Examining dynamic visual scene displays: implications for arranging and teaching symbol selection.

Area of Science:

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Child Development
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Visual Scene Displays (VSDs) are increasingly used with speech-generating devices for young children.
• Understanding age-related differences in VSD navigation is crucial for effective AAC implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine initial and subsequent performance in VSD use among children aged 24-27 and 33-36 months.
• To identify child characteristics associated with differences in VSD navigational skills.

Main Methods:

• Children (N=?) navigated a dynamic VSD to locate 9 vocabulary items across 2 linked pages.
• Performance (accuracy, latency) was assessed at initial exposure, criterion, and a 2-week maintenance session.
• Statistical analyses included t-tests and ANOVAs to compare age groups.

Main Results:

• Older children (33-36 months) demonstrated significantly higher accuracy and faster navigation during initial VSD exposure.
• Younger children (24-27 months) required more sessions to reach mastery.
• When controlling for practice and language comprehension, no significant performance differences were found at the maintenance stage.

Conclusions:

• While older children show initial advantages in VSD navigation, younger children acquire skills effectively with practice.
• The findings support the use of VSDs with speech-generating devices for children as young as 2 years old.
• Individual learning trajectories and language comprehension play key roles in VSD skill acquisition.