Research Component: Multimodal Approach to Word Learning in Children with Autism

我们的项目突出了堪萨斯州智力与发展研究所的一个主要研究领域 研究中心-语言与交流。具体地说，我们的重点是语言和交流 患有自闭症和最低语言能力(少于20个口语单词)的儿童。在过去的岁月里仍然不会说话 对于未来的语言发展来说，5年被认为是一个不好的预测指标(Picket等人， 2009年)，但几乎没有制定出解决这一问题的干预措施。这个项目的具体目标是 (1)进一步调查针对语言技能最低的学龄儿童的多模式干预- 定义为自发说出、签名或通过图形符号选择选择的少于20个单词-以及 (2)找出与干预反应差异相关的显著协变量。这项研究 解决未得到满足的需求，促进基本上保持非语言能力的儿童的口语产出 远远超过了与语音习得相关的年龄。该项目还具有创新性，因为：a)它调查 基于音向概率和邻域密度原理的多通道干预 与增强和替代通信(AAC)相结合，以及b)它研究了新的预测因素 通过尖端技术获得的治疗反应。我们建议，这一干预将 比过去的干预更成功，因为我们将通过语音、数字化提供更多的输入 语音和视觉图像以及针对由高音组成的单词的附加语音练习 儿童曲目中的频率声音。每个参与者的曲目中现有的语音将是 使用莉娜的数字化录音来确认身份。然后将根据儿童的语音选择词汇 发音曲目和单词学习原则-具有高概率语音序列的单词将是 选择并教授我们的多模式干预或正常情况下的治疗。对以下问题的回应 这些干预措施将使用序贯多分配随机试验(SMART)进行评估 设计。我们认为，不同的结果将与个人和环境预测因素有关。 在我们之前的研究中确定了。个体预测因素包括口头理解、模仿技能、 适应行为、非语言语音曲目和交流复杂性。沟通 复杂性将使用由校长开发的通信复杂性量表(CCS)来衡量 调查员。环境预测指标包括通过Lena录音测量到儿童的语言输入 设备。结果将决定我们的多模式干预是否比通常的治疗更成功 教授单词制作，但也将确定与以下内容相关联的个人和环境概况 不同的结果。我们的发现将导致更有针对性的临床试验研究，并将 学校和诊所的定制干预做法。归根结底，这一系列研究的目的是改善 通过增强沟通技能，改善自闭症儿童及其家庭的生活。

Our project highlights one of the primary areas of research within the Kansas Intellectual and Developmental Research Center— language and communication. Specifically, we focus on language and communication in children with autism and minimal verbal skills (less than 20 spoken words). Remaining nonverbal past the age of 5 years has been considered a poor prognostic indicator for future language developments (Picket et al., 2009), yet few interventions have been developed to address this problem. The Specific Aims for this project are (1) to further investigate a multimodal intervention for school-age children with minimal verbal skills— defined as less than 20 words spontaneously spoken, signed, or selected via graphic symbol selection—and (2) to identify significant covariates associated with differential responding to the intervention. The research addresses an unmet need to promote spoken word production in children who remain essentially nonverbal well past the ages associated with speech acquisition. The project is also innovative because: a) it investigates a multimodal intervention based on principles of phonotactic probability and neighborhood density in combination with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and b) it investigates novel predictors of treatment response that are obtained through cutting-edge technologies. We propose that this intervention will have better success than past interventions because we will provide increased input through speech, digitized speech and visual images and additional speech sound practice for words that are comprised of high frequency sounds in the child’s repertoire. Extant speech sounds in each participant’s repertoire will be identified using LENA digitized recordings. Vocabulary words will then be selected based on a child’s speech sound repertoire and principles of word learning—words with high probability speech sound sequences will be selected and taught with either our multimodal intervention or a treatment as usual condition. Responses to these interventions will be evaluated using a Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trials (SMART) design. We propose that different outcomes will be associated with individual and environmental predictors identified in our previous research. Individual predictors include verbal comprehension, imitation skills, adaptive behavior, nonverbal speech sound repertoire, and communication complexity. Communication complexity will be measured with the Communication Complexity Scale (CCS), developed by the Principal Investigator. Environmental predictors include language input to the child as measured with LENA recording devices. Results will determine if our multimodal intervention is more successful than treatment as usual for teaching word productions, but will also identify the individual and environmental profiles associated with differential outcomes. Our discoveries will lead to more focused clinical trial research and will inform customized intervention practices in schools and clinics. Ultimately this line of research aims to improve the lives of children with autism and their families through enhanced communication skills.