Mark Mizuko

Transparency and ease of learning of symbols represented by Blissymbols, PCS, and Picsyms

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether significant differences existed among normally developing 3-year-old children in transparency and in the learning of symbols from three di...

Effects of selection techniques and array sizes on short-term visual memory

The present research examined the effects of message selection techniques and array sizes on short-term visual memory. Specifically, this study investigated whether there are short-term visual memory differences between direct selection and the row-column scanning in normally developing 4-year-old children. Results suggested a significant difference in favor of direct selection over scanning for the array with 40 symbols. The other purpose of this investigation was to determine whether differences existed as a function of the number of symbols available on the communication aid. The effect of array size upon memory did reveal a significant difference between the array with 30 symbols and the array with 40 symbols.

Comparing First Graders' Attitudes and Preferences Toward a Peer Using an iPad(®)-Based Speech-Generating Device and a Non-Electronic AAC System.

Abstract This study compared first graders’ attitudes toward a peer who used an iPad®-based speech-generating device (SGD) versus a non-electronic AAC system, as well as preferences regarding the systems. In all, 115 first graders were randomly assigned to view a video of a peer using either the SGD or the non-electronic system. Participants then completed the Assessment of Attitudes Toward Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AATAAC) and answered preference questions about the systems. Results showed that attitudes toward the peer did not vary significantly as a function of the type of AAC system the peer used. Girls tended to have more positive attitudes than boys toward the peer who used AAC. A majority of participants preferred the SGD for their peer’s and for their own use.

The effects of cueing on naming performance

Abstract Effective cueing strategies employed to assist word retrieval in aphasic individuals have varied in type and effectiveness (Love and Webb 1977, Li and Canter 1983, Simmons and Zorthian 1979). Gestures, phonemic cues, sentence-completion tasks, word associations, rhyming, spelling the word, open-ended statements and printed text are some of the cues that have been used.