High-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices: Observing Children’s Need for Help and Interaction with Caregivers

Ivone Almeida, António Moreira and Jaime Ribeiro ()
Additional contact information
Ivone Almeida: CIDTFF—Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
António Moreira: CIDTFF—Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Jaime Ribeiro: aTOPlab—Assistive Technology and Occupational Performance Laboratory, ciTechCare—Center for Innovative Care and Health Technology, Polytechnic of Leiria, 2410-541 Leiria, Portugal

Social Sciences, 2023, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-19

Abstract: There are many children with disabilities who need specialised devices to communicate and to be understood, which poses an added challenge for their caregivers. This study aims to diagnose the training needs of informal caregivers concerning high-tech devices for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), to enhance the use of these devices in the home setting. The aim is to study children’s performance and their interaction with caregivers, to improve practices and contribute to reducing technology abandonment at home. Participant observation sessions were carried out in three home settings to describe the interaction between children and their caregivers, as well as to assess the former’s need for assistance in using the Grid3 software when combined with eye-gaze-controlled technology. The findings seem to demonstrate the importance of interactions between caregivers and children for carrying out tasks and improving performance. Therefore, it can be inferred that positive reinforcement is important to foster children’s motivation to overcome difficulties in using such devices, along with corrective feedback. The data suggest the need to promote technology-mediated communicative interaction in all life contexts. It is also possible to infer that the lack of regular device use at home compromises skills development. These findings have contributed to the planning and implementation of parental training intervention regarding using assistive technology for augmentative and alternative communication.

Keywords: augmentative and alternative communications systems; home environment; high-tech devices; caregivers; social interaction; family support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/5/310/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/5/310/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:12:y:2023:i:5:p:310-:d:1152185

Access Statistics for this article

Social Sciences is currently edited by Ms. Yvonne Chu

More articles in Social Sciences from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().