"PlayTalk" Communication Software for Children with Complex Communication Needs

描述（由申请人提供）：迫切需要为具有复杂通信需求的幼儿设计的语音生成设备（SGD）。可用的SGD对儿童来说很难使用，对成年人来说编程也很耗时。如果没有适当的SGDs，孩子们就会错过宝贵的机会，在他们早期的时候，当他们倾向于语言发展时，交流和发展语言技能。拟议的研究继续开发成功解决这些问题的软件。名为PlayTalk，这个软件鼓励互动和交流，吸引幼儿。它使用适合发展的表示，组织和导航技术，使幼儿易于理解和使用。它还使成年人能够在与儿童互动时轻松快速地添加沟通显示和语言概念，而不会破坏乐趣和学习。1期研究明确证明了可行性。PlayTalk对于家长和专业人士来说学习和使用起来既快速又容易，它比目前的SGD更能支持有复杂沟通需求的幼儿的沟通和语言学习。PlayTalk还提供了更符合儿童即时需求和兴趣的词汇，使父母和专业人员能够利用一天中出现的可教时刻。第二阶段的技术发展重点是通过标准的网络浏览器使PlayTalk在许多设备上可用。第二阶段还通过提供鼓励儿童参与创建VSD的工具，进一步发展了最新技术。PlayTalk的影响是特殊的，因为它促进了幼儿的沟通，语言和认知发展，而这些幼儿目前在这些领域有很大的失败风险。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is an urgent need for speech generating devices (SGDs) designed for young children with complex communication needs. Available SGDs are difficult for children to use and time consuming for adults to program. Without appropriate SGDs, children miss valuable opportunities to communicate and develop language skills during their early years, when they are predisposed to language development. The proposed research continues development of software that successfully addresses these problems. Named PlayTalk, this software encourages interaction and communication that appeals to young children. It uses developmentally appropriate representations, organizations, and navigational techniques so it is easy for young children to understand and use. It also enables adults to add communication displays and language concepts easily and quickly while interacting with the child, without disrupting the fun and learning. The Phase 1 study clearly demonstrated feasibility. PlayTalk was fast and easy for parents and professionals to learn and use, and it supported communication and language learning by young children with complex communication needs better than current SGDs. PlayTalk also provided access to vocabulary that was more responsive to the children's immediate needs and interests, enabling parents and professionals to capitalize on teachable moments as they occurred throughout the day. Phase 2 technical developments focus on making PlayTalk available on many devices via standard web-browsers. Phase 2 also furthers the state-of-the-art by providing tools to encourage participation by children in the creation of VSDs. The impact of PlayTalk is exceptional because it promotes communication, language, and cognitive development by young children who presently are at great risk for failure in these areas.