Lecture 4: The Use of Symbols in Augmentative and Alternative Communication PDF

Chapter 4 The Use of Symbols From Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Models and Applications, Second Edition By Filip Loncke. Copyright © 2022 by Plural Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.  What Are “Symbols”? Within AAC, “symbols” is often use...

Chapter 4 The Use of Symbols From Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Models and Applications, Second Edition By Filip Loncke. Copyright © 2022 by Plural Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.  What Are “Symbols”? Within AAC, “symbols” is often used for forms or representations that can be used as communicative behaviors which represent an idea that the person wishes to convey. the symbolic value rests solely in the mind of the user: a picture or a manual sign does not have any symbolic meaning unless the user knows or recognizes the meaning  Symbol Classification AAC – symbols Unaided Aided symbols symbols Eye gaze related Natural speech Objects and Gestures Manual signs symbols or Graphic Symbols and vocaliza on object symbols messages  Unaided AAC Symbol Linguistic Symbols Non-Linguistic Symbols The system belongs to an The system belongs to a Visual Auditory Language (a spoken language (a signed language): language): American Sign Language English French Portuguese  Nonlinguistic unaided symbols Non-linguistic Vocalization It is important to make sure that E,g (huh-huh;brrr) a person has at least one way to answer yes-no questions. Most of these symbols are idiosyncratic (only understood by the users and their partners). ▪ Acoustic Symbols (huh-huh being no, huh-HuH being yes) A few of these are conventionalized and understood ▪ Visual unaided Symbols by a wider population. (gestures):Yes/no headshake ▪ Eye-blink code (one eye blink is yes, two eye blink is no). Unaided Non-Linguistic AAC Symbols Category Type Examples Acoustic symbols Vocalization Vocal message codes Visual symbols Common gestures Pointing Yes/no headshakes Other common gestures Gesture sets Generally understood gestures Natural Gestures: Waving hello Iconic Gestures: Flapping arms to represent a bird or flying. Idiosyncratic gestures Individualized gestures Mime Eye-blink codes  Gestures Vs Manual Signs Gestures do not belong to a real language system. Manual signs are gestures that have been “upgraded” into a linguistic organization. Most gestures are a natural co-product of speech (produced together). Whereas manual signs are a linguistic equivalent of spoken words. Signs are produced without speech in sign languages. When gestures become more conventionalized, they start to function as a lexical item; this is the transition from gesture to manual sign.  Gestures A gesture is a non-linguistic movement that can assume communicative meaning. Gestures are often made together with speech Gestures can also have a stand-alone function Gestures may have a facilitative effect on speech A manual sign is a linguistic element (a lexical element of a sign language)  The Kendon Continuum Sometimes gestures appear to be meaningless, sometimes gestures have meaning Spontaneous gesticulation-movements and movements patterns of the body with low meaning (generally meaningless and rhythmic) Language-like gestures – gestures are assuming something linguistic McNeill’s Gesture Classification  Everybody Uses Gesture! In natural development, gestures appear before speech. Gestures are low-cost and powerful AAC tool. Deaf children spontaneously develop gestural systems with language- like properties if not exposed to sign Blind children gesture without having seen gestures Individuals with speech and physical impairments use meaningful gestures How to “Catch” Natural Gestures and Shape Them into Meaningful Communication As an Intervention practice, one can observe the idiosyncratic gestures that a child/adult produces and reinforce this by being consistent in the response.  Linguistic Unaided Symbols The difference between manual signs Category Type Examples and sign language is that sign language Acoustic symbols Natural speech (not form of Spoken English implies the application of manual signs ACC) within the full fledge language, with its Visual symbols Natural sign languages American Sign Language own grammar. Nicaraguan Sign Language Artificial sign sets/systems Gestuno/ Simplified sign Different forms of AAC are usually system accompanied by natural speech. Manually coded languages Signed English Natural sign language has a lexicon Key word signing with many gestures and rules that Alphabet-based symbols Fingerspelling/ Morse code regulates how sentences and phrases are formed. Phonemic-based symbols Cued Speech Sign language by deaf people is not Tactile symbols Alphabet-based symbols Lorm manual alphabet considered AAC. Vibrotactile phomenic- or Tadoma phonic based symbols  Why Would Manual Signing Work? Why do nonspeaking individuals learn manual signs? The motor argument (signing uses muscles on the periphery) States that manual signs are motorically easier to execute than speech. The visual argument (preference for visual information – use of visual iconicity) The gestural argument (everybody gestures!) The continuity argument (in typical development gesture facilitates the transition to language use) The speed argument (signing slows a speaker down)  Key Word Signing How are manual signs used for children and adolescent with AAC needs? A technique of simultaneous communication whereby the communication partner uses natural speech and produces manual signs for the words that carry the most important information “please TAKE your COAT and HANG it up” * * Words that are accompanied by signs are capitalized  Simplified Sign System The combination of high iconicity and low motor requirements has shown to be a powerful AAC technique.  Fingerspelling/the Hand Alphabet Hand configurations represent the letters of the alphabet Fingerspelling can be used in combination with manual signing and other communication forms The use of fingerspelling requires alphabetic literacy. Advantage – specific and accurate means to convey messages. Disadvantage – requires excellent literacy skills, and fine motor skills.  Lorm Alphabet An interactive method in which you touch specific spots on the hand palm of the communication partner that have been assigned letter value. Different spots on the palm represent different letters of the alphabet. Requires strongly internalized representation of the position as well as excellent literacy skills.  Tadoma Method “tactile lipreading” is a vibrotactile form of interaction where the recipient feels vibrations of the voice, jaw movements, and lips' positions (for blind individuals). The deaf-blind listener places a thumb on the lips of the speaker while holding the fingers on the region of the throat and jaw. Aided AAC Symbols  Graphic Symbols Graphic symbols are presented in the visual modality; people with disabilities prefer visual processing more than auditory processing. Graphic symbols can be combined with speech; Graphic symbols can be combined with manual signs. Graphic symbols are static and invariant; Graphic symbols contain references to the physical and visual world [iconicity/ transparency]; Graphic symbols are less abstract than words.  Cognition and Graphic Symbols In order to capitalize on the potential of graphic symbols, the user must have well-developed Internal visual representational skills. DeLoache et al. (2011): “Picture understanding skills”: individuals with severe developmental delays will have the ability to understand and immediately grasp(and thus be helped by) the picture and referent Graphic symbol understanding is a “dual representational act”; a symbol is an object and a reference to something else. Full pictorial competence can take several years to fully develop.  Levels of Understandability of Graphic Symbols Recognizable graphic symbols Guessable graphic symbols Symbols with low picturability  Recognizable Graphic Symbols These are symbols that refer to concrete referents that are part of the environment/culture. High transparency- members of the same culture are likely to interpret the symbols in a similar way. No or few conceptual competitors  Pictures and Prototypes A good graphic symbol should (1) contain the most salient characteristics, (2) allow for a universal interpretation, and (3) be detached of a distractive background or additional elements.  Guessable Graphic Symbols The degree of guessability depends on the position on a transparency – translucency continuum.  Low Picturability Graphic Symbols symbols that have limited iconicity and guessability rate ”justice”, “fear”, “love” or abstract concepts that are often represented by a metaphor. Understanding these require familiarity with cultural metaphors. verbs  An Interesting Graphic Symbol System: Bliss- Words Bliss words uses “a logical principle” A limited number of graphic forms that are combined in the symbols. Morphological markers Symbols are compounds of elements which each form a part of the meaning. Bliss symbols have a sub-lexical level – elements of a system that are combined to form lexical elements.  Two Issues of Graphic Symbols: Polysemy and Sequentiality Polysemy: multiple meanings Lack of word – graphic symbol relation Sequentiality: this problem is most obvious for verbs that usually show someone (or something) performing the action.  Uses for Graphic Symbols - 1 Remember that the use of any communication device depends on learning and familiarization (one does not learn to use anything on the first try) by the users as well as by their partners; A learning process needs to be planned starting with a limited number of graphic symbols – to be used in highly motivating and transparent situations; The number of graphic symbols on a communication board should depend on (1) memory capacity (knowing where the symbols are), (2) perception and motor (able to see and physically point to or activate the graphic symbols); Decide whether the communication board is a stand-alone board (to be used in multiple situations), a situation-specific board (for the clinic, for the classroom, for a specific activity), or a board that is available to the user along with other boards or displays (e.g., pages in a binder, screens to navigate through);  Uses for Graphic Symbols - 2 If multiple boards or screens are available, be aware that navigation may be a challenge (know where to find the symbols and how to get there) and threatened by time pressure [remember that AAC users often do not even come close to a “normal” rate of conversation]. It may therefore be a good idea to have some of the most important (the most needed, the most used) graphic symbols repeated on each screen in the same location; For users who are literate, it is a good idea to have a letter board. The alphabet is the best example of a system that allows you to say anything with a limited number of symbols (the letters of the alphabet, and a space bar and delete key or backspace); You might think of having YES, NO, STOP as symbols on each board. As discussed before, if the users and their communication partners have developed good interactive strategies, they can basically talk about anything just with the yes-no strategy. Some clinicians and educators object to using board space for YES and NO, especially if the users have developed other non-verbal techniques such as head nodding, or eye blinking. Nevertheless, having the symbols on the board makes it more likely that miscommunications will be avoided;  Uses for Graphic Symbols - 3 As for any communication intervention tool, we need to think of quality of life, safety, and protection of the individual. STOP and NO are just little things that can help a person to express rejection. Sadly enough, individuals with Complex Communication Needs are among the most vulnerable for a whole range of abuses (including neglect, verbal abuse, financial abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse). Obviously, the vulnerability is related to the inability to verbally fight back and/ or to report. Educators, clinicians, and counselors need to be aware of this problem. Placing NO and STOP on a communication board will not prevent much, but it may be part of an awareness education toward users to help them to understand that specific behaviors are wrong and how to respond to them. Is there an emergency plan? You might consider including messages like, “help!”, “please call my mom at 123-456-7890”, “I need my medication, it is in the bag behind my wheelchair”, etc. Initially, you may be focused on providing the user with messages that will help with their needs and wants (“I need to use the bathroom”, “I am hungry”, “I want some more”) but you should also think of the need to socialize. You may want to include messages that help the users to introduce themselves (“My name is Gerald. Please be patient, I use this card”) and for small talk “how are you?”  Points to Remember Symbolic value rests only in the mind of the user, the picture or manual sign has no symbolic meaning unless the user knows or recognizes the meaning. When gestures become conventionalized, even if its just among a small community or group of users, they begin to function as lexical items. This is how gestures transition to manual signs. Kendon’s Continuum relates to the linguistic meaning behind a gesture. On the low end we see automatic body movements (unstructured body language) and on the high end is sign language (includes sign systems such as American Sign Language, ASL). Gestures seem to function as an aid to language processing. This is why we suggest utilizing gesture as a therapeutic technique for word finding problems, as well as access stimulation for AAC users. Also, disfluent gestures can be indicative of disfluent speech.  Points to Remember Bliss symbols may lack iconicity, but as a system it encourages linguistic cognitive skills needed for growth and development (“mental storage, lexical access, metalinguistic skills, and transition to literacy”). When making a communication board for an individual, it is important to remember to include ways for them to communicate their wants and needs as well as ways for them to protect themselves and socialize with others. Implementing a communication device is a “learning process” for both the user and the communication. Key word signing can be used as a technique for children and adolescents with AAC needs (in term of using manual signs). Key word signing is a technique in which the communication partner of the individual with AAC needs, uses both signs and natural speech simultaneously (the user receives linguistic information in two modalities).