Curiosity about other's experiences with AAC

(Initial Dissertation Planning)

Real-world problem or concern

Every person has the right to express his or her needs, regardless of whether or not he or she has a disability and the degree of its severity. When someone has a communication problem and is unable to communicate through his or her speech, this does not mean that this individual is not entitled to communicate. To satisfy this basic communication need, every person with speech impairment is entitled to an AAC system.

Many researchers have studied appropriate and effective AAC systems for individuals with speech imparements. However, most research has focused on evaluating the AAC users effectiveness with the actual AAC intervention. Moreover, most AAC systems that are mentioned in articles discuss limited and simple communication devices for cognitively delayed users. In addition, there are few studies aimed at hearing the actual voice of AAC users.

The purpose of my research is to investigate the perspectives of high functioning AAC users. One of the primary goals for conducting my reserach is that the readers will understand the importance of using AAC, by learning how participants' lives have changed after using AAC. From the time in my life when I found my AAC device and began using it, my life has changed in many positive ways. However, people sometimes doubt the benefits of using AAC for many reasons. Thus, in my study, I will select my participants purposefully to give my readers an idea of the important role of AAC. Through my purposeful sampling of information-rich cases, I hope that the importance of AAC would becomes more clear.

I intend to collect my data mostly through interviews with individuals who use AAC. In addition, if possible, I will include observations in my participant's classroom (or workplace) and/or will provide survey questions for other people around these AAC users, such as family members, their friends, their professors, or their boss. Through obtaining this data, I will explore other areas of interest to me such as successful strategies the participants use to better their lives, barriers preventing them from using AAC, suggestions to other AAC users, suggestions to AAC vendors or other people who communicate with AAC users, amonng other things.

Tentative topic

The perspecitives of AAC users at post-secondary level

What I seek for: (these will be a basis of research questions)

• Why participants started to use AAC?
• How does AAC affect participants' lives?
• What are Participants' own know-how (successful strategies): Since my participants are at the university level or a employee position, I assume that they have their own methods to come to their life this far.
• Any barriers preventing participants from using AAC system?
• Any suggestions from Participants for other AAC users?
• What do others, such as family members, their friends, their professiors, or their boss, think about their use of AAC?
• Any suggestions for AAC vendors?
• Any suggestions for other people (teachers, employers) who communicate with AAC users?

Methodological approach

My dissertation research will likely be a qualitative case study. I do not know much about Case Study yet, but to my knowledge, case study is more suitable for investigating real-life voices from participants (AAC users) more deeply. The another reason for choosing case study is that my dissertation paper (or my future research paper) will be for everyone, not for people in specific assistive technology field, but also for policymakers, funders, and even ordinary parents who have children with disabilities. Yin states in his book of "case study research: design and methods",

Case studies have a more diverse set of possible audiences than do most types of research. These audiences include: (a) colleagues in the same field; (b) policymakers, practitioners, community leaddrs, and other professionals who do not specialize in case study methodology; (c) special groups such as a student's dissertation or thesis commitee; and (d) funders of research (1994, p.129)

I intend to select my participants purposefully to give readers the idea of how important of using AAC. My data collection procedures will involve interview data obtained through interviews with AAC users. In addition, if only possible, I will include observation in their classroom (or workplace) and/or survey questions for other people around AAC users, such as family members, their friends, their professiors, or their boss.

My own experience of disability | Assistive Technology | Presentation | Research | Internship & Independent study

Other professional experience | My own experience with AAC | Curiosity about other's experiences with AAC