RERC on AAC
The RERC on AAC is a collaborative center committed to advancing knowledge and producing innovative engineering solutions in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The RERC on AAC will support a research and development program that addresses three areas of rehabilitation science and engineering:
- Improving access to technologies through exploration of innovative approaches and through integration of multi-modalities;
- Developing innovative language support technologies, including natural language processing and computer-mediation, to support effective communication for children and adults with limited access to language;
- Improving the human computer interface to reduce cognitive visual processing demands and enhance communication performance.
We also will support a range of training and dissemination activities. Our goal is that the AAC technologies and knowledge generated by the RERC on AAC will enable individuals with complex communication needs to achieve the basic human right of communication, and to maximize their participation in education, employment, health and community activities.
How Individuals with Down Syndrome Visually Attend to and Interact with AAC Displays (Barwise et al., 2019)
At the 2019 ASHA Conference, Barwise and colleagues used eye-tracking technology to investigate how individuals with Down Syndrome interact with AAC displays.
New and FREE online resource: Thinking about Thinking for AAC (TAT4AAC)
The TAT4AAC is a new resource to help us better understand the cognitive demands of various AAC technologies.
RERC on AAC at ASHA 2019
There will be a wide range of presentations on RERC on AAC projects at the 2019 Annual ASHA Convention in Orlando, FL.
Trends in BCI research participant categories and descriptions in abstracts (Eddy et al., 2019)
Eddy and colleagues examined trends in inclusion and description of study participants with disabilities across six International BCI Meetings from 1999 to 2016.
Video VSDs with dynamic text on single word reading of children with multiple disabilities (Holyfield et al., 2019)
Holyfield et al. investigated the use of video visual scene displays (VSDs) with the Transition to Literacy (T2L) feature on the single word reading of children with multiple disabilities.
Effect of dynamic text on single word reading of adults with IDD (Holyfield et al., 2019)
Holyfield et al. investigated the use of VSDs with dynamic text on the single-word reading of adults with IDD.
Visual attention to AAC VSDs in individuals with and without developmental disabilities (O’Neill et al., 2019)
O’Neill et al. investigated visual attention to complex AAC VSDs by participants with and without developmental disabilities.
Special Issue on AAC State of the Science – Update
The five papers from the State of the Science Conference have received over 25,000 downloads since they were published in a special issue of the AAC journal.
2019 Doctoral Student Research Think Tank
The 2019 Doctoral Student AAC Research Think Tank was held on the University Park campus of Penn State University from May 19 – May 21, 2019.
Access Technology for AAC & Adults (Fager, 2019)
In a recent podcast for Speech Uncensored, Dr. Susan Fager discussed her research on access and communication technology