Analysis of narratives produced by four children who use augmentative and alternative communication

O uso da comunicação suplementar e/ou alternativa no trabalho com a morfossintaxe em adolescentes com Síndrome de Down

“…The results obtained corroborate literature findings regarding the gain in oral communication through phrasal structures containing adequately organized elements such as articles, nouns, verbs, pronouns, preposition, and conjunctions 20,22,29,31 . It can be argued that the repetition of phrasal structures with gradual and systematic introduction of slight modifications in syntactic elements, associated to the transparency and familiarity of the symbols, led to the implementation of auditory working memory, which has great influence on language issues presented by individuals with DS.…”

“…Studies [19][20][21][22][23] have shown that the presence of language difficulties and cognitive deficits is a relevant condition to indicate the use of systems and symbols from Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for this population, which includes, temporarily or permanently, individuals with DS. In other words, depending on the individual's profile of communication difficulties, the use of AAC could be a tool for language support or an alternative resource for language expression.…”

“…According to some studies 20,21,24 , AAC may be considered a facilitating resource in language development intervention in individuals with DS because it: aims communication effectiveness; provides independence, facilitating the solution of basic difficulties; supports social relationships, consequently opening educational, recreational, and vocational opportunities, among others.In a study with Brazilian children with DS and ages from five to eleven years who predominantly used gestural communication 25 , AAC was used with the aim to develop expressive vocabulary, resulting in its expansion and improvement in the quality of interaction and communication.…”

Narrative ability in children with cerebral palsy

“…"Once upon a time") and orientation to introduce setting and characters, an initiating event, a problem to achieve the intended goal, a resolution of the problem, and a formal ending device. The different story elements are important since they contribute to the construction of a mental model of the narrative, thus supporting the narrator in generating a story and the listener in comprehending a story (Soto and Hartmann 2006). Finally, telling a story is also a social activity, where the relationship of the narrator to the audience has to be taken into consideration (Reilly et al 2004).…”

“…No studies concerning the narrative ability of speaking children with CP have been found, but narrative ability has been examined specifically in children with CP using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC; Soto & Hartmann, 2006) and another group of children with early-onset brain damage, namely children with hydrocephalus, in a large study by Dennis and colleagues (1994). In the latter study the task involved retelling of two fairy tales.…”