The article discusses current and emerging microcomputer applications with communication disordered persons. The use of microcomputers as dedicated components and as personal communication augmentation systems is reviewed. (CL)

The study investigated whether significant differences existed among normally developing 3-year-old children in transparency and in the learning of symbols from three different graphic symbol systems (Blissymbols, Picture Communication System, and Picsyms) frequently used with augmentative communication devices for communication disordered…

The author describes his personal experience in the development and use of MINSPEAK, a synthesized voice communication aid which permits users to control pitch of individual phonemes, store sentences under pictures developed by the user, and vary types of sentences to be used. (MC)

The paper presents the basics of the design, function, and construction of communication boards for use with the severely disabled. (Author/SW)

The book describes techniques for helping nonspeaking individuals to communicate. The first section focuses on equipment, presenting information on materials and instructions for constructing such equipment as communication boards for children who need a looking response; boards or trays for children with motor control problems; brief-case-style…

Audiometric instruments and techniques adopted to measure tactual cueing characteristics of the Radioear B70A and the Siemens Fonator electromechanical vibrators were used by young adults. The Siemens Phonator demonstrated a wider suprathreshold operating range than did the Radioear B70A. (Author/CL)

Vocabulary systems for individuals using communication aids can be broken down into two major types: coverage vocabularies and acceleration vocabularies. Acceleration vocabularies or word sets assume the individual is able to spell and words are chosen which speed up the rate of communication. Acceleration techniques may include sets of most…

This bibliography covers alternative and augmentative communication and includes English-language citations for books, journal articles, and conference proceedings. The list contains over 400 citations, organized in alphabetical order by author, with references to publications dated from 1973 to 1986. Each bibliographic entry is coded for the…

The article addresses some of the primary problems in augmentative communication systems and aids for severely handicapped nonspeaking children. Selection and assessment factors include cognitive, physical, linguistic, and environmental aspects. (Author/CL)

A question and answer format presents information for parents on electronic communication aids for children with severe speech impairments. (DB)

Facilitated communication (FC) was evaluated using a message-passing paradigm with eight primarily nonverbal adults with mental retardation. These individuals were required to relay to their facilitators via FC items that had been presented to them individually. Six individuals failed to correctly pass any messages (items) to the facilitators…

This assessment of the validity of facilitated communication used a conversational methodology with five adults with intellectual disability. There was no evidence of a valid communication by any of the 5 adults in the 18 trials involving concrete objects nor in the 17 trials involving conversational topics. (JDD)

An interdisciplinary research group in Denmark examined use of facilitated communication, via spelling boards, by 17 patients with communication disorders. Meaningful communication took place only when the facilitators had access to the information to be communicated. (JDD)

A proposed new model for augmentative and alternative communication evaluation and system selection has the clinical team identifying the client's functional needs, skills, and environmental factors from which a specification for an ideal device is generated. This generic device is then presented to manufacturers who respond by proposing a system…

Parents are provided with directions for making inexpensive mini-communication boards for children with expressive communication problems, and suggestions are provided for training the child in board use. Small pictures or objects selected to reflect the child's vocabulary needs are mounted on a simple board, allowing the child to express his…