title: Children with autistic spectrum disorders and speech-generating devices: communication in different activities at home.
abstract: The communication of four children with autistic spectrum disorder was investigated when they were supplied with a speech-generating device (SGD) in three different activities in their home environment: mealtime, story reading and "sharing experiences of the preschool day". An activity based communication analysis, in which collective and individual background factors for the activities were outlined, was used as a basis for the discussion of linguistic coding data derived from video-recordings made before and during SGD intervention. The coded communicative behaviours were engagement in activity, role in turn-taking, communicative form, function and effectiveness. An increase in communicative effectiveness was more noticeable when the SGDs could be used to fulfil goals and roles within the activity. The instruction to the parents to use the SGDs in their communication with the child had an important influence on the activities.
authors.affiliation: DART - Regional Centre for AAC and computer access for people with disabilities, Regional Rehabilitation, The Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Department of Linguistics, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thunberg
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ahlsén
authors.forename: Annika Dahlgren
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sandberg
mesh_terms: D001072:Apraxias / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D012931:Social Environment; D012984:Software; D014741:Video Recording