Eye gaze accessed speech generating device (SGD)-mediated communication presupposes additional communicative competence of both aided speaking and speaking interlocutors. For example, speaking interlocutors need to interpret the aided speaking interlocutor’s deviant gaze practice and handle the temporally dislocated SGD-mediated utterances clause-by-clause (Engelk & Higginbotham 2013; Hörmeyer & Renner 2013).
This study investigates how interaction, mediated by a SGD that is accessed with eye gaze technology, is organized in four different interactional contexts, and how these contexts impact Steve’s abilities to participate. The participant using the SGD, Steve, is 18 yrs and has physical and cognitive disabilities due to cerebral palsy. He communicates through gaze practice, facial expression, vocalization and the SGD. Steve has no oral speech and cannot read or write. Steve interacts with four conversational partners; his teacher, his personal assistant and his two occupational therapists. He had known the teacher for 1 year, the assistant for 1 ½ year, and the occupational therapists for 12 years and 5 months respectively.
Data were collected using video recordings of social interaction at Steve’s school between August and November 2018. Two cameras were used to capture (1) the SGD screen and (2) Steve and his interlocutor. The interactions were transcribed and analysed using the methods and principles of Conversation Analysis (Sidnell 2012; von Tetzchner & Basil 2011).
The analysis demonstrates that the interaction between Steve and his speaking partners was differently organized, depending on the partner’s ways of scaffolding the interaction, such as confirming, reformulating, voicing and asking questions. The use of scaffolding practices varied significantly between the four partners, which provided Steve with different interactional opportunities to participate and co-construct meaning. Steve’s ability to use the SGD, gaze, facial expressions and vocalizations to respond or initiate in the turn-interaction appeared as dynamically dependent on these opportunities and the contexts in which they emerged.
The study demonstrates that aided speaking interlocutors are highly dependent on their speaking interlocutors’ ability to use scaffolding practices in eye gaze accessed SGD-mediated communication and the interactional contexts they contribute to construct. Interactional competence and participation emerge in interaction rather than from individual’s contributions.
2019.