English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Joint attention (JA) is a key intervention component in addressing the needs of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) with limited functional speech [1]. Because social communication difficulties are a major feature of ASD, early intervention is crucial [2]. Designing intervention protocols to support advances in joint attention is important since JA is related to expressive and receptive language skills [3, 4]. Further, there is a need for guidance on managing the attentional demands of social communication interactions for children with ASD, particularly when natural speech does not adequately meet their daily communication needs [5,6]. One strategy used to enhance communication in children with ASD is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) which includes communication modalities that do not require anything but the individual’s body (e.g. signing or gesturing) as well as strategies involving external equipment such as pictures or computer based systems with synthesized voice output [7]. Adopting AAC early on, particularly for children with autism who are nonspeaking, may positively impact their subsequent speech, language, and social communication skills [8]. Shifting attention between an external communication aid and their communication partner may be more challenging for children with autism [9]. It follows, then, that creating a situation that is easiest for the child to attend to the communication partner, the system, and object(s) of interest will Seven preschool children (M age=3;11; range=2;10–5;7) with autism or related pragmatic difficulties participated in two structured interactions with an AAC system. In the aligned interaction, the system was placed at the chest level of the experimenter with the actual book to the side. In the divided interaction, the system was placed to one side of the experimenter and the book was placed to the other side. Based on states of joint attention (JA) engagement during the AAC interactions, two subgroups emerged: beginning coordinators and active coordinators. JA engagement states with the caregiver, performance on the Early Social Communication Scales, and caregiver report of language and communication skills supported the observations during the AAC interactions. Future research directions and implications for therapy are discussed.

Joint Attention Profiles for Children with Autism in Interactions with Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems