Research in AAC
Improving AAC Technologies for Young Children
(A project of the AAC-RERC)
What are the goals of the project?
The goal of this project is to evaluate the learning demands of different
approaches to representation, presentation, organization and selection of
language in AAC technologies for toddlers and young children who have significant
communication disabilities.
One of the major obstacles to the attainment of improved communication, language
and literacy outcomes for toddlers and young children with significant communication
disabilities is the tremendous learning demands imposed by the current generation of
AAC technologies. Current AAC technologies are based on the conceptual models of adults
who are not disabled and the representation, presentation, organization and selection of
language in these systems are not congruent with young children’s conceptual models.
As a result, these technologies create a heavy "cost of learning" for young children.
What is the project plan?
Throughout the investigation, two major studies will be conducted. The goal of the first
study is to investigate the learning demands of different organizations of language concepts
in AAC systems with typically developing children ages 2-5 and young children with disabilities.
The second study will investigate the learning demands of different selection techniques for
AAC systems with typically developing children and young children with disabilities.
What is the potential impact of this research?
This research will result in improved technologies for toddlers and young children
who have significant communication disabilities. With improvements in this area children
will be able to build their communicative competence and ultimately realize their full
educational, vocational, social and personal potential.
Who is working on the project?
The project team consists of Janice Light, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator), Kathryn Drager,
Ph.D. (Co-Investigator), and a number of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students,
including Rhonda Carlson, Karen D’Silva, Karen Fallon, Jennifer Kent, Brittany Larson,
Shelley Lund, Suzanne Mellot, Diane Millar, Craig Parrish, Arielle Parsons, Laura Pitkin,
Stacy Rhoads, Gini Stopper, Susan Trimbur, Maricka Ward, Michelle Zeevalk, and Lauren Zuskin.
What is the funding source?
This project is part of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center in Augmentative and
Alternative Communication (AAC-RERC), funded by the National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
What is the timeline for the project?
The five-year long project began in November, 1998. Data have been collected for the first
study (investigating the learning demands of different organizations of language concepts in
AAC systems) on 140 typically-developing 2-5 year old children.
The next studies in the investigation were initiated in 2000:
- impact of different instruction techniques on learning of AAC technologies for young
children with and without disabilities
- learning demands of different selection techniques for AAC systems for young children
with and without disabilities
Where can I find out more about the project?
For more information, contact Janice Light. JCL4@psu.edu
Information about the results of the first study were presented at the 2000 conference of the
International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) in Washington, D.C.
Light, J., Drager, K., Curran, J., Fallon, K., & Zuskin, L. (August 2000). The performance of
typically-developing two-year-olds on AAC technologies. Poster presented at the biennial
conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC),
Washington, DC.
Light, J., Drager, K., Larsson. B., Pitkin, L., & Stopper, G. (August 2000). The performance of
typically-developing three-year-olds on AAC technologies. Poster presented at the biennial
conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC),
Washington, DC.
Light, J., Drager, K., Millar, D., & Parrish, C., & Parsons, A. (August 2000). The performance
of typically-developing four-year-olds on AAC technologies. Poster presented at the biennial
conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC),
Washington, DC.
Light, J., Drager, K., Baker, S., McCarthy, J., Rhoads, S., & Ward, M. (August 2000). The
performance of typically-developing five-year-olds on AAC technologies. Poster presented at
the biennial conference of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (ISAAC), Washington, DC.
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