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Cognition as a bridge between signal and dialogue: communication in the hearing impaired and deaf.

This paper is an overview of the research we have carried out at Linköping University on cognitive aspects of visual language processing and related communicative forms. In the first section, a cognitive individual difference perspective on speechreading is introduced. In the second, compensatory perceptual mechanisms are discussed on the basis of behavioral and neurophysiological data. The third section addresses further the issue of perceptual versus cognitive compensation, and the fourth and fifth sections apply a set of cognitive tests based on the concept of working memory for poorly specified language input to data on the successes and failures with cochlear implants, tactile aids and hearing aids.

Cognition↗

Case report of an intracarotid amobarbital procedure performed for a deaf patient.

The intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP) was conducted with a profoundly deaf young man prior to right anteromedial temporal lobectomy for pharmacologically refractory partial complex seizures. The IAP required considerable modification in order to take into account the use of varying sign language methods and related issues. Visual memory, American Sign Language, signed English, and finger-spelling functioning were all assessed. The patient manifested left hemisphere dominance for all these abilities, performing well under right hemisphere anesthesia. In contrast, no ability to function on these tasks was detectable when the left hemisphere was anesthetized. This demonstrates that an intact left temporal lobe and related structures are sufficient to support sign language functioning. The development of a deaf adaptation of the IAP is of methodological significance, as the IAP is thereby rendered accessible for deaf patients.

Adult↗

The development of analogical reasoning in deaf children and their parents' communication mode.

The purpose of this article is to analyze the results of a study of the development of analogical reasoning in deaf children coming from two different linguistic environments (deaf children of deaf parents--sign language, deaf children of hearing parents--spoken language) and in hearing children, as well as to compare two groups of deaf children to a group of hearing children. In order to estimate the development of children's analogical reasoning, especially the development of their understanding of different logical relations, two age groups were singled out in each population of children: younger (9- and 10-year-olds) and older (12- and 13-year-olds). In this way it is possible to assess the influence of early and consistent sign-language communication on the development of the conceptual system in deaf children and to establish whether early and consistent sign-language communication with deaf children affects their mental development to the same extent as early and consistent spoken-language communication with hearing children. The children were given three series of analogy tasks based on different logical relations: (a) a series of verbal analogy tasks (the relations of opposite, part-whole, and causality); (b) a series of numerical analogy tasks (the relations of class membership, opposite, and part-whole); and (c) a series of figural-geometric analogy tasks (the relations of opposite and part-whole). It was found that early and consistent sign-language communication with deaf children plays an almost equivalent role in the development of verbal, numerical, and spatial reasoning by analogy as early and consistent spoken-language communication with hearing children.

Adolescent↗

'Silent and censured travellers'? Patients' narratives and patients' voices: perspectives on the history of mental illness since 1948.

This article seeks to demonstrate how patients' oral testimony can usefully contribute to--and challenge--the history of mental illness in the second half of the twentieth century, through the use of the concept of narrative frames. This work has emerged from a broader study which seeks to examine shifts and continuities in the experiences of mental illness from the introduction of the NHS to the present day, through a study of Oxfordshire. Psychiatry itself and the historiography of psychiatry have in many ways silenced the patient or service user. Nevertheless, acceptable means of communication have always existed, and these are revealed through patients' narratives. In-depth analysis of 21 interviews with patients has led to the emergence of three key acceptable narratives or narrative frames, these being: stories of loss, tales of survival and self-discovery, and narratives of the self as patient. Through examination of three key frames by which patients and users have understood and presented their illness experiences, this article seeks to trace the interactions between the general and the particular, the social and the individual, and to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the recent history of mental health and illness.

Communication Methods, Total↗

Laboratory projects in tactile aids to lipreading.

Four studies are reported on the design of tactile aids to lipreading conducted at Central Institute for the Deaf, St. Louis. A speech feature aid represented resonance, envelope, and source characteristics of speech on three vibrators at the fingertips. Artificially-deafened and congenitally deaf adults lipreading with the aid obtained an average of 40% gain over lipreading alone on syllable identification tests, but minimal gain for untrained words. In a series of three other studies, the quality of tactile sensation was developed as a cue to spectral information, presented in a temporal code based on the overall time-intensity waveform of speech. Electrical and vibratory stimulation on the hand and torso were evaluated by artificially-deafened adults using the tracking technique with connected speech. Short-term training yielded variable increments over unaided lipreading scores and lipreading with a simple vibrator aid. Neither the feature nor the spectral code was superior in aiding lipreading. The displays that produced quality changes seemed more efficient for training than the spatial display. Results were affected also by content and method of training and initial lipreading proficiency.

Adolescent↗

Role of a multichannel electrotactile speech processor in a cochlear implant program for profoundly hearing-impaired adults.

Four profoundly hearing-impaired adults who did not meet current selection criteria for implantation at the University of Melbourne were each fitted with a wearable multichannel electrotactile speech processor (Tickle Talker). The subjects were evaluated with a test battery of speech discrimination tests subsequent to training in use of the device. Thresholds for detection of pure tones were lower for the Tickle Talker than for hearing aids across the frequency range 250 to 4000 Hz. Mean speech detection thresholds for the Ling 5-sound test showed that all sounds were detected by users of the electrotactile device at normal conversational speech intensity levels. Mean speech discrimination scores were significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in the tactually aided condition as compared with the tactually unaided for identification of vowels and consonants, on open-set words, open-set sentences, and on connected discourse tracking. Mean scores increased by 20% for vowels, 19% for consonants, 30% for open-set words, and 25% for open-set sentences when the Tickle Talker was used in a multimodal combination with lipreading or lipreading and hearing aids. Speechtracking rates for three subjects showed increases of from 18 to 28 wpm when the tactile device was used. Comparison of tactually aided versus unaided tracking rates for two subjects with long-term experience shows continuing improvement with additional experience with the device. These results demonstrate that hearing-impaired adults not meeting selection criteria for cochlear implantation may benefit from use of an electrotactile speech processor, and highlight the potential benefits from integration of such devices into cochlear implant programs for profoundly hearing-impaired patients.

Acoustics↗

Comparative effectiveness of correction strategies in connected discourse tracking.

The effectiveness of four correction strategies commonly used in connected discourse tracking was investigated in the present study. The strategies were 1) verbatim repetition of a word or phrase; 2) use of antonyms or synonyms as cues; 3) use of phonemic cues, with no whole word repetition; and 4) going back or ahead in the text, with no repetition of the missed segment. Four normal-hearing adults served as listeners. Live-voice presentation of text by two female talkers was employed for all conditions. Listeners were tested in two stimulus presentation modes, speechreading alone and speechreading plus a multichannel tactile aid. Results indicated that strategy 1, repetition of the missed segment, produced the highest tracking rates, significantly higher than any of the other strategies. Strategy 2 produced the lowest tracking rates. Strategies 1 and 3 yielded the lowest percentage of initially missed words, or blockages, and strategy 4 the highest percentage. Significantly higher tracking rates were found under the speechreading plus tactile aid presentation mode, compared with speechreading alone. Further, tracking rates increased significantly from the beginning to the end of training. Data were compared with a more typical CDT task, in which all correction strategies were operative, and results showed little difference in tracking rates between this task and the constrained CDT employing only strategy 1. Overall, results suggest that simple repetition of missed segments is an effective correction strategy for CDT and argue for its inclusion in computer-assisted tracking implementations.

Adult↗

Imitative consonant feature production by children with multichannel sensory aids.

OBJECTIVE: To examine changes over time in consonant feature production by children with profound hearing impairments who used either the Nucleus multichannel cochlear implant or the multichannel vibrotactile aid, Tactaid 7. DESIGN: Imitative consonant productions of children with prelingual deafness were elicited and transcribed at two intervals: 1) before receiving their respective devices (predevice interval), and 2) after an average of 1.5 yr of device use (postdevice interval). The consonant productions were analyzed in terms of the percentage of consonant features (manner, place, and voicing) produced by the child that matched the features of the examiner's target. The percentage of features produced correctly was then averaged across repetitions, vowel environments, and participants within each group. RESULTS: At the predevice interval, the cochlear implant and Tactaid 7 participants demonstrated similar imitative consonant production abilities. After an average of 1.5 yr of device use, the cochlear implant participants demonstrated significantly greater gains than did the Tactaid 7 participants for the features of voicing and place of articulation. Although the cochlear implant participants showed a trend towards better production of the consonant manner features, this difference failed to reach significance. CONCLUSIONS: The current results suggest that the use of a multichannel sensory aid yields improvements in consonant feature production. Furthermore, use of a cochlear implant appears to promote the production of consonant voicing and place features to a greater degree than does the use of a multichannel tactile aid.

Analysis of Variance↗

The cultural bounds of maternal accommodation: how Chinese and American mothers communicate with deaf and hearing children.

Children with special needs typically require family accommodation to those needs. We explore here the extent to which cultural forces shape the accommodations mothers make when communicating with young deaf children. Sixteen mother-child dyads (8 Chinese, 8 American) were videotaped at home. In each culture, 4 mothers interacted with their deaf children, and 4 interacted with their hearing children. None of the deaf children knew sign language, nor spoke at age level. We found that mothers adjusted their communicative behaviors to their deaf children, but in every case, those adjustments were calibrated to cultural norms. American mothers, for example, increased their use of gesture with deaf children but stopped far short of the Chinese range--despite the obvious potential benefits of gesturing to children who cannot hear. These findings provide the first cross-cultural demonstration that children are, first and foremost, inculcated into their cultures and, only within that framework, then treated as special cases.

Child, Preschool↗

Language development in a non-vocal child.

Many children who cannot speak, comprehend both oral and written language. Having knowledge of language is not the same as being able to use language for social transactions. Non-vocal children learn to use augmented and assisted systems, but they experience specific difficulties in initiating and maintaining conversations and making use of the pragmatic functions of language. The purpose of this study was to investigate the semantic and syntactic knowledge of a child with severe multiple disabilities who can read and write and comprehend two languages, but does not initiate conversation. The study demonstrates that high levels of language comprehension and ability to read and write do not automatically transfer to conversational competence or narrative ability.

Attention↗

Usher syndrome: increasing awareness in Scotland.

In July 1993, professionals from a number of European countries met at the 7th European Usher Syndrome Study Group. The purpose of the Study Group (which meets on a biannual basis) is to give professionals working in this specialized field the opportunity to share ideas and examples of their work. People attending included medical practitioners, social service workers, representatives from voluntary bodies and individuals with Usher. The following article is an expanded version of a paper presented at the Study Group. It describes the development of a 3 hour workshop for the wide range of practitioners a child or young person with Usher syndrome may meet. Through group work, positive approaches to working through the personal and practical implications of Usher syndrome are explored.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Psychiatric disorder in deaf and hearing impaired children and young people: a prevalence study.

Psychiatric screening questionnaires for deaf children and adolescents were piloted in a group of 62 children, aged 11-16 years, attending a residential school. The questionnaires, Parent's Checklist (PCL) and Teacher's Checklist (TCL) were then used to screen a group of 93 children attending one Deaf School and three Hearing Impaired Units (HIU). Psychiatric assessments were conducted with a highly structured diagnostic interview, the Child Assessment Schedule (CAS). The interview with signing deaf children was conducted with a sign language interpreter. The prevalence of psychiatric disorder in the whole group was 50.3%, 42.4% in the group attending the Deaf School and 60.9% for the group attending the HIUs. An aetiological model of psychiatric disorder in this group is proposed.

Adolescent↗

Deafness, conversation and theory of mind.

The child's developing theory of the mind as an interconnected network of beliefs, desires and feelings that govern behaviour provides a cornerstone for social and intellectual life. Recent research has suggested that autistic children have difficulty acquiring such a theory. Although it is speculated that a specific neurological deficit may be responsible for autistic children's difficulties on false belief tasks devised to test a theory of mind, these may also be due to a lack of exposure to conversation about mental states. In this study we explored the development of a theory of mind in a group of 26 signing, prelingually-deaf Australian children of normal intelligence, aged 8-13 years. Results revealed that 65% of these deaf children failed a simple test of false belief which normal preschoolers, mentally retarded children, and other handicapped groups--apart from children with autism--routinely pass at a mental age of 4-5 years. No significant difference emerged between deaf children's performance and that of autistic children tested on the same task in previous research. We discuss the results in terms of a conversational account of the development of a theory of mind in deaf children, and the extent to which this account is applicable to children with autism.

Adolescent↗

Nicaraguan Sign Language and Theory of Mind: the issue of critical periods and abilities.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies in the literature report that deaf individuals who experience late access to language perform poorly on false belief tests of Theory of Mind (ToM) compared with age-matched deaf and hearing controls exposed to language early. METHODS: A group of 22 deaf Nicaraguans (aged 7 to 39 years) who learned Nicaraguan Sign Language (ISN) at different ages were tested on a false belief and a nonverbal cartoon retell task designed to elicit talk about the contents of character's mental states. RESULTS: Access to sign language by 10 years of age with possible advantages in language fluency was a strong predictor of performance on both the false belief task and mental state narrative task. However, a comparison of performance on the two tests indicated that children and adults who learned sign after the age of 10 were still able to demonstrate a more general ability to use mental state expressions in narratives. Results are discussed in terms of late access to language and critical periods for the parallel development of Theory of Mind and language. CONCLUSIONS: The findings point to age 10 years as a crucial period when lack of language exposure can lead to long-lasting deficits in false belief abilities. Late exposure to sign language does not, however, rule out all aspects of the ability to consider others' mental states. This paper also highlights the need to take into consideration a variety of communication responses when evaluating deaf children's ToM reasoning.

Adolescent↗

Recognition of speech spectrograms.

The performance of eight naive observers in learning to identify speech spectrograms was studied over a 2-month period. Single tokens from a 50-word phonetically balanced (PB) list were recorded by several talkers and displayed on a Spectraphonics Speech Spectrographic Display system. Identification testing occurred immediately after daily training sessions. After approximately 20 h of training, naive subjects correctly identified the 50 PB words from a single talker over 95% of the time. Generalization tests with the same words were then carried out with different tokens from the original talker, new tokens from another male talker, a female talker, and finally, a synthetic talker. The generalization results for these talkers showed recognition performance at 91%, 76%, 76%, and 48%, respectively. Finally, generalization tests with a novel set of PB words produced by the original talker were also carried out to examine in detail the perceptual strategies and visual features that subjects abstracted from the training set. Our results demonstrate that even without formal training in phonetics or acoustics naive observers can learn to identify visual displays of speech at very high levels of accuracy. Analysis of subjects' performance in a verbal protocol task demonstrated that they rely on salient visual correlates of many phonetic features in speech.

Communication Methods, Total↗