Modelling conversational pragmatics in communication aids

Non-speaking users of communication aids have a range of pragmatic conversational goals. These may be classified broadly as transactional or interactional and in terms of their immediacy or distance. A phrase-creation approach to the design of assistive devices may be well suited to the achievement of some transactional goals. However, assistive devices based on the selection of pre-stored phrases may be particularly useful for achieving short-term interactional goals, for which speed of responding is crucially important. Designers of communication aids have begun to model pragmatic aspects of natural conversation in an attempt to help users to achieve their interactional goals in particular. Some approaches to conversational modelling are discussed in order to indicate how research on the pragmatics of natural conversation might help in efforts to further enhance the effectiveness of assistive devices.