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BACKGROUND Behavioural skills training (BST) has demonstrated effectiveness in training teachers in evidence-based interventions to increase communication for children with limited repertoires. However, research has yet to extend to youth with developmental disabilities who are learning to communicate using speech-generating devices. The emergent use of telehealth technology in applied behaviour analysis has been associated with greater access to therapeutic services. Although the use of telehealth has been extended as an avenue for parents to access behavioural intervention services for their child, fewer studies have evaluated the use of telehealth for teacher behavioural consultation or with adolescents and young adults with complex communication needs. METHOD In the present study, four teaching staff were trained via telehealth to implement communication facilitation strategies with augmentative and alterative communication users in a high school functional skills classroom. During the coaching sessions, the staff were provided BST on the basic behaviour analytic teaching strategies (e.g. assessing preference, environmental arrangement, and reinforcement strategies). Independent adapted ABAB designs were used to evaluate the effectiveness of modified BST delivered via telehealth on increased teaching staff-implemented communication opportunities within the functional skills classroom and the effectiveness of staff-implemented communication intervention on increased speech-generating device mands for four adolescents/young adults with developmental disabilities. RESULTS The results indicated that the improved staff fidelity of the communication interventions was associated with the increased level of independent student mands for each dyad. Lastly, social validity data suggest that the procedures were acceptable and feasible. These data indicate that the use of telehealth may be a viable model for specialised classroom consultation. CONCLUSION The use of a telehealth delivery model to train classroom staff may be a viable option when specialised support is necessary, but access is limited.

Objetivo: identificar los factores, inherentes a la práctica clínica, que determinan la atención odontológica de pacientes con discapacidad. Métodos: realización de estudio descriptivo, de alcance explicativo, cuantitativo y corte transversal; aplicación de encuesta dirigida a odontólogos que ejercen como profesionales independientes, con la cual se midieron variables de caracterización, conocimientos, habilidades, percepción, infraestructura y atención del paciente con discapacidad. También, se desarrolló un análisis descriptivo, correlacional y multivariado. Resultados: no todos los odontólogos recibieron formación para la atención clínica de personas con discapacidad; algunos conocen los métodos de comunicación alternativa y aumentativa y, de estos, una mayoría representativa no los sabe manejar. Sobre la infraestructura, se identificó que esta cumple parcialmente con la normatividad y que la mayoría de los profesionales se sienten medianamente preparados para llevar a cabo esta atención, por lo que el 67,3% (99) afirmó atender esta población con sus protocolos clínicos habituales, pero, el 83,7% (123) manifestó brindar la atención solo en casos de urgencia odontológica. Los factores que determinan la atención del paciente con discapacidad están relacionados con la cantidad de pacientes asistentes, las experiencias negativas previas, las habilidades en el manejo de la consulta, la sensación de preparación y los años de experiencia clínica. Conclusiones: las experiencias negativas previas en la práctica clínica con pacientes con discapacidad son determinantes; para su disminución se sugiere la urgente implementación de técnicas comunicativas, la adecuación de infraestructura y el desarrollo de habilidades para la atención integral e inclusiva.

This paper presents the vernacular form caraças which, in European Portuguese (EP) is associated to multiple contexts, differents from its use as a feminine common noun. The data I will present shows that caraças behaves as a polarity item, without referential interpretation. On the one hand, caraçasbehaves as a minimizer, a subtype of Negative Polarity Item (NPI), being associated to the lowest point of a scale of value. On the other hand, it also behaves as a Positive Polarity Item (PPI), expressing maximal degrees, therefore being a maximizer. The fact that caraças occurs simultaneously as a NPI and a PPI could indicate we are in the presence of a bipolar element, as described by van der Wouden (1997). Nevertheless, data suggests that there are two distinct items caraças, one of them being a NPI and the other a PPI.The form caraças is also associated to other contexts of use, namely as a metalinguistic negation marker and in evaluative constructions such as N-of-an-N constructions. We also find it functioning as an interjection in exclamative sentences.Although the feminine common noun caraça (augmentative of cara ‘face’) remains in the lexicon as synonym of mask, the polarity item caraças does not result from a process of grammaticalization of the common noun, as documented for other polarity items. In this paper I will put forth the idea that caraças, in its masculine singular form, appeared as an euphemistic variant of caralho ‘dick’, a highly offensive taboo term, used to designate the masculine sexual organ.

Introduction: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a multisystemic impairment disease, among them, the total loss of communicative abilities. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAA) seeks to provide effective communication through specific resources. Objective: To verify the influence of ALS on aspects of personal, social and environmental life in patients who use the CAA. Methods: This is a qualitative, exploratory, longitudinal research of a series of cases. The patients with ALS were invited to participate of an evaluation with a sociodemographic and semi-structured questionnaire. Each participant obtained a CAA resource offered by the present research and returned for a reevaluation. Results: The analysis based on the reports that emerged from the spontaneous comments and generated five categories (socialization, social attitudes, communication and rights, services, systems and policies, and family interaction). Conclusion: Even with the use of CAA, ELA generates negative impacts on socialization and social participation due to social and environmental factors.

Patients who do not communicate verbally or speak in an understandable way are a serious problem in providing appropriate care to patients due to a lack of understanding of their needs. Therefore, it is important that nursing staff have the knowledge and skills of alternative and assistive communication to communicate with patients with speech disorders. The purpose of article is to present the current state of knowledge of the alternative and augmentative communication with special consideration the signs used in Poland with a practicular emphasis laid to the revelant description of the eye tracking device. The literature has been reviewed, including also in this relation topics: alternative and augmentative communication, examples of signs used in alternative communication in Poland and communication and eye tracking. Not everyone has the ability to communicate verbally with the environment. In relation to this problem the solution is the alternative and augmentative communication which uses signs and devices to enable the patient to communicate with other people. (JNNN 2020;9(1):39–45)

Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) is demanding a stronger inclusion of multilingualism. The implementation therefor is aggravated by the lack of multilingual communication aids and difficult collaboration with parental home. The German-Arabic communication aids demonstrate ways in which aspects of language acquisition theory and features of communicative competence can be conveyed. These can be used to encourage multilingualism. Additionally, collaborative opportunities with parents are outlined.

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a widely used alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) system for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have limited or no vocal abilities. Vocalizations may emerge with the use of PECS particularly during the training phases. One question that often arises is what effect continued use of PECS has on vocal behavior. The current study evaluated the effects of PECS on vocal responding for participants who had been using PECS for at least 1 year. Four children with ASD participated in this study. Each had functional vocal communication skills but used PECS as their primary mode of communication. One of the participants also used sign language. The effects of PECS on vocal responding were evaluated in two studies using a reversal design. The use of PECS inhibited vocal responding if both modes of communication were on the same schedule of reinforcement. When PECS was placed on extinction (study 1) or removed (study 2), vocal responding increased across subjects. If vocal responding and PECS remain on the same schedule of reinforcement, vocal responses may be suppressed and, consequently, improvements in functional vocal communication may not be seen. Additional studies are needed to replicate the current findings as well as to determine if PECS should be faded if functional vocal communication is established.

This article provides an overview of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) and discusses ways in which AAC may be integrated into music therapy clinical practice with neurodivergent children and young adults. The article begins with an overview of commonly used AAC modalities and subsequently explores their use in clinical practice through a series of vignettes. This article may be of value to students who wish to understand the myriad ways in which AAC may be integrated into their clinical work and to clinicians interested in developing their clinical practice knowledge in this area.

A workshop format is often the professional development (PD) model used by educators; however, research shows that workshops are often not sufficient to change educator behavior. Additionally, including caregivers in PD can promote shared decision-making and support children’s transfer of skills between home and school environments. This pilot study examined the effectiveness of a PD intervention delivered to caregiver-educator teams that included team-based coaching to target adults’ use of evidence-based strategies delivered in a planned instructional sequence (i.e., CPR - create a communication opportunity, prompt as needed, respond to child communication) designed to support reciprocal interactions with children and use of aided augmentative or alternative communication. Using a multiple baseline across five caregiver-educator-child triads, the effect of intervention on adults’ percentage of correct CPR cycles was compared to a baseline condition in which adults learned isolated strategy implementation in a workshop format. Five adults showed positive behavior changes when intervention was implemented at three different time points, demonstrating promise of the intervention; however, for reasons discussed herein, the study produced mixed results. Results are consistent with prior research, and may be useful to administrators, educators, or families interested in PD and collaboration across home and school settings.

At least two living varieties of Quechua (Tarma and Santiago del Estero) display productive synchronic systems in which phoneme substitutions among the set /s, ʃ, h/ in lexemes impart augmentative—...

In peer-mediated intervention (PMI), peers act as agents of intervention. Previous reviews in this area have not addressed the effectiveness of using PMI with children with autism who are minimally verbal. Following a systematic search, we reviewed 25 studies where PMI was used to increase communication in minimally verbal participants. The majority of these (n = 23) were single-case experimental design studies in settings that included preschools, elementary schools, and high schools. PMIs varied in the amounts of training offered to peers and the types of activities in which children engaged. Social communication increased across studies, with alternative and augmentative communication and spoken language measured in seven studies, respectively. We offer recommendations for future research in this area.

Although the scientific literature is replete with reports that host and plant volatiles elicit behavioural responses in Trichogramma, most do not compare the relative importance of olfaction, visi...

Aim:To identify management practices of Australian speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the treatment of non-progressive dysarthria using a subsystem approach, and to explore SLPs’ consideration and implementation of the theoretical underpinnings of non-progressive dysarthria management.Method:A 39-item online survey was distributed to Australian SLPs, with 80 responses suitable for data analysis.Results:Practices of SLPs were variable for the management of the speech subsystems. The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT®) was the most commonly used manualised treatment program, and was employed by 63.77% of respondents. Almost all SLPs (>88%) provided strategies to improve functional communication. There was no clear preference for low tech alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) devices. Speech generating devices were the most commonly employed high tech device. Almost two-thirds of respondents used non-speech oral motor exercises (NSOMEs) in treatment. SLPs had varied frequencies and models of service delivery for intervention. SLPs valued interventions targeting the activity and participation domains of the ICF, however this was restricted by the treatment context and resources available. The majority of SLPs (92.06%) were aware of the principles of motor learning, however many were unsure regarding the specifics of implementation.Conclusion:There is a clear need for further research into the efficacy of treatment techniques to guide decision-making.

Objective: To review clinical and neurobiological features of minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder. Data source: We carried out a narrative review using the PubMed database. We considered the following search terms combined through the Boolean operator “AND”: “autism spectrum disorder”; “minimally verbal.” Data synthesis: To date, there is no shared definition of minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder. The heterogeneity in intellectual functioning and in linguistic abilities among these individuals suggests there is no single mechanism underlying their difficulties in learning to speak. However, the reasons why these children do not speak and the biological markers that can identify them are still unknown. Language impairment in these children can lead to several unfavorable consequences, including behavior problems (such as self-aggression, hetero-aggression, and property destruction), poorer daily living and social skills. Psychiatric comorbidities (including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, specific phobias, and compulsions) consist in a serious problem related to the lack of verbal language in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Although in the literature there are very few evidence-based results, several findings suggest that an alternative and augmentative communication intervention, creating an extra-verbal communication channel, may be effective in these individuals. Conclusions: The exact definition, clinical characteristics, associated disorders, etiology, and treatment of minimally verbal subjects with autism spectrum disorder must still be further studied and understood.

The following article deals with augmentative formations, that is, word formation products that reinforce or intensify the meaning of the basis. The focus is on the use of augmentation in the language of the German mass media. Based on a number of examples registered in current mass media texts, we have analyzed various word formation methods, the semantic peculiarities and the pragmatic performance of augmentative formations in modern German., Bulgacova, Irina. Augmentativbildungen in der Sprache der Massenmedien / Irina Bulgacova // 5 International Spring Symposium Proceedings "Professional Development in Language Contexts: Perceptions and Practices", March 15th-16th, 2019. ��� B��l��i : [s. n.], 2019. ��� P. 15-22. ��� ISBN 978-9975-3316-2-3.

Background A principal difference between neurotypical people and those with autistic spectrum conditions is reliance on structure and sameness (Cohmer, 2014). There is evidence that people with autistic spectrum conditions lack flexibility of thinking (Ciesielski & Harris, 1997). The ability to react to events or small changes can trigger anxiety. Little sabotages structure and sameness more than a death. Aims Dealing with death is difficult, and for somebody with an autistic spectrum condition, it may introduce more challenges and anxieties. Routines change, people behave unusually, emotions can be all-consuming. People with autistic spectrum conditions can experience Alexithymia, the inability to differentiate between emotions (Poquerusse, Pastore, Dellantonio et al., 2018), highlighting the need for effective and immediate emotional support pre- and post- bereavement. Hospice social workers recognised the importance of providing effective and specialised support for people with autistic spectrum conditions pre- and post- bereavement. Methods An example of this is the use of widgets to explain death, dying and bereavement to individuals with an autistic spectrum condition. Widgets are an augmentative communication system using words and pictures to enable understanding and to processing messages. They are an ideal way to refer back to a social story or schedule to consistently communicate a message. Examples of how widgets can be used are: what happens at a funeral, what is cancer etc. Results Feedback has been good with a high level of engagement from people with autism and learning disability. This approach led to relationships developing with services and schools around the county that support people with these conditions, facilitating consistent organisational approaches. Conclusions Objectives are to build on achievements in terms of inclusive support. The hospice now has an inclusion and diversity working group, delivering training sessions internally and externally to raise awareness and to support others to develop practice in this area.

This paper presents the first iteration of the design of a web application which supports its users to access and arrange pictures as a non-linguistic way of supporting communication. We motivate our initial design by examining related work on Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC). We present our reflections on the use of a working prototype by two minimally-verbal users with intellectual disability and how this can inform future work.

Computer quiz games are introduced to improve teaching and learning in a freshman engineering chemistry course in an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) environment. These quiz games are developed and implemented as a supplemental and augmentative tool to enhance traditionally delivered lectures. The paper shows an increase in students’ motivation and compare the performance between students who participated in computer quiz games, a paper-based quiz or neither activity. Assessment of the effectiveness of quiz games in learning is conducted via a proposed novel chemistry achievement test, Freshman Engineering Chemistry Aptitude Test and an attitude questionnaire. The findings contribute to our understanding of the role of game-based learning in students’ achievement in chemistry and their motivation and attitudes towards learning general chemistry at a university within an ESL environment, while the computer games developed are useful in all English based Chemistry classes.

The last twenty years have seen the development of gaze-controlled computer interfaces for augmentative communication and other assistive technology applications. In many applications, the user needs to look at symbols on a virtual on-screen keyboard and maintain gaze to make a selection. Executive control is essential to learning to use gaze-control, affecting the uptake of the technology. Specifically, the user of a gaze-controlled interface must suppress looking for its own sake, the so-called “Midas touch” problem. In a pre-registered study ( https://osf.io/2mak4 ), we tested whether gaze-typing performance depends on executive control and whether learning-dependent plasticity leads to improved executive control as measured using the antisaccade task. Forty-two university students were recruited as participants. After five 30-min training sessions, we found shorter antisaccade latencies in a gaze-control compared to a mouse-control group, and similar error-rates. Subjective workload ratings were also similar across groups, indicating the task in both groups was matched for difficulty. These findings suggest that executive control contributes to gaze-typing performance and leads to learning-induced plasticity.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) This work aims to investigate the indexical anchorages that present social hierarchy in the Tukano language (ethnic and linguistic family from South America) regarding its pronominal use. It is well known that among various spheres of relations social hierarchies are somehow represented in the speech and are motivated in social groups by consanguineous, religious and financial relations. As far as indigenous languages are concerned, the Tukano language has been very productive in relation to the use of hierarchical markers, which differentiate from their conventional pronominal anchorages. It means that in the family contexts this language is rich in the representation of distance among their speakers. To carry out this research, interviews of native speakers of Tukano had been performed through the application of semi-directed investigation protocol. The questionnaires consisted of the validation of sentences created by linguists for the natives. Besides that and because it is a semantic-pragmatic analysis, being dependent on contextual options, it was also requested for the natives to select the most applicable sentence among many different situational contents. The analysis showed that in certain situations when Tukano speakers need to communicate, for instance as speaking to a superiorized subject, the augmentative morpheme occurs within their speech forms, according to this research’s initial hypothesis. A good example of this phenomenon is the sentence: mi’îhó yɨ’îre kumupatá mi'ĩtiasa’, that means “could big you bring the chair?” (here mi’î → you and -hó → the enhanced suffix) which would be used by a child or younger person to address his parent or an elderly within the family. This means different linguistic procedures are used depending on whether the speaker, in his speech context, addresses someone of the same level or a superior figure. To test that hypothesis various analyses had been carried out under two different but complementary fields. First, the Expressive Dimension (POTTS, 2005; 2007 and FORTIN, 2011) which allows to conclude that this morpheme works on a temporal degree, not only on a spatial degree, as the augmentative morpheme is used to be represented. Secondly, the Honorification (LEVINSON, 2007 [1983]) that permits to define the phenomenon through the point of view of pragmatics. This work intends to contribute to the study of representation of the social hierarchy of Tukano individuals as an universal element in natural languages within both fields of Pragmatics and Semantics. Furthermore, it will hopefully bring more attention to the Tukano language and to contribute to its revitalization. O presente trabalho busca investigar as ancoragens indexicais que representam hierarquia na língua tukano (família étnico-linguística do Alto do Rio Negro na Amazônia), observando seu uso pronominal. É sabido que diferenças hierárquicas comumente são, de alguma forma, representadas em interações linguísticas e são motivadas no âmbito social por relações consanguíneas, religiosas, financeiras, dentre outras diferentes esferas. No que diz respeito às línguas indígenas, a que estudamos tem sido muito produtiva em relação ao uso de um marcador hierárquico, o qual se diferencia das ancoragens pronominais prototípicas. Isso significa que a língua tukano pode ser capaz de representar características extralinguísticas entre seus falantes, mais especificamente dentro do contexto familiar. Para realizar essa pesquisa, entrevistas foram feitas por meio da aplicação de um protocolo semi-guiado de investigação. Os questionários consistiram na validação de sentenças criadas por linguistas e informantes nativos. Além disso, por ser uma análise semântico-pragmática, que depende de opções contextuais, foi também pedido aos falantes nativos que selecionassem as sentenças mais eficientes, dentre várias de conteúdos similares. Sendo assim, conseguimos identificar uma partícula que vai de acordo com a nossa hipótese inicial, de que essa língua possui honoríficos. Nossa análise mostrou que, quando falantes de tukano precisam se comunicar, em certos contextos, como falando com um sujeito mais velho, por exemplo, o morfema aumentativo é utilizado durante sua interação. O principal exemplo que ilustra nosso objeto de estudos é mi’îhó yi’îre kumupatá mi'ĩtiasa’, que significa “vocêzão traz a cadeira para mim?”, sendo mi’î → você; e o sufixo -hó → o aumentativo, que usado por pessoas mais novas (filhos, por exemplo) em conversas com pessoas mais velhas (pais, tios, avós, etc.) é o cerne do fenômeno em questão. Isso significa que processos distintos acontecem quando os falantes se direcionam para pessoas do mesmo nível que elas, assim como quando ancoram figuras superiores nos seus contextos discursivos. Assim, realizamos análises que descrevem o fenômeno sobre dois campos, ao mesmo tempo diferentes e complementares, que são a dimensão expressiva (POTTS, 2005; 2007 e FORTIN, 2011) que, por meio de representações formais, nos permite demonstrar o funcionamento do aumentativo como escala etária / honorífica e não somente espacial, como esse morfema comumente é utilizado, por exemplo em português; e a honorificação (LEVINSON, 2007 [1983]), que busca definir o fenômeno por um viés relacionado às questões pragmáticas da comunicação. Dessa maneira, nós esperamos colaborar com o estudo das formas de representação da hierarquia social como um elemento universal nas línguas naturais, objetivando contribuir para os estudos de Semântica e Pragmática. Também buscamos contribuir para a descrição da língua tukano. CAPES: Código de Financiamento 001 CAPES: 1721357

A system is proposed for mental condition assessment (MCA) system in adaptive testing complexes. The complexity involves the Emotiv Epoc+ neuroheadset with fourteen channels of the EEG digital network and the ECG-recorder for collecting signals for cardiac output (HRV). In various processing States, biochemical values were recorded in Ten healthy individuals: history (available remainder), TOVA-test (psychological stack), hypotension (physiological load), and after cutting. The somewhat reduced HRV continuum’s strength was observed to change dramatically, induced by a supremacy-segmental heartbeat regulatory effect. There is also observed a decline in the prefrontal cortical treatment techniques ([Formula: see text]-rhythmic activity). Simultaneously, unregulated motions increase the mean accelerometer interests’ magnitude to locate the head’s maximum steady location compared to the gravity matrix.

In this paper, we capture the crosslinguistic variation in Bantu nominal structure in a unified analysis of gender on n (Kramer 2014, 2015). We demonstrate that this analysis accounts for the morphosyntactic properties of basic nouns as well as locative and diminutive derivations. Moreover, it allows us to capture intra- and inter-language morphosyntactic variation by reference to just three parameters – one strictly morphological and two structural. The presence of one or two n heads, and the size of the complement distinguish between different types of locatives (structural variation); the presence or absence of a spell-out rule of adjacent n heads differentiates “stacking” versus “non-stacking” prefixes in diminutive and augmentative derivations (morphological variation only).

Three parents of preschool-aged children with Down syndrome using mobile augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies to communicate participated indirect, systematic communication-partner instruction. Intervention featured an adaptation of the ImPAACT Program (Improving Partner Applications of Augmentative Communication Techniques; Kent-Walsh, Binger, & Malani, 2010) that included six face-to-face and three telepractice sessions. Parents learned to use the evidence-based Read-Ask-Answer (RAA) instructional strategy (Kent-Walsh, Binger, & Hasham, 2010) during shared storybook reading with their children. A single-case, multiple-probe across participants design was used to assess parents' accurate implementation of the instructional strategy and children's multimodal communicative turns. All three parents increased their use of the RAA strategy and maintained strategy use over time, and all three children increased their frequency of communicative turns taken and maintained higher turn-taking rates. Results support the use of the ImPAACT Program with parents of children with complex communication needs, including the integration of hybrid learning as part of the instructional approach.

Social inclusion and the different challenges faced by children with hearing disabilities from early childhood are due to a not very inclusive education. It is necessary to develop various tools and technologies that allow and guarantee integration. This article shows a systematic review about alternative augmentative communication systems (SAAC) for children, which aims to develop a Virtual Learning Object (OVA) aimed at teachers, to strengthen their skills in Colombian Sign Language (LSC), according to the curriculum for various grades of schooling, which allow strengthening the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in educational inclusion.

Background People with intellectual disabilities (IDs) face significant communication barriers when accessing health care services; they find it difficult to identify and describe conditions clearly enough to support practitioners in making an accurate diagnosis. In addition, medical professionals generally have little knowledge and understanding of the needs of people with ID, which may result in the use of consultation techniques that do not cater to their patients’ skills. Objective This review aims to identify and synthesize the literature on alternative and augmentative communication technologies that are used to support adults with mild ID during the exchange of information with medical practitioners. Methods We performed a scoping review of studies published in English that describe the technologies that are used to promote communication with patients with mild ID during medical consultations. The databases searched were PubMed, ACM Digital Library, and Google Scholar. A qualitative framework-based approach was used to synthesize the data and discern key recurring themes across the identified literature. Results Of the 1557 articles screened, 15 (0.96%) met our inclusion criteria. The bulk of the communication aids used focused on low-tech solutions, including patient passports, note-based prompts, Talking Mats, health diaries, and easy-read information sheets. Their influence on current practice ranged from advancing medical professionals’ knowledge of the health and communication needs of people with ID to increasing interagency collaboration, patient advocacy skills, and health promotion activities. The major barriers to the implementation of low-tech aids were a lack of portability and increased maintenance efforts. Only 3 studies explored the use of mobile apps to promote communication. Their findings indicated that high-tech solutions offer greater customization with regard to the accessibility and health care needs of people with ID. Conclusions Alternative and augmentative communication technologies have the potential to increase the quality of care provided to patients with mild ID; however, little work has been carried out in this area. Greater emphasis must be placed on (high-tech) two-way communication aids that empower patients to become involved in decisions regarding their care. Quantitative evaluation methods should be used to discern the true benefits of such aids, and researchers should describe their study protocols in depth to promote replication and generalizability.

Surveys of fall army worm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), in the maize fields in Kenya, Tanzania, and Nepal revealed the occurrence of egg parasitoids, Trichogramma mwanzai in Tanzania, Trichogramma chilonis in Kenya and Nepal, and Telenomus remus in Kenya, Nepal and Tanzania.

Introduction: Since around half of the patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder do not respond efficiently to current serotonin- reuptake inhibitors, the objective of the present study was to compare the effectiveness and safety of quetiapine against aripiprazole in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, who had not responded successfully to fluvoxamine. Methods: Forty-four patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, who had not responded efficaciously to fluvoxamine, at maximum dose (300 milligrams per day) and duration (twelve weeks), were allocated randomly in a double-blind assessment to take quetiapine (n=22) or aripiprazole (n=22), plus their serotonin-reuptake inhibitor for twelve weeks. While treatment response was evaluated by the Yale- Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), as the main outcome scale, Clinical Global Impressions-Severity Scale (CGI-S) was also used as an ancillary measure. Results: 54.54% of patients in the quetiapine group and 27.27% of them in the aripiprazole group responded partially to the abovementioned on treatment adds. According to the findings, the YBOCS score dropped from 31.18+/-4.93 to 27.97+/-3.71 (p Conclusion: This assessment indicated that patients with treatment-resistant obsessivecompulsive disorder could benefit more from adding quetiapine, in comparison with aripiprazole, to their current serotonergic medication.

Objectives: People with motor neurone disease (pwMND) experience communication impairments due to speech and motor dysfunction. Communication support in the form of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in conjunction with Assistive Technology (AT) access methods are available, however, variation in provision care pathways exists across Scotland. We conducted a baseline study of communication support for pwMND in Scotland to inform and improve future service provision. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based study was undertaken. Anonymised demographic and clinical phenotypic data for all pwMND in Scotland were extracted from the Care Audit Research Evaluation of MND (CARE-MND) platform, the National MND Register for Scotland. Additional information for AT loans was provided by the third sector charitable organization MND Scotland (MNDS). Results: In total, 371 pwMND were included, 43% of all pwMND were recorded as having impaired speech (recent ALSFRS-R score assessment ≤3) and 69% had been referred to Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) services, although there was variation in referral time from diagnosis date. AAC equipment had been acquired by 17.3% of all pwMND; most commonly iPads and the LightwriterTM speech generating device. Conclusions: Our data highlight a high prevalence of speech impairment in pwMND irrespective of the subtype diagnosis. We therefore recommend standardized care pathways and earlier access to coordinated SLT and Occupational Therapist services to enable prospective and personalized decision making. Our findings further highlight the need for qualitative research to understand the preferences and impact of such interventions from the perspective of the user and their communication partners.

After studying this article, the reader should be able to understand how various implants, osteotomies, and reductive tissue techniques affect the aesthetic outcomes of chin reshaping surgery. The roles of standard versus custom chin implants, the operative steps and indications for a bony genioplasty and the techniques for chin reduction are described with emphasis on proper patient selection and avoiding their common complications.

Objectives/hypothesis Describe augmentative communication tools and strategies used by pediatric patients referred to inpatient speech-language pathologists prior to tracheostomy placement. Study design Retrospective review. Methods A review of patients who underwent initial tracheostomy placement from 2013-2016 was conducted at a tertiary pediatric center. Eligible patients were those who were referred to a specialized speech-language pathologist prior to the date of the tracheostomy placement to support communication abilities. Patients were identified by surgical procedural and billing codes. Data collected included patient demographics, speech and language disorders, and interventions performed. Chart review and cross analysis of billing data for types of assessment and intervention procedures were conducted by two speech-language pathologists for consensus agreement. Results Forty-six patients (aged 1 month-27 years, mean = 12.9 years) were included in the study. Average time between the bedside communication assessment and tracheostomy procedure date was 17 days. Baseline speech-language disorders were identified in 11 patients (24%). Thirty-eight (83%) patients were nonspeaking at the time of consultation. Thirty-two (70%) patients utilized an electronic communication tool, and 36 (78%) utilized low-technology communication strategies during the preoperative period. A total of 32 (70%) patients were documented as using no-technology or speech-enhancement strategies during the acute hospitalization. Conclusions Multidisciplinary tracheostomy teams should consider consultation to speech-language pathologists for patients prior to tracheostomy placement to assess for utility of high-technology, low-technology, and no-technology augmentative and alternative communication strategies. Level of evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 130:1817-1822, 2020.

Purpose The purpose of this clinical focus article was to assess the communication partner's (CP) perception regarding the effectiveness of a CP training model to support augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) use within a parent–adolescent dyad. Method This case study implements an adaptation of an 8-stage strategy instruction protocol for teaching aided language modeling across functional activities. Procedures for designing CP training to meet the specific needs of a particular CP and an individual using AAC (IUA) are offered. Pre- and posttraining questionnaires surveyed the CP's feelings and knowledge about using the AAC strategies and the IUA's AAC skill level. Results Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the CP's responses on the pre- and posttraining questionnaires revealed more confidence in supporting her son when using his device, increased knowledge of strategies to support AAC use, and increased understanding of the device operation. She also perceived that her son used his device more confidently and effectively in a variety of ways. Conclusion CP training that includes strategy instruction, along with practice and feedback, helps to increase the CP's and the IUA's understanding of the specific device and how to use it in more naturalistic, functional settings and situations. Since the CP's needs are similar across developmental and neurogenic groups, the direct strategy instruction described in this clinical focus article can be used by practicing clinicians working with pediatric or neurogenic populations to teach communication and operational skills. The results suggest that CP training should be included in treatment planning for speech-language pathologists working with individuals with complex communication needs who use AAC.

With advances in the treatment of femoral shaft nonunion after intramedullary nailing, the optimal option remains controversial. This study aimed to quantitatively investigate outcomes in a comparison of exchange nailing and augmentative plating for femoral shaft nonunion after intramedullary nailing. The EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane library and Clinical databases were systematically searched dating from their inception to March 2018. All retrospective controlled and prospective trials evaluating exchange nailing and augmentative plating for the treatment of femoral shaft nonunion after intramedullary nailing were identified. Two investigators extracted all related data independently and we used the review manager software to perform the meta-analysis. Three studies with a total of 232 patients were eligible for data extraction in our study. The meta-analysis indicated that the augmentative plating group had a lower nonunion rate, shorter time to union, less intra-operative blood loss, and shorter operative time than the exchange nailing group. While for the infection rate, there was no significant difference between augmentative plating and exchange nailing group. The available evidence has shown that augmentative plating is superior to exchange nailing for femoral shaft nonunion after intramedullary nailing. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2019;4:513-518. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.4.180054

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems can support communication skills for people with significant developmental disabilities who experience complex communication needs (CCNs). There is a need to tailor best practices in AAC assessment and intervention to create individualized communication systems with this population. In this article, we outline the important components of AAC systems that can be implemented in authentic settings. However, given the limited evidence on AAC interventions specific to people with CCNs, we also identify some priority areas for future inquiry. Among these involve strategies to enhance decision making regarding (a) matching communication mode(s) to learner skills and contextual demands, (b) identifying communicative opportunities and obligations, (c) individualizing aided communication display features, (d) selection of vocabulary specificity, and (e) considering dosage parameters needed to acquire and maintain a communicative repertoire. In addition, we briefly discuss the use of telehealth to enhance intervention capability.

Children with complex communication needs (CCN) develop severe limitation in communication functioning due to restricted access to environment, limited interactions with their communication partners, and few opportunities for communication (Light, 1997). In order to overcome these challenges and to enhance communication abilities, Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) can be introduced in intervention. This single case study reports the improvements in communication skills when the child made a transition from a communication book to an iPad speech generating app. Participant was a 7 year old child with multiple disability and CCN who was undergoing intervention using communication book and transited to an AAC app namely AVAZ. A comparison of pre and post-therapy communicative function was carried out using tool Communication Matrix to understand the improvement. When the child made transition from a communication book to a iPad speech generating AAC app, significant improvement was observed in all communicative functions namely refusal, obtaining, social purpose and for gathering information. After a total of 10 training sessions, the child advanced from level of using concrete symbols to a level of "Language" i.e. using a combination of abstract symbols for communication. This case report indicated that transition to an iPad AAC app had significant benefits on improving communication skills which in turn had positive impact on linguistic and literacy skills. Consequently, an improvement in levels of motivation and confidence was noted. Hence, providing access to the appropriate AAC device/technology in ongoing intervention is the foundation to building effective communication skills. Implications for rehabilitationImportance of ongoing assessments to understand the varying communication demands of AAC user.The timely decision of selecting appropriate AAC devices.Transition to appropriate AAC device to address higher communicative functions.Documenting evidence-based practices using AAC in a developing country like India.

Purpose The purpose of this article was to describe the complex symptoms associated with Huntington's disease (HD) and how they influence implementation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services to address communication impairments. Three case studies with varied presentation, AAC recommendations, and overall outcomes are presented followed by a discussion on common challenges of AAC intervention for this population. Conclusion Providing AAC services to individuals with HD can be complicated due to variability in symptoms, access to services, funding, and communication partner support. It is important to understand HD and consider the complex presentation of symptoms that impact appropriate AAC strategies and intervention. Further research is needed to improve guidelines available to clinicians.

In Guatemalan coffee plantations, Ceratitis capitata populations were suppressed by the application of augmentative releases of parasitoids. These releases significantly increased parasitis...

Schools in the United States support a large group of students requiring the assistance of augmentative and alternate communication (AAC). It is currently unknown what types of training and supports special education teachers require or are receiving to meet the needs of these students. A convenience sample of 3,200 teachers was surveyed about the following topics: (a) number and description of students who do not have a proficient way of communicating, (b) the efforts employed by teachers to support AAC adoption, and (c) the type and length of training the teachers had specific to supporting students who need communication supports. Researchers found a statistically significant association between the amounts of training the teacher received and the communication functionality of their students. In addition, teachers with more training tend to utilize a wider variety of support strategies and certain types of training may be more effective for specific modes of communication.

In this article we present a novel system for natural language generation ( nlg ) of Spanish sentences from a minimum set of meaningful words (such as nouns, verbs and adjectives) which, unlike other state-of-the-art solutions, performs the nlg task in a fully automatic way, exploiting both knowledge-based and statistical approaches. Relying on its linguistic knowledge of vocabulary and grammar, the system is able to generate complete, coherent and correctly spelled sentences from the main word sets presented by the user. The system, which was designed to be integrable, portable and efficient, can be easily adapted to other languages by design and can feasibly be integrated in a wide range of digital devices. During its development we also created a supplementary lexicon for Spanish, aLexiS, with wide coverage and high precision, as well as syntactic trees from a freely available definite-clause grammar. The resulting nlg library has been evaluated both automatically and manually (annotation). The system can potentially be used in different application domains such as augmentative communication and automatic generation of administrative reports or news.

This study investigated special education teachers’ perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators when using Augmentative and Alternate Communication (AAC) with students with multiple disabiliti...

Adherence to pain self-management strategies is associated with favorable psychobehavioral outcomes among individuals with chronic pain. Substantive adherence to treatments teaching these adaptive skills often proves challenging, resulting in poor individual and societal outcomes. Evidence demonstrates motivation for behavior change as a key predictor of treatment adherence. Despite behavioral techniques that target motivation, however, nonadherence persists as a barrier to positive clinical outcomes in chronic pain. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying treatment motivation might highlight novel avenues for augmentative therapies. The purpose of this review is to present theory and evidence that the mesocorticolimbic system (i.e., brain circuitry associated with reward processing and motivation) contributes to treatment motivation among chronic pain patients, ultimately influencing adherence. We review evidence for motivation as a key adherence determinant, detail neuroimaging findings relating mesocorticolimbic circuitry and motivation, and discuss data supporting mesocorticolimbic dysfunction among chronic pain patients. We propose a neurobehavioral model for adherence to pain self-management interventions, listing testable hypotheses. Finally, we discuss potential research and intervention implications from the proposed model.

About 21% -35% of patients with acute stroke experience aphasia or motor impairment language interpretation. Impact because of the lack of action independence of the nurse in improving Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) is not the fulfillment of the needs of the patient. AAC is media in the form of electronic devices, alphabet boards, drawing boards that contain the basic needs which may be designated by the patient that helps in communicating. The research method is a literature research, focused on the search of some previous research. The results of the research show that the role of transformational leadership increase the AAC in stroke patients aphasia motor through insiparasional motivation where the leader becomes an example to be emulated by subordinates, providing a strong motivation for change with guidance and training, individualizad consideration that is hear input to want to change apply the AAC, Idealized influence where the leader as a mentor who has charisma makes followers want to practice the AAC, and intellectual stimulation is to encourage the subordinates to see problems in aphasia motor can be minimized with the AAC. Thus it can be concluded that the Style of transformational leadership has a used of therapeutic AAC to nurses practice.

A pesquisa aqui apresentada baseia-se no estudo da convivência entre duas línguas – quimbundo e português – no município de Cazengo-Ndalatando, uma província da região Kwanza Norte, em Angola. Uma observação sociolinguística do contato e uso simultâneo entre as duas línguas mostra claramente situações de interferência do quimbundo na língua portuguesa (língua oficial em Angola), o que é possível comprovar pela análise linguística de enunciados orais recolhidos diretamente na zona geográfica em questão e cujo juízo de aceitação linguística foi atestado por um dos autores deste trabalho, que é falante nativo de quimbundo. Neste artigo são, assim, analisados três fenômenos linguísticos de interferência do quimbundo no português, indicadores de variação morfossintática nos registros orais da língua portuguesa: formação do plural, concordância de gênero, além da formação do diminutivo e do aumentativo dos substantivos.

A capacidade de comunicar permite criar oportunidades de interação, influenciar o comportamento de outros e através disso exercer controlo sobre o meio ambiente da pessoa. Proporcionar uma forma aumentativa ou alternativa de comunicar potencia a autonomia e uma melhor qualidade de vida das crianças com perturbações da comunicação. Este facto, requere da parte dos profissionais um conjunto de competências para intervir junto destas crianças. A implementação da Comunicação Aumentativa e Alternativa (CAA) pode ser dificultada por preconceitos sobre a necessidade de uso, período mais adequado para iniciar a aprendizagem e competências precisas para o desenvolvimento da comunicação através destes recursos. Nesse sentido, este texto tem como finalidade contribuir para uma compreensão acerca dos mitos e realidades em relação ao uso da CAA. Foram analisadas as produções científicas nacionais e internacionais acerca do uso da CAA em populações com problemas graves na comunicação. Para isso, foi realizada uma busca em bases de dados de artigos, teses e dissertações, utilizando a combinação dos descritores, “Comunicação Aumentativa” e “Perturbações da Comunicação”. Os cinco mitos apresentados, caso não sejam adequadamente esclarecidos, podem levar a problemas na adesão à CAA por parte das famílias e de alguns profissionais. Assim, surge a necessidade de desmistificar estas questões de forma a promover o apoio adequado a crianças que podem beneficiar de CAA., The ability to communicate allows for opportunities for interaction, influencing the behaviour of others and thereby exercising control over the person’s environment. To provide an augmentative or alternative way of communicating promotes the autonomy and a better quality of life of children with communication disorders. This requires professionals to have a set of skills to intervene with these children. The implementation of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can be hampered by prejudices about the need to use, a more appropriate period to start learning and the precise skills to develop communication through these resources. In this sense, this text aims to contribute to an understanding of the myths and realities about the use of the AAC. National and international scientific productions about the use of AAC in populations with severe communication problems were analysed. A search was carried out in databases of articles, theses and dissertations, using the combination of the descriptors “Alternative Communication”, “Augmentative Communication” and “Communication Disorders”. The five myths presented, if not adequately clarified, may lead to problems in adherence to the AAC by families and professionals. Thus, there is a need to demystify these issues in order to promote adequate support for children who can benefit from AAC.

The present study evaluated the efficacy of a set of procedures for bringing tact extensions of abstract tactile properties under stimulus control. Two participants with disabilities who communicated via a picture-based communication system received reinforcement for tacts of tactile properties of four wet/dry and four hard/soft stimuli. Test trials were conducted to evaluate the extent to which the participants' correct responding generalized to novel stimuli with the same tactile properties. The results suggest that the procedures were effective in bringing tact extensions of abstract tactile properties under stimulus control. Both participants' correct responding generalized to a set of novel stimuli. Mastery level responding to training and test targets maintained for 2 weeks following training. The results provide further evidence supporting the use of DTT to teach stimulus abstraction to nonvocal verbal individuals who use augmentative forms of communication.