Children Who Use Communication Aids Instructing Peer and Adult Partners During Play-Based Activity

Abstract

Little is known about how children with severe motor impairments who use communication aids provide instructions when given control over interaction. In this study, 35 children – 18 who used communication aids and 17 who used natural speech – were videotaped in play-based activities. Both groups successfully instructed partners to build replications of models the partners could not see. The results demonstrate that children using communication aids can also have an active role in play-based activities using language, but that their experience with activities may be limited and their instructions may take longer to give. The children who used natural speech provided more detailed instructions and were more successful in guiding their partners. Creating opportunities for active participation in play may be important for the development of communicative autonomy.

Keywords:

• Aided language
• children
• participation
• construction play
• referential communication
• complex communication needs

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on the following conference presentations: Batorowicz, Stadskleiv, & von Tetzchner (July, 2013). Acting on the physical world through aided communication. The International Society on Early Intervention Conference, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation; and Batorowicz, Stadskleiv, & von Tetzchner (July, 2014). Participation of aided communicators in play with peers: Language for action. The 16th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Lisbon, Portugal.

This research was partly funded by the Ontario Federation of Cerebral Palsy. Beata Batorowicz was supported by a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research Doctoral Studentship Award, and the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation Doctoral Scholarship. Stephen von Tetzchner was supported by Stiftelsen Sophies Minde, Norway.

The authors thank the children, families, and professionals for the giving of their time to the project; and Tracy Shepherd, Fiona Campbell, Lauren Robinson, Sean Peacock, and Laura Thompson for their help with data collection.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Notes

1 Picture Communication Symbols is a proprietary product of DynaVox Mayer-Johnson Company of Pittsburgh, PA. www.mayer-Johnson.com

2 Minspeak is a proprietary product of Semantic Compaction Systems of Pittsburgh, PA. http://www.minspeak.com