The structure of participants’ turn-transition practices in aided conversations that use speech-output technologies

Abstract

Using the concepts and principles of conversation analysis (CA), this paper examines the everyday, unscripted, spontaneous conversations between 4 males who communicated with the aid of speech-output technologies and their mothers. The analyses focused on describing the conversationalists’ various actions in aided turn-transition processes, resulting in a 3-part turn-transition structure used to accomplish aided turn initiation. Despite the challenges to conversational progress, the participants did not consider the conversational speed a challenge. The participants and their mothers were oriented to the progression of the aided conversation by creating interaction practices to achieve successful turn-transitions. By understanding the structural characteristics of fluent aided conversations, it may be possible to develop effective interaction strategies for communication partners and for augmentative and alternative communication technologies that are intentionally designed to facilitate interactive communication.

Keywords:

• Aided conversation
• conversation analysis
• interaction
• speech-output technologies
• turn-transition

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Handycam HDR-CX24OE is a product of the SONY Corporation. www.sony.fi/electronics

2 The Tobii Dynavox series I – 12 and Boardmaker with Speaking Dynamically Pro are products of Tobii Dynavox of Danderyd. www.tobiidynavox.com/devices

3 Bitlips is a product of the Haltija Group of Vantaa. www.haltija.fi/tuotteet/kommunikointi-ja-nako/kommunikoinnin-apuohjelmat

4 TAIKE is a product of the Communication and Technology Center Tikoteekki of Helsinki. www.papunet.net/tikoteekki/materiaalit/taike

5 InqScribe is a product of the Inquirium, LCC. www.inqscribe.com

6 § and the number after that refers to its position in the on-line version.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was supported in part by the Kone Foundation, Helsinki, Finland.