"PlayTalk" Communication Software for Children with Complex Communication Needs

描述(由申请人提供)：迫切需要为有复杂交流需求的幼儿设计的语音生成设备(SGD)。现有的SGD对儿童来说很难使用，对成年人来说也很耗时。如果没有适当的SGD，儿童在早年就失去了交流和发展语言技能的宝贵机会，因为他们处于语言发展的有利地位。拟议的研究将继续开发成功解决这些问题的软件。这款名为PlayTalk的软件鼓励儿童进行互动和交流。它使用适合发展的表示、组织和导航技术，因此很容易被幼儿理解和使用。它还使成年人能够在与孩子互动的同时轻松、快速地添加交流展示和语言概念，而不会中断乐趣和学习。第一阶段的研究清楚地证明了可行性。PlayTalk便于家长和专业人士学习和使用，它比目前的SGD更好地支持有复杂沟通需求的幼儿的沟通和语言学习。PlayTalk还提供了获取词汇的途径，这些词汇更符合孩子们的直接需求和兴趣，使父母和专业人士能够利用一天中发生的可受教育的时刻。第二阶段的技术开发重点是让PlayTalk可以通过标准的网络浏览器在许多设备上使用。第二阶段还通过提供工具，鼓励儿童参与制作VSD，进一步发展了最先进的技术。PlayTalk的影响是特别的，因为它促进了幼儿的沟通、语言和认知发展，这些儿童目前在这些领域面临着巨大的失败风险。 公共卫生相关性：拟议的研究旨在使有复杂沟通需求的幼儿能够更充分地参与有意义的社会互动，从而促进沟通、语言和认知发展。

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. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed research aims to enable young children with complex communication needs to participate more fully in meaningful social interactions thereby facilitating communication, language, and cognitive development.