Improving the Design of Augmentative and Alternative Technologies for Young Children

106

In order to improve outcomes for individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), it is important to understand what factors contribute to or detract from positive outcomes. Seven young men who had used AAC systems for at least 15 years, their family members, and professionals who had worked with them, participated in the study. Qualitative interviews were used to identify contextual factors that may have contributed (both positively and negatively) to the young men's outcomes. Factors that impeded positive outcomes included: attitude barriers, cultural differences, technological barriers, and service delivery limitations. Contributions to positive outcomes included: community support, parent and family support, personal characteristics, and appropriate and high-quality AAC services. The results are discussed with implications for clinical practice and directions for future research.

Section: Directions For Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term outcomes for individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication: Part III – contributing factors

Lund

Light

2007

106

“…The costs and benefits of these skills are well known. What is needed is a similar understanding of the costs and benefits of AAC technology (Drager et al, 2003;Light & Drager, 2002) so that individuals who use AAC can make informed decisions. The success of the participants in this study provides strong testimony to the powerful ways current AAC technology can be used.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“When I First Got It, I Wanted to Throw It Off a Cliff”: The Challenges and Benefits of Learning AAC Technologies as Described by Adults who use AAC

Rackensperger

Krezman²,

McNaughton

et al. 2005

Seven individuals (aged 21 -41 years) with cerebral palsy and who used speech generating augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices participated in a focus group discussion on the benefits and challenges of learning AAC technologies. The focus group was conducted on the Internet over a 9-week period. Five major themes emerged from the discussion: (a) selection of an AAC device; (b) knowledge and skills needed to use AAC technologies; (c) instruction and practice activities; (d) assessment of skill acquisition; and (e) advice to others. Participants reported that a consumer-driven assessment approach, which included the opportunity to discuss options with other individuals who used AAC, was key to the selection of an appropriate device. Participants identified a wide variety of important supports to learning how to make effective use of AAC technologies, including text and technological supports, individual exploration, learning from professionals, drill and practice, learning from peers, and opportunities for functional use in the community. For the participants, successful use of AAC technology was best assessed by functional use in the community.

“…In a series of informal interviews conducted with parents of young children who used aided AAC systems, parents consistently reported that their children seldom sought out their aided AAC systems as they did their toys (Light & Drager, 2002). The parents reported that they had to provide significant encouragement for their children to use their aided systems.…”

mentioning

confidence: 95%

“…It seems reasonable to argue that early intervention is more likely to be effective if AAC systems are highly appealing to young children with complex communication needs (Light & Drager, 2002), and that these children stand to reap many benefits from such systems. First and foremost, they may be more likely to use AAC systems that are appealing.…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The parents reported that they had to provide significant encouragement for their children to use their aided systems. Furthermore, informal observations of typically developing children in a preschool classroom that included several voice output communication aids (VOCAs), typically recommended for young children, revealed the following: (a) Few of the children were drawn to the AAC technologies; rather, they preferred to play with other toys; and (b) When they were introduced to the AAC technologies, they typically made a few selections and then moved on to play with other toys (Light & Drager, 2002). The AAC systems did not seem to be sufficiently appealing to attract the children's interest or to sustain this interest over time.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Enhancing the Appeal of AAC Technologies for Young Children: Lessons from the Toy Manufacturers

Light

Drager

Nemser

2004

If augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems are highly appealing, they may be more likely to be used by children with complex communication needs, may enhance self-esteem, and may facilitate interactions with other children. To date, there has been little attention to design features that might increase the appeal of AAC systems. Reported in this paper is an exploratory study that compared features of AAC technology with those of popular toys for young children, with a view to identifying potential designs that might improve the appeal of the AAC systems. The toys and AAC systems were systematically analyzed with respect to the following features: color, materials, shape, size, weight, movement or action, sound or voices, lights, and themes. Results indicated that there are significant contrasts between the design features of popular toys and those of AAC systems. These differences are discussed with suggestions for potential design modifications for AAC technologies to increase their appeal.