of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices as compared to letter-by-letter spelling or single-word retrieval. Communication samples were collected for 14 consecutive days from 10 subjects who used AAC devices. These samples were analyzed with custom software to determine the frequency of occurrence of one-, two-, three-, four-, and five-word sequences. The results revealed that three-, four-, and five-word sequences occurred very infrequently within and across communication samples. Two-word sequences occurred much more frequently than the longer sequences. The authors concluded that clinicians should continue to encourage linguistically intact clients to select long messages (three words or more) for their AAC devices based on message content and the urgency with which messages need to be delivered rather than relying exclusively on statistical analysis. However, statistically based multiword analysis should not be abandoned. Frequently occurring one- and two-word sequences may be an important source of messages that will increase communication efficiency when stored and retrieved in an AAC device.

Enhancing Vocabulary Selection for Preschoolers Who Require Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

2001 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen A. Fallon ◽  
Janice C. Light ◽  
Tara Kramer Paige
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Line Drawings ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Selection For ◽  
High Level

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems (e.g., communication books of line drawings, computer-based voice output systems) offer children with severe communication disabilities increased opportunities for participation in home, school, and community activities. However, without the appropriate vocabulary, AAC systems will not be effective. This project addressed the challenge of vocabulary selection for children who require AAC through two studies: (1) analysis of the vocabulary of typically developing preschoolers and (2) subsequent development and field testing of a vocabulary selection questionnaire. Language samples from five typically developing preschool children were analyzed to determine the words used and the content of the preschoolers’ language. Results indicated that a large portion of the words used by the participants was accounted for by a relatively limited number of words. Using these data and data from other studies in the field, a vocabulary selection questionnaire for professionals and parents was developed and field-tested. A total of 45 speech-language pathologists, teachers, and parents indicated a high level of satisfaction, with 93% of informants reporting that they would use the tool again and 98% of informants indicating that they would recommend it to other parents and professionals. Results from both studies are presented and discussed with reference to clinical implications and future research directions.

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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