Information Representation in AAC Systems for People with Chronic Aphasia

1. Information Representation in AAC Systems for People with Chronic Aphasia Funded in part by: AAC-RERC, NIDRR, USDE PURPOSE Results Stimulus Sets Response Time-Picture Type Task I-Preference • To determine whether people with severe aphasia preferred and identified with greater accuracy and speed: (a) personally-relevant, contextualized pictures; (b) non-personally-relevant, contextualized pictures; or (c) iconic images. • To determine whether people with severe aphasia Identified pictured information corresponding to episodes, nouns, or verbs with greater accuracy and speed when images were (a) personally-relevant, contextualized; (b) non-personally-relevant, contextualized; or (c) iconic. • 16 pictures • Personally-relevant, contextualized • Non-personally-relevant, contextualized pictures • Iconic images • 3 target words assigned to 3 picture stimulus sets • Picture and word sets were judged for similarity in visual context • 3 judge panel using 3-point rating scale • Each picture and word pair had to receive rating of 2 or higher PROCEDURES • Contextually-Rich Visual Images • Pictures, photographs, or images that represent situations, places, or experiences by depicting people or objects in relation to one another, the natural environment, and the central action of a scene (McKelvey, Dietz, Hux, Weissling, Beukelman, 2007). • Experimental Design: Repeated Measures • Session I • Western Aphasia Battery • Vision screening • Gathering of photographs • Picture verification • Session II • Task I - preference • Task II – picture identification Response Time-Word Type Accuracy Picture Type METHODS Miechelle McKelvey, Karen Hux, David Beukelman, and Aimee R. Dietz Participants • 8 Adults with severe aphasia • 5 Women • 3 Men • Age • Mean = 61 years • Range = 25 to 86 years • Time Post Onset • Mean = 4 years 8 months • Range = .25 to 19.5 years • Aphasia Quotient • Mean = 25.34 • Range = 5.86 to 58.30 Examples of Tasks Stimuli Task I Task II Target:Baby shower • Informants • 4 spouses • 3 daughters • 1 mother • Presents (noun) • Opening (verb) • Baby shower (episode) Accuracy for Word Type Variables • Independent • Stimulus Picture Type • Personally-relevant, contextualized • Non-personally–relevant, contextualized pictures • Iconic images • Stimulus Word Type • Noun, Verb, Episode • Dependent • Preferred Picture Type • Accuracy • Speed of Accurate Response Summary of Results • Participants had a clear preference for personally-relevant, contextualized pictures. • Participants identified personally-relevant, contextualized pictures with greatest level of accuracy. • Participants showed a trend for identifying personally-relevant, contextualized pictures and non-personally-relevant, contextualized pictures faster than iconic images. http://aac.unl.edu/