Att börja använda ett högteknologiskt AKK : En 6-årings kommunikativa förmågor under de första månaderna efter introduktion av en pratapparat

Sammanfattning: When an individual’s ability to communicate with speech does not function as expected, in many cases, augmentative and alternative communication, (AAC), can serve as a support interaction with other persons. The purpose of this study is to investigate how a specific child’s communicative possibilities and abilities develop during the first months after introducing a speech generating device. The study’s main participant Alex is 6 years old and has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. Alex also has confirmed limitations regarding gross and fine motor skills and further investigation will examine the presence of childhood apraxia of speech. Two play situations were videotaped at approximately four months intervals and then analysed via conversation analysis and multimodal interaction analysis. At the study’s initial recording session Alex’ communication consisted of gestures and body language together with isolated vocalisations. There were no observed occurrences of spoken words. At the start of the study Alex had been using their speech generating device, SGD, for approximately six weeks. At the end of the study the SGD is found to have been integrated in Alex’ communication during the observed play situations. Its role as a communicative resource has developed from being primarily a device which the child presses in order to answer direct questions, into being used to organise, for example, turn taking, initiate new play rounds or asking questions, by way of other types of manipulation. In addition, Alex’ use of vocalisations has increased and become more situation specific. Baseline measurements were not conducted in this study, wherefore it is not possible to indicate the implementation of an SGD as the reason for Alex’ communicative development. Continued research is needed in order to achieve individual and optimum solutions for all who are dependent on support in their communication.