Browsing by Author "Koivunen, Anna"

Aim. There are specific characteristics that are representative of augmentative and alternative communication. The communication partner has two roles; as an independent participant and as an assistant that helps to construct the aided speaker’s utterances. The conversation is often described as co-constructive. The aim of this study is to illustrate the interaction by means of a dynamic communication book and the role of a communication partner and the communication aid. Method. This study is based on the Conversation analysis. The interaction is described in detail using concepts such as adjacency pair and sequence. There were one aided participant and two unaided speakers in the study. Interaction was studied in aided speaker-unaided speaker dyads. Results. The conversation and the interaction are constructed by means of dynamic communication book. As an assistant the communication partner interprets the aided speaker’s one symbol gestures and helps to co-construct whole utterances. Partner uses aided AAC modelling together with speech and helps the navigation process by speaking out loud. The typical adjacency pair in this kind of conversation seems to be one symbol gesture and the following interpretation. Typical sequences consist of these adjacency pairs and whole utterance constructions. Conclusion. The asymmetric interaction pattern seems to be conventional in this kind of atypical interaction. Both participants seem to have chosen the pattern as their main communication strategy. The communicative competence of the participants is important when solving communication breakdowns.