Investigating Dandy-Walker Syndrome: Integrating Conversation Analysis and Reading Eye-Movements

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation into the reading eye movements of a 12-year-old child with Dandy-Walker syndrome and late onset stuttering. Conversation Analysis, video analysis, and Eye Movement Miscue Analysis (Paulson, 2000) were employed to evaluate visual sampling and oral production of this individual during a 27-second moment of difficulty during her reading of authentic texts. Initial clinical interpretations of this child's behavior during the period of difficulty suggested that she had opted-out of the reading process. However, fine-grain analysis of eye movement patterns during the selected segment of text demonstrates the structural and sequential ordering of her active engagement with the text throughout the period in question. Additionally, use of these multiple analyses revealed the meaningful confirmation strategies utilized by the child as she worked to make sense of print.