1. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Content of Child-Caregiver Conversations in Daily Activities: The Impact of Severe Speech and Physical Impairments (SSPI) Ulrika Ferm Department of Linguistics & SSKKII Göteborg University

2. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Background Background Aims Aims Participants Participants Data collection & data Data collection & data Analysis Analysis Studies Studies Problems, questions & concerns … Problems, questions & concerns …

3. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Augmentative and Alternative Communication - AAC An area of clinical practice that attempts to compensate (either temporarily or permanently) for the impairment and disability patterns of individuals with severe expressive communication disorders An area of clinical practice that attempts to compensate (either temporarily or permanently) for the impairment and disability patterns of individuals with severe expressive communication disorders (ASHA – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 1989, p. 107)

4. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 The AAC system an integrated group of components Visual, auditory and/or tactile representation of conventional concepts Visual, auditory and/or tactile representation of conventional concepts E.g., gestures, photographs, manual sign sets/systems, picto- ideographs, printed words, objects, spoken words E.g., gestures, photographs, manual sign sets/systems, picto- ideographs, printed words, objects, spoken words Aid Aid Physical object or device used to transmit or receive messages Physical object or device used to transmit or receive messages Strategy Strategy Spec. way of using AAC for enhanced communication Spec. way of using AAC for enhanced communication Technique Technique Method used to transmit messages, e.g., scanning, encoding Method used to transmit messages, e.g., scanning, encoding Light- (low) and/or high-tech. systems Light- (low) and/or high-tech. systems

5. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Aims To compare the communication of children with and without severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI) in interaction with their caregivers in different daily activities To compare the communication of children with and without severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI) in interaction with their caregivers in different daily activities To increase the understanding of what factors influence interactions involving children with SSPI and to strengthen the possibilities for efficient AAC- interventions To increase the understanding of what factors influence interactions involving children with SSPI and to strengthen the possibilities for efficient AAC- interventions

6. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Participants Four dyads of children and caregivers (8 part.) Four dyads of children and caregivers (8 part.) Dyad 1: Girl 6:6 with severe dysarthria, cerebral palsy, age equivalent cognitive capability + aunt Dyad 1: Girl 6:6 with severe dysarthria, cerebral palsy, age equivalent cognitive capability + aunt Dyad 2: Girl 6:6 without SSPI, age equivalent cognitive capability + mother Dyad 2: Girl 6:6 without SSPI, age equivalent cognitive capability + mother Dyad 3: Girl 7:10 with severe dysarthria and physical impairment, age equivalent cognitive capability + mother Dyad 3: Girl 7:10 with severe dysarthria and physical impairment, age equivalent cognitive capability + mother Dyad 4: Girl 7:10 without SSPI, age equivalent cognitive capability + mother Dyad 4: Girl 7:10 without SSPI, age equivalent cognitive capability + mother Communication modes Communication modes

7. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Data collection & data Interviews Interviews Assessments Assessments Log-books Log-books Selection of 5 different activities to be video recorded x 2 in naturalistic context Selection of 5 different activities to be video recorded x 2 in naturalistic context Mealtime Mealtime Story-reading at night Story-reading at night Drawing Drawing Brushing teeth Brushing teeth Playing a game Playing a game  40 recordings of varying length

8. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Analysis Transcription – MSO + TraSA Transcription – MSO + TraSA Manual coding of transcriptions and video recordings Manual coding of transcriptions and video recordings Activity Based Communication Analysis (ACA) Activity Based Communication Analysis (ACA) Statistics (Chi-square) Statistics (Chi-square) Reliability coding (Cohen’s Kappa) Reliability coding (Cohen’s Kappa)

9. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Studies 2 dyads – 1 activity Interaction Patterns of Children and Caregivers at Mealtime: Comparison of a Dyad including a Child with Severe Speech and Physical Impairments and a Control Dyad Interaction Patterns of Children and Caregivers at Mealtime: Comparison of a Dyad including a Child with Severe Speech and Physical Impairments and a Control Dyad Semantic Content of Child-Caregiver Interaction at Mealtime: The Impact of Severe Speech and Physical Impairments Semantic Content of Child-Caregiver Interaction at Mealtime: The Impact of Severe Speech and Physical Impairments Non-understanding in Child-Caregiver Conversations: The Impact of Speech and Physical Impairments Non-understanding in Child-Caregiver Conversations: The Impact of Speech and Physical Impairments

10. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Problems, questions & concerns … Collection of data Collection of data Transcription Transcription Analysis Analysis All related to the complexity of AAC - not easily separated All related to the complexity of AAC - not easily separated

11. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 Collection of data Information Information Naturalistic context Naturalistic context “natural communication”? “natural communication”? Video recording – what and how Video recording – what and how

12. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002  Transcription How to transcribe vocal behavior How to transcribe vocal behavior Word approximations - phonetic transcriptions mixed with MSO? Word approximations - phonetic transcriptions mixed with MSO? Voice characteristics Voice characteristics Problems associated with transcription of multimodal communication Problems associated with transcription of multimodal communication Transcription is a selective process Transcription is a selective process Spoken language dominance Spoken language dominance Do we not still treat gestures, eye gaze etc. as secondary? Do we not still treat gestures, eye gaze etc. as secondary?

13. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002  Transcription cont’d Especially threatening for the AAC population Especially threatening for the AAC population Case example: eye gaze Case example: eye gaze Common topics in AAC: turn-taking, pauses (e.g., use of device = pause?) Common topics in AAC: turn-taking, pauses (e.g., use of device = pause?) Can transcription & analysis be separated? Can transcription & analysis be separated? Given extremely difficult raw data - the “finding” & transcription of a particular body communication phenomena will lead to further transcription of the same phenomena Given extremely difficult raw data - the “finding” & transcription of a particular body communication phenomena will lead to further transcription of the same phenomena

14. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002  Transcription cont’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 impairments give different problems – rely on different modes – should that be taken into consideration? Heterogeneous population - different kinds of impairments give different problems – rely on different modes – should that be taken into consideration? Body, eyes … Body, eyes … Time, energy, human eye and mind, transcription system… Time, energy, human eye and mind, transcription system… Reliability! Reliability! Transcription methodology should reflect what is known about language in AAC (Gloria Soto, 2000) Transcription methodology should reflect what is known about language in AAC (Gloria Soto, 2000)

15. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002  Analysis Transcription influences content & quality of data - analysis - video! Transcription influences content & quality of data - analysis - video! Researcher bias – spoken language preference - incomplete/inadequate picture of AAC users Researcher bias – spoken language preference - incomplete/inadequate picture of AAC users Dyad 1 – Dyad 2 Dyad 1 – Dyad 2 What phenomena do we choose to analyze in order to point at what interaction pattern? What phenomena do we choose to analyze in order to point at what interaction pattern? What is relevant for describing interaction involving AAC-users? How do we analyze interaction patterns, communicative functions and content, e.g., – speech acts and meaning? How do we analyze interaction patterns, communicative 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?

16. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002  Analysis cont’d Example: pauses Example: pauses Persons with SSPI develop specific patterns with specific partners – the main goal is to reach mutual understanding Persons with SSPI develop specific patterns with specific partners – the main goal is to reach mutual understanding Analysis in relation to impairment Analysis in relation to impairment What body movements are communicative? What body movements are communicative? Underestimation Underestimation Overestimation Overestimation Intellectual impairments Intellectual impairments ambiguous behavior, e.g., extended signs ambiguous behavior, e.g., extended signs

17. NordTalk - Corpus based research on spoken language 2002 And probably much more… And probably much more…