Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome: The impact of people, places, and AAC methods

Elaine Scougal; Annalu Waller; Alissa Melinger; Michael Crabb

doi:10.1145/3544549.3585660

Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome: The impact of people, places, and AAC methods

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

3 Citations (Scopus)

765 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

People with Down syndrome can experience communication challenges, impacting daily interactions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can be beneficial, including signing and electronic communication aids. Research mostly focuses on intervention studies, limiting insight into real-world AAC experiences. An online survey was developed to investigate perceived challenges and opportunities related to AAC experienced by children and young people with Down syndrome and their families, completed by 264 caregivers. We report on AAC currently used, support received, and contextual influences. The results highlight that despite signing being the most used form of AAC for the group, its use presents barriers in wider social contexts due to required communication partner skill. Electronic AAC, however, appears under-used, and challenges related to support and the physical properties of communication aids are reported. Further research should extend understanding related to AAC use across social contexts and device onboarding to enhance societal participation and independence.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CHI EA '23
Subtitle of host publication	Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Editors	Albrecht Schmidt, Kaisa Väänänen
Place of Publication	New York
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery
Pages	1-7
Number of pages	7
ISBN (Electronic)	9781450394222
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3585660
Publication status	Published - 19 Apr 2023
Event	2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Hamburg, Germany Duration: 23 Apr 2023 → 28 Apr 2023 https://chi2023.acm.org/

Conference

Conference	2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Abbreviated title	CHI EA ’23
Country/Territory	Germany
City	Hamburg
Period	23/04/23 → 28/04/23
Internet address	https://chi2023.acm.org/

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 4 Quality Education

Keywords

Augmentative and Alternative Communication
AAC
Down syndrome
Communication

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Software
Human-Computer Interaction
Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design

Access to Document

10.1145/3544549.3585660

Author Accepted Manuscript
© 2023 Copyright held by the owner/author(s). This is the author’s version of the work. It is posted here for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive Version of Record was published in Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA ’23), April 23–28, 2023, Hamburg, Germany, https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3585660
Accepted author manuscript, 1.01 MB

Cite this

Scougal, E., Waller, A., Melinger, A., & Crabb, M. (2023). Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome: The impact of people, places, and AAC methods. In A. Schmidt, & K. Väänänen (Eds.), CHI EA '23: Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-7). Article 226 Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3585660

Scougal, Elaine ; Waller, Annalu ; Melinger, Alissa et al. / Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome : The impact of people, places, and AAC methods. CHI EA '23: Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. editor / Albrecht Schmidt ; Kaisa Väänänen. New York : Association for Computing Machinery, 2023. pp. 1-7

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abstract = "People with Down syndrome can experience communication challenges, impacting daily interactions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can be beneficial, including signing and electronic communication aids. Research mostly focuses on intervention studies, limiting insight into real-world AAC experiences. An online survey was developed to investigate perceived challenges and opportunities related to AAC experienced by children and young people with Down syndrome and their families, completed by 264 caregivers. We report on AAC currently used, support received, and contextual influences. The results highlight that despite signing being the most used form of AAC for the group, its use presents barriers in wider social contexts due to required communication partner skill. Electronic AAC, however, appears under-used, and challenges related to support and the physical properties of communication aids are reported. Further research should extend understanding related to AAC use across social contexts and device onboarding to enhance societal participation and independence.",

keywords = "Augmentative and Alternative Communication, AAC, Down syndrome, Communication",

author = "Elaine Scougal and Annalu Waller and Alissa Melinger and Michael Crabb",

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Scougal, E, Waller, A , Melinger, A & Crabb, M 2023, Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome: The impact of people, places, and AAC methods. in A Schmidt & K Väänänen (eds), CHI EA '23: Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems., 226, Association for Computing Machinery, New York, pp. 1-7, 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany, 23/04/23. https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3585660

Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome: The impact of people, places, and AAC methods. / Scougal, Elaine; Waller, Annalu ; Melinger, Alissa et al.
CHI EA '23: Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ed. / Albrecht Schmidt; Kaisa Väänänen. New York: Association for Computing Machinery, 2023. p. 1-7 226.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome

T2 - 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

AU - Scougal, Elaine

AU - Waller, Annalu

AU - Melinger, Alissa

AU - Crabb, Michael

PY - 2023/4/19

Y1 - 2023/4/19

N2 - People with Down syndrome can experience communication challenges, impacting daily interactions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can be beneficial, including signing and electronic communication aids. Research mostly focuses on intervention studies, limiting insight into real-world AAC experiences. An online survey was developed to investigate perceived challenges and opportunities related to AAC experienced by children and young people with Down syndrome and their families, completed by 264 caregivers. We report on AAC currently used, support received, and contextual influences. The results highlight that despite signing being the most used form of AAC for the group, its use presents barriers in wider social contexts due to required communication partner skill. Electronic AAC, however, appears under-used, and challenges related to support and the physical properties of communication aids are reported. Further research should extend understanding related to AAC use across social contexts and device onboarding to enhance societal participation and independence.

AB - People with Down syndrome can experience communication challenges, impacting daily interactions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can be beneficial, including signing and electronic communication aids. Research mostly focuses on intervention studies, limiting insight into real-world AAC experiences. An online survey was developed to investigate perceived challenges and opportunities related to AAC experienced by children and young people with Down syndrome and their families, completed by 264 caregivers. We report on AAC currently used, support received, and contextual influences. The results highlight that despite signing being the most used form of AAC for the group, its use presents barriers in wider social contexts due to required communication partner skill. Electronic AAC, however, appears under-used, and challenges related to support and the physical properties of communication aids are reported. Further research should extend understanding related to AAC use across social contexts and device onboarding to enhance societal participation and independence.

KW - Augmentative and Alternative Communication

KW - AAC

KW - Down syndrome

KW - Communication

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U2 - 10.1145/3544549.3585660

DO - 10.1145/3544549.3585660

M3 - Conference contribution

SP - 1

EP - 7

BT - CHI EA '23

A2 - Schmidt, Albrecht

A2 - Väänänen, Kaisa

PB - Association for Computing Machinery

CY - New York

Y2 - 23 April 2023 through 28 April 2023

ER -

Scougal E, Waller A , Melinger A , Crabb M. Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome: The impact of people, places, and AAC methods. In Schmidt A, Väänänen K, editors, CHI EA '23: Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. New York: Association for Computing Machinery. 2023. p. 1-7. 226 doi: 10.1145/3544549.3585660

Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome: The impact of people, places, and AAC methods

Abstract

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Living with Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A mixed-methods exploration of family perspectives on AAC use involving children with Down syndrome who have limited speech or are nonspeaking

Cite this

Perceived communication experiences of children and young people with Down syndrome: The impact of people, places, and AAC methods

Abstract

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Student theses

Living with Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A mixed-methods exploration of family perspectives on AAC use involving children with Down syndrome who have limited speech or are nonspeaking

Cite this