Communication of People with Mental Retardation

交流和语言发展障碍和/或迟缓是智力迟钝的一个明确特征。该研究以交际和语言发展的概念为指导，强调发展的尖端的中心作用- 行为，技能，感知或动机，这对接下来的发展至关重要。在这个尖点谈判达成之前，沿着这条路线的发展沿着可能基本上停止;成功的谈判则允许一系列重要的后续发展发生。本提案所涉及的问题是 与患有严重或深度精神发育迟滞或有患严重精神发育迟滞风险的个体的沟通挑战密切相关并具有代表性。我们最近的研究表明，他们的沟通障碍至少部分是可以干预的。因此，我们建议进一步了解这些发展的风口浪尖，因为我们检查他们的谈判策略。瓣尖是 概念化在于从预先意图到开始符号沟通的沟通发展的连续体。尖端是偶然性歧视，三元眼睛凝视，和符号通信使用语音输出通信助手（VOCA）。我们的战略是建立在近四个 几十年的研究。具体来说，我们打算展示患有严重多重障碍的儿童和成人如何学会用自适应开关请求帮助（项目I：R。Saunders等人）;如何在患有中度或重度运动障碍的幼儿中建立用于联合注意的三重眼凝视（项目II：Olswang等人）;以及使用VOCA的符号沟通的获得如何影响成功沟通交流的发展（项目III：布雷迪等）。所有项目都提出要确定参与者变量，这些变量可以预测他们所研究的特定尖点是否成功。此外，项目I和II研究的两个早期发展尖点之间的关系以及 项目III所研究的沟通将通过前瞻性和回顾性分析进行调查。

Disordered and/or delayed communication and language development constitute a defining characteristic of mental retardation. The proposed research is guided by a conceptualization of communication and language development that stresses the central role of the developmental cusp-an intersection in the interaction of behavior, skill, perception, or motivation, that is crucial to what should come next in development. Until the cusp is negotiated, development along that route may essentially stop; successful negotiation then permits a significant set of subsequent developments to occur. The cusps addressed in the present proposal are closely related to and representative of communication challenges of individuals with severe or profound mental retardation or at risk for severe mental retardation. Our recent research suggests that their communication impairments are at least partially amenable to intervention. Thus, we propose to further our understanding of these developmental cusps as we examine strategies for their negotiation. The cusps are conceptualized to lie on a continuum of communication development from pre-intentional to beginning symbolic communication. The cusps are contingency discrimination, triadic eye gaze, and symbolic communication using voice output communication aides (VOCA). Our strategies are built on nearly four decades of study. Specifically, we intend to show how children and adults with profound multiple impairments can learn to request assistance with adaptive switches (Project I: R. Saunders et al.); how triadic eye gaze for joint attention can be established in very young children with moderate or severe motor impairments (Project II: Olswang et al.); and how acquisition of symbolic communication using VOCA affects the development of successful communication exchanges (Project III: Brady et al.). All projects propose to identify participant variables that predict success in crossing the particular cusps they are studying. In addition, the relationship between the two earlier developing cusps studied by Projects I and II and later communication as studied by Project III will be investigated through both prospective and retrospective analyses.