Developing communication skills in deaf primary school pupils: Introducing and evaluating the smiLE approach

Many profoundly deaf signers have difficulty communicating with hearing people. This article describes a therapy called ‘Strategies and Measurable Interaction in Live English’ (smiLE; Schamroth and Threadgill, 2007a), an approach used to teach deaf children skills to become successful communicators in real-life situations. This study evaluates the effectiveness of smiLE in helping deaf pupils develop their ability to make successful requests in a specific communication situation and whether this generalized to another communication situation. Sixteen severely and profoundly deaf primary school pupils (7.2—11.0 years old) received an 11-week programme of therapy. Their performances in a trained and an untrained communication situation were compared pre- and post-therapy. In the trained task, the pupils’ interactions improved significantly. No differences were found in the untrained task, suggesting that the learnt skills did not generalize. Anecdotal findings suggest that some carry-over into a similar situation had occurred and that trained skills were maintained. The smiLE therapy approach is effective in providing deaf children with the communication skills and confidence to interact with English speakers in targeted situations. The lack of generalization of these skills to similar situations may be overcome by a longer therapy programme that specifically promote these skills across different situations

Psychological characteristics of children with visual impairments: learning, memory and imagery

The performance of children (and sometimes adults) with visual impairments (VI) on a range of tasks that reflect learning, memory and mental imagery is considered in this article. Sometimes the evidence suggests that there are impairments in performance in comparison with typically developing children with vision and sometimes some advantages emerge. The author’s aim is to describe some of her own and others’ findings and explore what they tell us about the cognitive characteristics of such children, so that progress with practical interventions can be advanced through understanding. The article starts by focusing on social-cognitive development and in particular considers the potential benefits of language in that development. This is followed by a review of some studies of learning and memory performance which provide a coherent picture of development without vision and finally ends with a consideration of spatial mental imagery

Accessibility of 3D Game Environments for People with Aphasia: An Exploratory Study

People with aphasia experience difficulties with all aspects of language and this can mean that their access to technology is substantially reduced. We report a study undertaken to investigate the issues that confront people with aphasia when interacting with technology, specifically 3D game environments. Five people with aphasia were observed and interviewed in twelve workshop sessions. We report the key themes that emerged from the study, such as the importance of direct mappings between users’ interactions and actions in a virtual environment. The results of the study provide some insight into the challenges, but also the opportunities, these mainstream technologies offer to people with aphasia. We discuss how these technologies could be more supportive and inclusive for people with language and communication difficulties

The efficacy of speech intervention using electopalatography with an 18 year old deaf client: A single case study

This single case study explored the use of EPG as a therapeutic tool for treating inaccurate articulation of the voiceless alveolar plosive /t/. The participant (M) is an 18-year-old deaf adult who consistently uses hearing aids, and who communicates using a combination of English, Sign Supported English and British Sign Language (BSL). M received traditional phonological therapy targeting his production of /t/ prior to EPG therapy, but without success. He requested further therapy and EPG was offered as an alternative approach. Pre-EPG therapy, M made tongue placement errors for both /t/ and the voiced alveolar plosive /d/. Based on perceptual analysis by M’s speech and language therapist, the first author, his productions were inconsistent, though generally perceived as voiceless and voiced velar plosives respectively. The EPG therapy consisted of 6 bi-weekly therapy sessions, each lasting for one hour, targeting M’s production of /t/ in familiar words, using the visual feedback from the EPG display. Trained and untrained listeners perceptually analysed audio recordings of words and sentences collected at 3 assessment points. Improvements, both over the course of the EPG therapy and during the follow-up period, were found to be statistically significant. Significantly, M was able to generalise his production skills to untaught words containing both /t/ and /d/. Equally significant was the lack of change in M’s production of a control sound, the voiceless dental fricative /θ/. More globally, an improvement was observed in ratings of M’s intelligibility in sentences and in his voice quality (assessed impressionistically)

Measuring outcomes of a peer-led social communication skills intervention for adults with acquired brain injury: A pilot investigation

Reduced social competence following severe acquired brain injury (ABI) is well-documented. This pilot study investigated a peer-led group intervention based on the claim that peer models may be a more effective mechanism for behaviour change than clinician-led approaches. Twelve participants with severe ABI were recruited from a post-acute neurorehabilitation setting and randomly assigned to either a peer-led intervention or a staff-led activity group (usual care) (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02211339). The groups met twice a week for 8 weeks. A peer was trained separately to facilitate interaction in the intervention group. Training comprised 16 individual sessions over 4 weeks. Group behaviour was measured twice at baseline, after intervention and at maintenance (4 weeks), using the Adapted Measure of Participation in Conversation (MPC) and the Interactional Network Tool (INT), a newly devised measure of group conversational interaction. Outcome measures showed differential sensitivity. The groups did not differ in baseline behaviour. Findings showed a significant improvement in the treated group on the MPC transaction scale post-intervention (p = .02). The intervention group showed more balanced interaction post-intervention on the INT and at follow-up. Findings show preliminary evidence of the advantage for peer-led groups. The INT shows promise as a method to detect a change in group communication behaviour. / Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02211339

Measuring group social interactions following acquired brain injury: an inter-rater reliability evaluation

Background: Social communication impairments following acquired brain injury (ABI) are well-documented. There is evidence that group interventions are beneficial but research into validated instruments to measure group outcomes is a new field of investigation. / Aims: This study reports on the inter-rater reliability of three established social communication measures for use with group interaction data: the Profile of Pragmatic Impairment in Communication (PPIC), the Behaviorally Referenced Rating System of Intermediate Social Skills (BRISS-R), the Adapted Measure of Participation in Conversation (MPC). Inter-rater reliability of the Interactional Network Tool (INT), a new digital tool designed for group interactional behaviours, is also evaluated. / Method: Thirty-one video samples of ABI group interactions were independently rated by two rater pairs using the four outcome measures. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using intra-class correlations (ICC). / Results: ICC estimates and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated for the different measures. The measures showed differential sensitivity. Rater agreement on the MPC interaction (ICC = 0.77) and transaction (ICC = 0.74) scales was moderate to good. The INT initiation frequencies (ICC = 0.83) were moderate to excellent and the INT response frequencies (ICC = 0.69) were poor to good. Poor to moderate reliability was achieved on the BRISS-R PCSS (ICC = 0.49) and PDBS (ICC = 0.50) scale and PPIC findings were moderate but showed presence of skew. / Conclusion: Acceptable reliability was achieved on two measures of participation (MPC and INT). The INT shows promise as a new method to characterise interactions and detect change in group communication behaviour

Are good intentions enough? The role of the policy implementer during educational reform

Nationally the educational landscape is changing and it could be argued that reform is taking place at an unprecedented rate. Associated with educational reform is the introduction of new policy, including statutory guidance. This article seeks to consider policy implementation in schools, specifically through the lens of the policy actor typology (Ball et al., 2012). The article focuses on the introduction of the SEND reforms and deliberates the policy actor roles the SENCO, as a key implementer, could be seen to assume. Additionally, the article queries the potential barriers which may prevent the implementation of policy as originally conceived as well as the potential outcome of unintended consequences, ultimately asking the question, ‘Are good intentions enough?

The Lowland Maya "Protoclassic"

The term "Protoclassic," employed regularly but inexplicitly in the literature of lowland Maya archaeology, has become increasingly nebulous and ambiguous in both meaning and usage. This paper reviews the history and use of the term and presents a formal redefinition of the Protoclassic as a ceramic stage based explicitly and exclusively on ceramic criteria. Some suggestions regarding future use of the term also are offered. The paper further addresses and resolves a number of persisting questions regarding Protoclassic orange wares, including problems concerning the actual existence of the "Aguacate ceramic group." and the relationships of Aguacate-group pottery to other emergent orange wares of the terminal Late Preclassic and initial Early Classic periods. The nature and significance of the "Holmul I Style," the "Floral Park Ceramic Sphere." and the relationships of the two to each other and the larger, redefined "protoclassic" ceramic stage also are examined. A spatial distribution for protoclassic ceramics considerably expanded over what has ever been reported previously is described, and chronometric data are presented to support a revised chronology for the protoclassic ceramic stage. Finally, ceramic data are offered that suggest a real subdivision of the protoclassic ceramic stage into an early, emergent facet originating entirely within Late Preclassic lowland traditions, and a later, fully "Classic" facet corresponding to the early Tzakol (Tzakol 1) ceramic horizon

The changing UK careers landscape : tidal waves, turbulence and transformation

This article explores how the UK careers landscape in each of the four home nations is changing in response to neo-liberal policies. In this context, careers services are increasingly under pressure to demonstrate their added value, impact and returns on investment. As fiscal arrangements tighten and governments state their preferences and priorities for national careers services, differing strategic responses are beginning to emerge. A quasi-market, experimental approach is now the dominant discourse in England, in contrast to differing and complementary arrangements in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The article suggests that insofar as these developments are transforming national careers services, they are also creating significant challenges which require new forms of policy imagery and imagination for high-impact, all-age careers services