Goals

This project responds to the need for improved AAC technologies that reduce the learning demands for beginning communicators including young children with developmental disabilities as well as older individuals with significant cognitive impairments. The project is designed to investigate the effects of AAC technologies that use personalized contextual scenes realized through digital photos of the beginning communicator's life with relevant vocabulary embedded under "hot spots" in the photos.

The goals of this project are to:

• Develop prototype AAC systems to realize personalized visual contextual scenes for beginning communicators; and
• Investigate the effects of using these visual contextual scenes to represent and organize language concepts within AAC systems for beginning communicators.

This project involves two research studies, each investigating the effects with a different group of beginning communicators:

• Study 1 examines the effects with toddlers and young children with developmental disabilities, and
• Study 2 examines the effects with older individuals with significant cognitive impairments.

Progress to Date

To date we have completed the following tasks on the project:

• Determined design specifications for AAC technologies to meet the needs of beginning communicators
• Developed prototype systems implementing visual scenes for beginning communicators
• Implemented these systems in the context of AAC interventions with 5 young children with significant communication disabilities (ages 15 months to 3 years)
• Evaluated (using a single subject multiple baseline design) the effects of these interventions on the communication and language development of the beginning communicators. Specifically we are investigating the effects on (1) the children's rates of turn taking; (2) the number of semantic concepts expressed; (3) the range of semantic-syntactic relations expressed; and (4) the complexity of messages communicated. This research is currently in progress.

Next steps

The next steps on the project are as follows:

• Complete the evaluation of the effects of the AAC intervention with young children
• Collaborate with AAC manufacturers to develop a new generation of AAC technologies that support the use of visual scenes
• Implement and evaluate the effects with older individuals with significant cognitive impairments who are beginning communicators.

For more information about this project, contact Janice Light.

Webcast

AAC Interventions to Maximize Language Development for Young Children

A free webcast to support parents and professionals in implementing literacy instruction with individuals who require AAC.

Drager, K.D.R., Light, J.C., & Finke, E.H. (2008). Using AAC technologies to build social interaction with young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In P. Mirenda, & T. Iacono (Eds.) Autism Spectrum Disorders and AAC. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. 10-13.

Blackstone, S.W. & Light, J. (2007). SGDs and young children: Rethinking basic assumptions. Augmentative Communication News, 19, 10-13.

Light, J., & Drager, K. (2007). AAC technologies for young children with complex communication needs: State of the science and future research directions . Augmentative & Alternative Communication, 23, 204-216.

Light, J., Page, R., Curran, J., & Pitkin, L. (2007). Children's ideas for the design of AAC assistive technologies for young children with complex communication needs. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 23, 1-14.

Light, J. C., Drager, K. D. R., & Nemser, J. G. (2004). Enhancing the appeal of AAC technologies for young children: lessons from the toy manufacturers. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 20, 137-149.

Light, J., Drager, K., McCarthy, J., Mellott, S., Millar, D., Parrish, C., et al. (2004). Performance of typically developing four-and five-year-old children with AAC systems using different language organization techniques. Augmentative & Alternative Communication, 20, 63-88.

Drager, K.D.R., Light, J.C., Curran Speltz, J., Fallon, K.A., & Jeffries, L.Z. (2003). The performance of typically developing 2 ½-year-olds on dynamic display AAC technologies with different system layouts and language organizations. Journal of Speech Language Hearing Research, 46, 298-312.

Light, J. & Drager, K. (2002). Improving the design of augmentative and alternative communication technologies for young children. Assistive Technology, 14, 17-32.

Light, J., Drager, K., & McNaughton, D. (2008, November). Building language and literacy skills with children who require AAC. Seminar presented at the annual convention of the American Speech Language Hearing Association, Chicago, IL.

Light, J., Wilkinson, K., & Drager, K. (2008, November). Designing effective AAC systems: Research evidence and implications for practice. Seminar presented at the annual convention of the American Speech Language Hearing Association, Chicago, IL.

Light, J., et al. (2008, November). Children’s representations of early language concepts: Implications for AAC symbols. Technical paper presented at the annual convention of the American Speech Language Hearing Association, Chicago, IL.

Light, J. & Drager, K. (2007, November). Evidence-based AAC interventions for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Seminar presented at the annual convention of the American Speech Language Hearing Association, Boston, MA.

Drager, K., & Light, J. (2006, July). Maximizing Language Development for Young Children Who Require AAC. Paper presented at the biennial conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Dusseldorf, Germany.