Impact of computer augmented communication on the daily lives of speech-impaired children. Part II: Services to support computer augmented communication

Issue title: Children and Youngsters and Technology

Guest editors: Serenella Besiox and Anna-Liisa Salmineny

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Salminen, Anna-Liisa^{a; *} | Ryan and, Susan^b | Petrie, Helen^c

Affiliations: [a] STAKES, National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, Helsinki, PL 220, 00531 Helsinki, Finland. Tel.: +358 40 5600935; E-mail: [email protected] | [b] University College Cork, Cork, Ireland | [c] City University, London, UK | [x] SIVA, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, via Capecelatro 66, I-20148 Milano, Italy. E-mail: [email protected] | [y] STAKES, National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, PL 220, 00531 Helsinki, Finland. Tel.: +358 40 5600935; E-mail: [email protected]

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author.

Abstract: This study investigated the impact and importance of Bliss-based computer augmented communication (CAC) on the daily communication and daily activities of six severely disabled speech-impaired children and youngsters – from the point of view of the children and youngsters, their discussion partners and occupational and speech therapists. The study also investigated the services related to the implementation and use of these CAC devices, which are the focus of this article. The study showed that CAC requires a large input of services. The indirect service input was substantial. The study found limitations in the organisation and implementation of CAC services. These findings may at least partly account for the children's and youngsters' limited progress in using the CAC devices which was reported in the previous paper.

Keywords: augmentative and alternative communication, computer augmented communication, assistive technology, occupational therapy, speech therapy

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-2004-16307

Journal: Technology and Disability, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 169-177, 2004