Can an iPad app promote educational team communication and child use of pictures in communication?

Denman Undergraduate Research Forum - Honorable MentionLast year an iPad application named Citra was developed by an interdisciplinary group of students at Ohio State. Citra was designed for persons with severe communication disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Down syndrome, with the knowledge that such limits in communication greatly impact a person's ability to meet their basic needs. For example, it is estimated that 33 to 55% of children with ASD will never develop effective spoken communication (Cafiero & Meyer, 2008). Although augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods have been found to be especially beneficial for individuals with such severe communication disorders, only recently have AAC methods been implemented using widely available technology such as the iPad. As a type of AAC, Citra utilizes visual stimuli to support communication and to connect the child's caregiver team through a notes-sharing feature. The purpose of this research project is to employ two methods to examine the initial acceptance, use, and effectiveness of the Citra iPad application for two children with severe communication disorders. First, each child's family and speech therapist completed four questionnaires across a 9-week interval to examine their perceptions of Citra's usefulness and the child's general experience with Citra. Second, in order to compare effects of digital versus non-digital formats, the researcher observed each child's communication attempts using Citra versus another non-computerized form of AAC across six short snack sessions. The 9-week data collection period is currently underway; data presented in this thesis covers the first four weeks for Child 1 and the first three weeks for Child 2. From this data, preliminary results have been formed and are presented here. So far the study has found no significant difference between digital versus non-digital AAC formats. Once completed, this initial study of Citra's validity will provide a platform for additional validation efforts and make a timely contribution to research in AAC.College of Arts and SciencesDepartment of Social and Behavioral SciencesNo embargoAcademic Major: Speech and Hearing Scienc