Three’s company – an experimental proposal for AAC
Norman AlmSchool of ComputingUniversity of Dundee
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Technology can make distance communication possible but tends to severely restrict face to face communication
Body language
Tone of voiceWords
Design efforts to overcome the ‘necessary evil’ of technology
Automaticity of useUsing muscle memory, like touch typing
Effortless to use Intelligent interface design
Predicting what the user wants
But progress has been disappointing, really
What about introducing a third element to the interaction ?
Participant 1 Participant 2
Both participants make equal use of the third element
What would this third element be ?
Not an AAC system
Not a replacement for an AAC system
Something which both participants used to create engaging and enjoyable communication and interaction
It might look a bit like a social networking site, or a game
Three challenges (at least)
How quickly the AAC user could provide input
The preference of a naturally speaking partner to just speak instead
The third element seeming contrived and artificial and therefore irrelevant to conversational goals
CIRCA Communication support
system for people with dementia and their carers
Both enjoy exploring touchscreen access to reminiscence material
Triggers long-term memories in the person with dementia
This creates a conversation built on the person’s stories.
TALKING MATS
A structure for communication to help a person with communication difficulties express their opinions about a subject
Language as a game, with rules
The limits of my language means the limits of my world
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Examples of language interaction rules
Be relevantNo silencesEqual turns at talkingHow to force someone to speak after you :
Finish your remarks and look straight at them
There are interesting cultural differences in the rules :e.g. in the UK conversation is like a tennis match whereas in Japan it is like bowling
New language interaction rules for AAC ?
We already have two : Everyone need not contribute equal talk to a conversation Long silences do not convey a negative emotion
A focus group of AAC users has experimented successfully with another one : Suspend the rule on turn-taking (everyone communicates in parallel)
What kind of a new language game could we have ?
Two or more people
Touchscreen or switch input
Touchscreen gives them access to ... ?
What would the purpose of the interaction be ?
Could be :(1)Spend some enjoyable time together
Kurt Vonnegut (censored slightly) We are here on Earth to mess around, and don't let anybody tell you different.
(2)Give participants a chance to express their personalityIf other people are going to talk, conversation
becomes impossible. (James Whistler )
(Both are key goals of all conversational interaction generally)
Social media sites
Single photos
Photo albums
Text
Music
Video clips
Links
Dialogues with others
Individuals
Groups you are a member of
Other web pages