LAPTOPS AS CHAIRTOPS: INTERACTIVE TRAINING SYSTEMS FOR AUGMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION AND INSTRUCTION

THE LONG TERM OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE AN INTERACTIVE TRAINING SYSTEM FOR NONSPEAKING CHILDREN AND ADULTS. THE COMPUTER-DRIVEN SYSTEM CAN BE CONCEPTUALIZED AS A FLEXIBLE HARDWARE CONFIGURATION WHICH CAN BE PERSONALIZED FOR EACH CHILD'S INPUT/OUTPUT NEEDS AND WHICH "OPENS THE DOOR" TO EXISTING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES. A MENU-DRIVEN SHELL, CONTROLLED BY THE CHILD OR CLINICIAN, WILL ALLOW THE CHILD TO USE REAL OR SYNTHESIZED SPEECH OUTPUT, INITIATE INTERACTIVE INSTRUCTION AND CONTROL ENVIRONMENTAL DEVICES. OUR GOALS ARE TO DEVELOP INTERACTIVE TRAINING SOFTWARE WHICH WILL PROVIDE A MEANS TO ASSESS THE LOGICAL, LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION STATUS OF NONSPEAKING CHILDREN, WILL TRAIN THE CHILD TO EFFECTIVELY USE THE AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY AND WILL MAKE ACCESSIBLE INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE WHICH CAN BE OPTIMALLY TAILORED FOR EACH CHILD. IT IS APPARENT THAT THE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF "DEVICES" HAS OUTSTRIPPED THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING METHODS AND AS SUCH, THE UTILITY OF SUCH DEVICES IS LIMITED BY THE LACK OF AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE TRAINING SYSTEM. INTEGRAL TO THE PLAN IS THE PARTICIPATION OF CLINICIANS AND TEACHERS IN IMPLEMENTING INDIVIDUAL LESSONS.