Conversation-based intervention for adolescents using augmentative and alternative communication

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of a conversation-based intervention on the use of verbs, personal pronouns, bound morphemes and spontaneous clauses in adolescents with cerebral palsy who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Four teenage girls aged from 14 to 18 years participated in the study. After a baseline period, a conversation-based intervention was provided for each participant in the context of a personal collage-building activity. The conversations were videotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT™) . While the results are mixed, all four participants increased their use of at least one linguistic target, three increased their use of verbs and grammatically correct spontaneous clauses, two increased their use of personal pronouns, and one produced more bound morphemes during intervention than in baseline. These findings, and future research needs, are discussed.

Keywords:

• Adolescents
• augmentative and alternative communication
• cerebral palsy
• conversation-based intervention
• language intervention

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to the teenagers, adults, and student clinicians who participated in this study. Earlier versions of this article were presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech and Hearing Association in Philadelphia (November, 2016) and at Communication Matters conference in Leeds, UK (September, 2016). We are especially grateful to Gat Harussi-Savaldi, Celia Hughell, and Renee Starowicz for their invaluable assistance with different project activities.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 A person using AAC at Level III (a) purposefully selects targeted symbols with few prompts (operational), (b) is beginning to engage in dialogue and combines words to create simple phrases (linguistic), (c) is using AAC for social interaction purposes such as making comments and greeting friends, (d) is familiar with and can retrieve vocabulary and messages on the AAC device to communicate more effectively, and (e) may use telegraphic messages but understands the importance of selecting correct vocabulary to be an effective communicator and is actively learning vocabulary (strategic).

2 iPad is a registered trademark of Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA. www.apple.com

3 LAMP Words For Life and Unity are products of Semantic Compaction Systems, Inc.

4 Vantage Lite is a registered trademark by Prentke Romich Corporation. https://www.prentrom.com

5 Nova Chat is a registered trademark of Saltillo Corporation.

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health; National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (R15DC012418-01).