Clarke, M. T. (2005). Conversational interaction between children using communication aids and their peers (Publication No. 27821301) [Doctoral dissertation, University College of London]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
This study examined three children with cerebral palsy aged 7;11 to 14;10 years who use voice output communication aides interacting with their speaking peers. Speaking peer partners often designed interactional slots for VOCA through use of first pair parts designed as meta-interactional prompts (e.g., “Now you ask me a question”) or questions that required minimal syntactic form in their responses. Few sequential opportunities were available for VOCA-mediated initiations, and these turns encountered more difficulty in establishing mutual understanding of the content and intention. The turn initial and within turn pauses of VOCA mediated contributions were of significant length, which at times made them vulnerable to permeability by their communication partner. Interactional troubles often consisted of speaking children’s difficulty in identifying the transition relevance place of VOCA mediated turns despite the aided communicators’ use of turn-completion signals (e.g., gaze shift from device to speaking partner). Additionally, speaking partners experienced difficulties in understanding the content and intention of initiated VOCA turns. Aided communicators used vocalizations and embodied resources to signal a wide variety of social actions, such as a foreshadowings, pre-beginnings, turn-completions, alignment, acceptances/rejections, naughty talk, and humorous talk.