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The impact of augmented input and elicited production on graphic symbol learning
Abstract
Children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are not able to meet their expressive communication needs through the use of spoken symbols. Graphic symbols provide many children who use AAC with an alternate modality of communication. Children who use AAC, however, are faced with the unique tasks of learning to use graphic symbols to represent the people, actions, and ideas in their environment. Consequently, professionals must attempt to determine how children who use AAC can best learn to comprehend and expressively use graphic symbols. Intervention strategies used to promote the symbol learning of young children who use AAC include strategies that provide children with direct instructions to expressively use graphic symbols as well as strategies that focus on providing input and modeling regarding the meaning and use of graphic symbols. Initial research indicates that children who use AAC are able to rapidly acquire, or "fast map", new symbols when provided with input regarding the relationship between a symbol and its referent. Research has not addressed the impact of direct instruction on the ability of children who use AAC to acquire graphic symbols. This study compared the impact two methods of introducing novel graphic symbols to children who use AAC. The first method, augmented input, consisted of the communication partner labeling a novel object with a novel spoken and graphic symbol. The second condition, augmented input plus elicited production, consisted of the communication partner both labeling the novel object and then prompting the children to point to that graphic symbol. Language tasks were used to explore the participants' comprehension of graphic and spoken symbols, naming with graphic symbols, and requesting with graphic symbols. Exposure conditions did not significantly affect the participants' abilities to comprehend and produce newly acquired symbols. The results of the study did indicate, however, that participants were able to acquire graphic symbols in a fast mapping paradigm. Overall the participants did differ in their ability to request with graphic symbols and name with graphic symbols. Profiles of performance in symbol learning are presented and discussed in the results.
Subject Area
Educational psychology
Recommended Citation
Wood, Lisa A, "The impact of augmented input and elicited production on graphic symbol learning" (1998). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9829538.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9829538