The selection of the initial lexicon is one of the most important decisions made in the implementation of augmentative communication systems with preliterate, nonspeaking preschool children. If a communication aid is to be adopted by a child, the words available on the device must be interesting to the child and encourage communication. The vocabulary must allow for cognitive growth and foster language development. Ideally, a lexicon would be customized for each nonspeaking child's particular interests, vocabulary needs and developmental level. The reality is that vocabulary selection is a difficult and time consuming process. Parents and clinicians do not always have the time or expertise to develop an individualized lexicon and must depend on a prepared list. These lists are not always appropriate for preschool children. A carefully developed core vocabulary could serve as a framework for the initial lexicon and would ensure that the words available to the children promoted communication and language growth. This would allow caregivers to concentrate on the smaller individualized portion of the lexicon.

Thesis (M.A.)--Kent State University, 2006. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed June 12, 2007). Advisor: William E. Merriman. Keywords: language development, language, word learning, form, function, shape bias, function neglect. Includes survey instruments. Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-39).

Thesis(M.S.)--Auburn University, 2006. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references (p.73-80).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [101]-108).

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2007. / Includes bibliography.

This study sought to examine the relationships between the adult language input, as measured by quantity and quality, and the child’s language production in regards to quantity and quality, as well as their knowledge of basic concepts and vocabulary. LENA technology was used to audio-record the language environments of 26 preschool children with hearing loss over two days (weekday and weekend). This technology recorded up to 16 hours and analyzed the quantitative data associated with the adult word count (AWC), conversational turn count (CTC), and child vocalization count (CVC). Furthermore, one- hour meal times (30 minutes for the weekday/snack time and 30 minutes for the weekend/dinner time) was transcribed and coded for quality components of language defined as lexical diversity, syntactical complexity and clausal complexity. Additionally, the children were assessed on their knowledge of basic concepts through the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts (BTBC-3) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-4). Results indicated that there was a relationship between the adult language input and the child language production, but only in regards to quantity of language. More specifically, the CTC during each day was related to the CVC for each day; in other words, the more interactions adults and children had during the day, the more likely the child vocalized. Interestingly, the statistical analysis revealed that quality of adult language input was not significantly related to the child language variables. However, significant differences between the teachers and caregivers were reported in regards to the quality of adult language input. These results suggest that the language input provided by adults in different environments (school versus home) is considerably different and warrants further investigation as how the potential influence on language outcomes of children with hearing loss.

In 2 experiments, I tested the effects of a behavioral momentum blending procedure on the accuracy of component and composite textual and spelling responses emitted by 11 preschool students with disabilities, including autism and speech and language delays, using multiple probe designs across participants. The participants were between 3 and 4 years old and were selected to participate because they were receiving reading instruction, but they emitted low numbers of correct textual responses to words comprised of previously mastered phoneme-grapheme correspondences. Dependent measures in the experiment included blending responses to novel text stimuli, composite vocal blending responses in which no textual stimuli were used, and spelling responses. In addition, in Experiment 2, I tested the effects of the procedure on the reinforcing properties of textual stimuli. Prior to the intervention, the participants were taught to textually respond to a set of known, regular words comprised of up to five phonemic sounds represented by corresponding graphemes at a target rate (number per min). During the behavioral momentum blending intervention, participants responded to these words that were presented in rapid succession by the experimenter, followed by the immediate presentation of novel words. The experimenter provided a vocal model of the component phonemes which was systematically faded during each phase of the intervention. Results for Experiment 1 showed increases in textual, spelling, and vocal blending responses for five participants. In addition, results indicated that the participants textually responded to novel words and emitted more composite textual responses, or responses without emitting the component sounds prior to textually responding, when composite blending was modeled at the beginning of the probe session. In Experiment 2, I altered the intervention procedure to require composite only responding as a final step in the instructional sequence. Six new preschool students were selected to participate, and the dependent measures were the same as Experiment 1; however, I also tested for the presence of conditioned reinforcement for observing print prior to and following BMBI. Results showed significant effects for four of the participants following up to two phases of intervention but were less significant for two of the participants. Additionally, results indicated the establishment of conditioned reinforcement for observing print for the participants who textually responded at criterion level. These findings are discussed with regard to the educational significance of blending as a prerequisite for textual responding and the importance of the speaker-as-own-listener verbal repertoire in learning to read phonetically.

In 2 experiments, I analyzed relations between the presence of Bidirectional Naming (BiN) and the establishment of arbitrary and non-arbitrary relational responses. In Experiment I, I analyzed the presence and strength of correlations between Bidirectional Naming and the establishment of derived relations for 31 preschool students. For Bidirectional Naming, the participants’ responses to both familiar and unfamiliar stimuli were measured; familiar stimuli were defined as spoken and visual stimuli that may be commonly present in the participants’ environment, while unfamiliar stimuli were contrived spoken and visual stimuli that were not customarily present in the participants’ environment. For relational responses, a non-arbitrary relation was defined as a relation that can be made based on the formal characteristics of the stimuli, while an arbitrary relation would be based on verbally mediated contextual cues. Data from this experiment showed there was an overall positive correlation between the demonstration of Bidirectional Naming and the establishment of derived relations, r = .847, p < .001. Moreover, there was a strong positive correlation between Bidirectional Naming with unfamiliar stimuli and arbitrarily derived relations, r = .823, p < .001. In Experiment II, I studied the establishment of arbitrary visual-visual and auditory-visual relations for 18 preschool students. The participants were split into 3 equal groups based on their degree of Bidirectional Naming; the groups consisted of 6 participants that demonstrated Bidirectional Naming, 6 participants that demonstrated Unidirectional Naming (UniN), and 6 participants that demonstrated a low degree of Bidirectional Naming. A comparison of the mean correct responses, between experimental groups, showed a significant difference for auditory-visual relations, F(2,15) = 36.63, p < .001, as well as visual-visual relations, F(2,15) = 4.11, p = .038. These data suggest that simpler (i.e., auditory-visual) derived relations are present with Unidirectional Naming; however, the joining of the listener and speaker repertoires (i.e., Bidirectional Naming) may be necessary for the development of more complex (i.e., visual-visual) derived relations. The results of these experiments suggest strong associations between the incidental acquisition of words and the incidental acquisition of language relations. The results also provide more evidence for how the establishment of Bidirectional Naming may lead to an individual learning at accelerated rates and in new ways.

Children with severe physical disabilities often do not have the capabilities for oral communication. Professionals are frequently faced with selecting vocabulary for children who are unable to use vocal output because of severe motor impairments. A child who is nonambulatory may have additional reasons for communicating and sees the world from a different viewpoint than his ambulatory peers. Selecting appropriate words for an initial lexicon that are useful to nonspeaking disabled children that also meet normal language acquisition standards is a concern. This study specifically addresses this concern by looking at the vocabulary differences of ambulatory and nonambulatory preschool children. The purpose of this research project was to compare expressive vocabulary produced by nonambulatory, speaking children with the expressive vocabulary produced by ambulatory, speaking children. It is suggested that the vocabulary of nonambulatory, speaking children might be more appropriate for selecting a lexicon for AAC systems if indeed, they are different from words produced by ambulatory, speaking children.

Two preschool males who presented with the characteristics of developmental verbal dyspraxia were enrolled in a phonological cycles intervention approach. Initially, each child's deviant phonological processes were analyzed by the CAPD and target patterns and words selected for remediation. A continuous speech sample was obtained and analyzed to measure intelligibility by percentage and rating on a seven point scale. A time-space probe was developed based on targeted and non-targeted phonemes and administered prior to the first intetvention session. Using the selected targeted patterns and words, an individualized remediation plan was developed, and the phonological process cycling approach used. Each subject participated in 60 minutes of intervention for each targeted pattern to complete the first cycle in approximately 10 weeks. The time-space probes were administered approximately every two weeks.