NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Content of Child-Caregiver Conversations in Daily Activities: The Impact of Severe Speech and

NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002

Content of Child-Caregiver Conversations Content of Child-Caregiver Conversations in Daily Activities: The Impact of Severe in Daily Activities: The Impact of Severe Speech and Physical Impairments (SSPI) Speech and Physical Impairments (SSPI)

Ulrika FermUlrika Ferm

Department of Linguistics & Department of Linguistics & SSKKIISSKKII

Göteborg UniversityGöteborg University


BackgroundBackground AimsAims ParticipantsParticipants Data collection & dataData collection & data AnalysisAnalysis StudiesStudies

Problems, questions & concerns …Problems, questions & concerns …


Augmentative and Augmentative and Alternative Communication Alternative Communication

- AAC- AAC

An area of clinical practice that An area of clinical practice that attempts to compensate (either attempts to compensate (either temporarily or permanently) for the temporarily or permanently) for the impairment and disability patterns of impairment and disability patterns of individuals with severe expressive individuals with severe expressive communication disorderscommunication disorders

(ASHA – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, (ASHA – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 1989, p. 107)1989, p. 107)


The AAC systemThe AAC systeman integrated group of an integrated group of

componentscomponents Visual, auditory and/or tactile representation of Visual, auditory and/or tactile representation of

conventional conceptsconventional concepts E.g., gestures, photographs, manual sign E.g., gestures, photographs, manual sign

sets/systems, picto-ideographs, printed words, sets/systems, picto-ideographs, printed words, objects, spoken wordsobjects, spoken words

AidAid Physical object or device used to transmit or receive Physical object or device used to transmit or receive

messagesmessages StrategyStrategy

Spec. way of using AAC for enhanced communicationSpec. way of using AAC for enhanced communication TechniqueTechnique

Method used to transmit messages, e.g., scanning, Method used to transmit messages, e.g., scanning, encodingencoding

Light- (low) and/or high-tech. systemsLight- (low) and/or high-tech. systems


AimsAims

To compare the communication of children To compare the communication of children with and without severe speech and physical with and without severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI) in interaction with their impairments (SSPI) in interaction with their caregivers in different daily activitiescaregivers in different daily activities

To increase the understanding of what To increase the understanding of what factors influence interactions involving factors influence interactions involving children with SSPI and to strengthen the children with SSPI and to strengthen the possibilities for efficient AAC-interventionspossibilities for efficient AAC-interventions


ParticipantsParticipants

Four dyads of children and caregivers (8 Four dyads of children and caregivers (8 part.)part.) Dyad 1: Girl 6:6 with severe dysarthria, cerebral Dyad 1: Girl 6:6 with severe dysarthria, cerebral

palsy, age equivalent cognitive capability + auntpalsy, age equivalent cognitive capability + aunt Dyad 2: Girl 6:6 without SSPI, age equivalent Dyad 2: Girl 6:6 without SSPI, age equivalent

cognitive capability + mothercognitive capability + mother Dyad 3: Girl 7:10 with severe dysarthria and Dyad 3: Girl 7:10 with severe dysarthria and

physical impairment, age equivalent cognitive physical impairment, age equivalent cognitive capability + mothercapability + mother

Dyad 4: Girl 7:10 without SSPI, age equivalent Dyad 4: Girl 7:10 without SSPI, age equivalent cognitive capability + mothercognitive capability + mother

Communication modes Communication modes


Data collection & dataData collection & data InterviewsInterviews Assessments Assessments Log-booksLog-books Selection of 5 different activities to be Selection of 5 different activities to be

video recorded x 2 in naturalistic contextvideo recorded x 2 in naturalistic context MealtimeMealtime Story-reading at nightStory-reading at night DrawingDrawing Brushing teethBrushing teeth Playing a gamePlaying a game

40 recordings of varying length40 recordings of varying length


AnalysisAnalysis

Transcription – MSO + TraSATranscription – MSO + TraSA Manual coding of transcriptions Manual coding of transcriptions andand

video recordingsvideo recordings Activity Based Communication Activity Based Communication

Analysis (ACA)Analysis (ACA) Statistics (Chi-square)Statistics (Chi-square) Reliability coding (Cohen’s Kappa)Reliability coding (Cohen’s Kappa)


StudiesStudies2 dyads – 1 activity2 dyads – 1 activity

Interaction Patterns of Children and Caregivers at Interaction Patterns of Children and Caregivers at Mealtime: Comparison of a Dyad including a Child Mealtime: Comparison of a Dyad including a Child with Severe Speech and Physical Impairments and a with Severe Speech and Physical Impairments and a Control DyadControl Dyad

Semantic Content of Child-Caregiver Interaction at Semantic Content of Child-Caregiver Interaction at Mealtime: The Impact of Severe Speech and Physical Mealtime: The Impact of Severe Speech and Physical ImpairmentsImpairments

Non-understanding in Child-Caregiver Conversations: Non-understanding in Child-Caregiver Conversations: The Impact of Speech and Physical ImpairmentsThe Impact of Speech and Physical Impairments


Problems, questions & Problems, questions & concerns …concerns …

Collection of dataCollection of data TranscriptionTranscription AnalysisAnalysis

All related to the complexity of AAC - All related to the complexity of AAC - not easily separatednot easily separated


Collection of dataCollection of data

InformationInformation Naturalistic context Naturalistic context

““natural communication”?natural communication”? Video recording – what and how Video recording – what and how


TranscriptionTranscription

How to transcribe vocal behavior How to transcribe vocal behavior Word approximations - phonetic transcriptions Word approximations - phonetic transcriptions

mixed with MSO?mixed with MSO? Voice characteristics Voice characteristics

Problems associated with transcription of Problems associated with transcription of multimodal communicationmultimodal communication Transcription is a selective process Transcription is a selective process Spoken language dominanceSpoken language dominance

Do we not still treat gestures, eye gaze etc. as Do we not still treat gestures, eye gaze etc. as secondary?secondary?


Transcription Transcription cont’dcont’d

Especially threatening for the AAC Especially threatening for the AAC populationpopulation Case example: eye gaze Case example: eye gaze Common topics in AAC: turn-taking, pauses Common topics in AAC: turn-taking, pauses

(e.g., use of device = pause?)(e.g., use of device = pause?) Can transcription & analysis be Can transcription & analysis be

separated? separated? Given extremely difficult raw data - the Given extremely difficult raw data - the

“finding” & transcription of a particular body “finding” & transcription of a particular body communication phenomena will lead to communication phenomena will lead to further transcription of the same phenomena further transcription of the same phenomena


Transcription Transcription cont’dcont’d

What should be included in the case of SSPI?What should be included in the case of SSPI? Everything? Is it possible?Everything? Is it possible? Heterogeneous population - different kinds of Heterogeneous population - different kinds of

impairments give different problems – rely on different impairments give different problems – rely on different modes – should that be taken into consideration?modes – should that be taken into consideration?

Body, eyes …Body, eyes … Time, energy, human eye and mind, transcription Time, energy, human eye and mind, transcription

system…system…

Reliability!Reliability!

Transcription methodology should reflect Transcription methodology should reflect what is known about language in AAC what is known about language in AAC (Gloria (Gloria Soto, 2000)Soto, 2000)


AnalysisAnalysis Transcription influences content & quality of Transcription influences content & quality of

data - analysis - video!data - analysis - video!

Researcher bias – spoken language preference - Researcher bias – spoken language preference - incomplete/inadequate picture of AAC users incomplete/inadequate picture of AAC users Dyad 1 – Dyad 2Dyad 1 – Dyad 2

What phenomena do we choose to analyze in What phenomena do we choose to analyze in order to point at what interaction pattern? order to point at what interaction pattern? What is relevant for describing interaction What is relevant for describing interaction involving AAC-users?involving AAC-users? How do we analyze interaction patterns, communicative How do we analyze interaction patterns, communicative

functions and content, e.g., – speech acts and meaning?functions and content, e.g., – speech acts and meaning? Same coding schedules as for people without impairments?Same coding schedules as for people without impairments?


Analysis Analysis cont’dcont’d

Example: pausesExample: pauses Persons with SSPI develop specific patterns with Persons with SSPI develop specific patterns with

specific partners – the main goal is to reach mutual specific partners – the main goal is to reach mutual understandingunderstanding

Analysis in relation to impairmentAnalysis in relation to impairment What body movements are communicative?What body movements are communicative?

UnderestimationUnderestimation OverestimationOverestimation

Intellectual impairments Intellectual impairments ambiguous behavior, e.g., extended signs ambiguous behavior, e.g., extended signs


And probably much more…And probably much more…

Documents

NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Content of Child-Caregiver Conversations in Daily Activities: The Impact of Severe Speech and