This study examined the changes in the communication skills of preschool students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that resulted from an intervention that featured three evidence-based, transactional approaches to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention: (a) attributing communicative meaning to student behaviours; (b)…

Children with Down syndrome (DS) and cerebral palsy (CP) are at risk of remaining pre-symbolic in their communication and play for prolonged periods. The aim of this study was to explore the early communication and play of children with DS and with CP who communicated at the pre-symbolic stage, and to determine the association between these…

Language involves the use of symbols in the form of words or signs that allow people to communicate their thoughts, ideas, and needs. Even without formal language, many children who are deaf-blind learn to communicate with gestures and object or picture symbols. Symbolic expression makes it possible to express thoughts and feelings about the…

The article addresses the need to identify the unconventional, nonsymbolic behaviors of children with severe, multiple disabilities. Suggestions for improving the frequency and quality of communicative interactions by building on the child's current behavioral repertoire. (Author/DB)

This paper develops a theoretical context for the concept that visual literacy involves a specific type of information processing that has been discussed in the literature on symbolism and epistemology for a number of years. Literacy is discussed first, as a general process of information processing involving the generation of knowledge through…

The Bliss symbol nonverbal communication system, based on a logical visual language, is described; the use of Blissymbolics to provide functional communication for nonverbal cerebral-palsied children is explained; and areas for future application and development of the system are suggested. (Author/IM)

This monograph outlines a course in the study of nonverbal or graphic symbols in communication, of language as symbols and of symbols within language. Performance objectives for the students are: (1) giving examples of the use of nonverbal and/or graphic communication symbols; (2) deducing that people assign different meanings to the same work and…

Motion pictures are not simply pictures that move. Instead, they involve a range of symbols, each of which has a somewhat unique function in the communication of meaning. The power of motion pictures lies in the range of symbols that can be employed and in the degree of their integrated expression of meanings. We can improve the effectiveness of…

Three of four severely retarded adolescents and young adults learned to use computer-based lexigrams to request foods and, subsequently, objects. Additional request experience with lexigrams resulted in consistent improvement on labeling and comprehension tasks, emergence of subject-initiated lexigram communications, and facilitation of spoken…