<p> This research study investigates the manifestations of the core deficits of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the writing process of three school-aged individuals diagnosed with this disorder. A qualitative research design was employed in order uncover the effects of the core deficits on the social interactions surrounding a constructivist approach to writing development. The ethnographic methods used during this investigation allowed the identification behavioral strategies employed as a result of the core deficits of ASD as they occurred during the authentic context of interest. The results of this study suggest underlying cognitive deficits described as an inaccurate locus of joint attention, rigid and restrictive conceptualizations of the writing process, and non-social use of the writing process. These underlying cognitive capacities decrease the ability of the individual with ASD to engage in the writing process in conventionally appropriate and effective manners. In response to a social constructivist approach to the writing process, the manifestations of the core deficits changed in each of the three participants followed in this study to include the establishment of joint action routines, integrated conceptualizations of the writing process, and the emergent use of writing for social purposes. The results of this research investigation support the theoretical standing of pragmatics as an emergent epiphenomenon (Perkins, 2005). For the three participants in this investigation, the social use of both the writing process and of written language emerged as other core capacities in social interaction and rigid conceptualizations responded to the social constructivist approaches employed in this study. As the writing process and written language became part of the social interactions of these IASD, the communicative functions of writing became apparent as a way to share their interests and experiences with others.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: A, page: . Adviser: Eyamba Bokamba. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 296-316) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2558. Adviser: Thomas Anderson. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 226-235) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

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<p> This investigation explores the manifestation of motivation as well as the systematic strategies that speech-language pathology graduate students employ to facilitate motivation in struggling learners. A qualitative paradigm was utilized to study three participant dyads, each one consisting of a child with a language disorder and a speech-language pathology graduate student. The primary source of data was video transcript analysis of a total of 17 representative shared reading sessions. The findings of this study demonstrate that motivation to participate in shared reading is manifested in the continued willingness of the child to participate in shared reading and that motivation was facilitated by the graduate clinician via a variety of therapeutic strategies. </p><p> Eleven common patterns emerged. 1) motivation as sustained participation, 2) a distinct set of functional therapeutic strategies were employed, 3) a wide range of therapeutic strategies were employed, 4) variable but systematic application of the different strategies, 5) interweaving of bursts of mediation and singular episodes of mediation, 6) utilization of collaborative therapeutic strategies/culture of co-investigation, 7) a high level of support prior to turn allocation, 8) successful communicative and reading attempts, 9) responsive collaboration by participants, 10) engagement even in the presence of struggle, and 11) rare occurrence of avoidant behaviors. Results indicate that motivation to engage in learning to read was the result of a wide range of instructional, evaluative, and interactional strategies that worked together to promote motivation to read. In response to these strategies, each participant produced responses that were overwhelmingly successful and even expected. These key variables helped to facilitate therapeutic interaction that was characterized by motivation and success.</p><p> Ultimately, it is apparent that motivation to read is best facilitated by complex, multi-faceted strategy use led by instructional strategies with a significant presence of evaluative and interactional strategies. It can be concluded that the participant behaviors that indicate motivation include primarily successful, expected responses that were facilitated by meaningful, strategic interactional devices.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-137). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

<p> Paralinguistic cues are powerful non-verbal communication elements that have the ability to make even good news sound horrible or bad news more palatable. Drawing upon the hermeneutical phenomenology communication theory of Dilthey (1961) and Shannon's (1949) communication channel model, this thesis targeted the six primary paralinguistic cues of <i>fluidity, articulation, sonority, tempo, emotion, and dynamic intensity</i> to discover how these cues interact and affect the credibility and palatability of a leader's message. To facilitate remembrance of these cues, the acronym F.A.S.T.E.D. was coined and used. Three different groups consisting of managers, non-managers, and media and public relations professionals were surveyed to provide a triangulation of the data that helped identify these relationships. Research showed that these vocal cues were every bit as essential to an accurate understanding of the message as the actual words the leader employed to explain and compel both internal and external stakeholders. Further, the study indicates the importance of learning and applying these skills as well as a universality of their existence that transcends language barriers and cultural differences. </p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-02, Section: A, page: 0498. Advisers: Gary Cziko; Kim McDonough. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-90) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (M.S.L.T.)--University of Canterbury, 2007. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (p. 30-34). Also available via the World Wide Web.