IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i10p5134-d553261.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Communicative Interaction with and without Eye-Gaze Technology between Children and Youths with Complex Needs and Their Communication Partners

Author

Listed:
  • Yu-Hsin Hsieh

    (Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, Se-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Maria Borgestig

    (Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Deepika Gopalarao

    (Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities, Building No. 01, Street No. 21 Al Barsha 1, Dubai PO 8397, United Arab Emirates)

  • Joy McGowan

    (Easterseals of Southeastern Pennsylvania, 3975 Conshohocken Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA)

  • Mats Granlund

    (CHILD, Swedish Institute of Disability Research, School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, 553 18 Jönköping, Sweden)

  • Ai-Wen Hwang

    (Graduate Institute of Early Intervention, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Tao-Yuan City 33301, Taiwan
    Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, 5 Fu-Xing St., Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan City 33301, Taiwan)

  • Helena Hemmingsson

    (Department of Special Education, Stockholm University, Se-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

Use of eye-gaze assistive technology (EGAT) provides children/youths with severe motor and speech impairments communication opportunities by using eyes to control a communication interface on a computer. However, knowledge about how using EGAT contributes to communication and influences dyadic interaction remains limited. Aim: By video-coding dyadic interaction sequences, this study investigates the impacts of employing EGAT, compared to the Non-EGAT condition on the dyadic communicative interaction. Method: Participants were six dyads with children/youths aged 4–19 years having severe physical disabilities and complex communication needs. A total of 12 film clips of dyadic communication activities with and without EGAT in natural contexts were included. Based on a systematic coding scheme, dyadic communication behaviors were coded to determine the interactional structure and communicative functions. Data were analyzed using a three-tiered method combining group and individual analysis. Results: When using EGAT, children/youths increased initiations in communicative interactions and tended to provide more information, while communication partners made fewer communicative turns, initiations, and requests compared to the Non-EGAT condition. Communication activities, eye-control skills, and communication abilities could influence dyadic interaction. Conclusion: Use of EGAT shows potential to support communicative interaction by increasing children’s initiations and intelligibility, and facilitating symmetrical communication between dyads.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu-Hsin Hsieh & Maria Borgestig & Deepika Gopalarao & Joy McGowan & Mats Granlund & Ai-Wen Hwang & Helena Hemmingsson, 2021. "Communicative Interaction with and without Eye-Gaze Technology between Children and Youths with Complex Needs and Their Communication Partners," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-22, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:10:p:5134-:d:553261
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/10/5134/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/10/5134/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Helena Hemmingsson & Maria Borgestig, 2020. "Usability of Eye-Gaze Controlled Computers in Sweden: A Total Population Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-13, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Verónica Schiariti, 2021. "Introduction to the Special Issue on Early Child Development: From Measurement to Optimal Functioning and Evidence-Based Policy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-4, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:10:p:5134-:d:553261. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.