Transcript from AOL Instant Messsenger session
in which an AAC language sample was collected.
This is appended to the paper
"AAC Language Sample Collection via Instant Message
for Clinical Service Delivery and Research"
Barry Romich and Katya Hill
13 March 2001.
Language Sample No. 1.010312.1
xxxxxxxxx: hiB Romich: Hi, Xxxxxxxx.
B Romich: Sorry I'm a little late.
B Romich: So do you have your LAM turned on in your Pathfinder?
xxxxxxxxx: only 5 mins, no prob
xxxxxxxxx: not yet
B Romich: Well, go ahead and turn it on now.
xxxxxxxxx: ok
B Romich: We'll be chatting for at least a half hour. Will that be okay for you?
B Romich: I'd like you to use your Pathfinder just as you would if I were there with you.
xxxxxxxxx: I'm ready, its on
B Romich: By the way, is your Pathfinder clock reasonably corrent?
B Romich: correct
xxxxxxxxx: yes to XXXXXXXXXX time
B Romich: Great!
B Romich: Okay, here goes.
xxxxxxxxx: ready
B Romich: I have a number of questions that I'll be asking. Anytime you want to introduce a topic, though, feel free to do so.
xxxxxxxxx: ok
B Romich: It would be good if you use your normal sentence length structure instead of answering in single words. We are trying to obtain enough communication to produce a valid and useful sample.
xxxxxxxxx: I'm open to anything
B Romich: 1. What is your name? (This is the start of the analyzed sample.)
xxxxxxxxx: my name is Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
B Romich: 2. How old are you?
xxxxxxxxx: I'm twenty-three
B Romich: 3. What are your reasons for using an AAC system?
xxxxxxxxx: I have cerebral palsy and talking is hard and people can't understand me so a communication device helps
B Romich: Do you want to say anything further on that question?
xxxxxxxxx: not really, I just want to communicate the best I can, I have always wanted that from little on, I enjoy talking
B Romich: That brings a smile to my face. Actually, a chuckle.
B Romich: I'm thinking that it might be helpful to me to have you indicate that you are done by finishing your work with the word over. Can you do that?
B Romich: That way I'll know that you're waiting for me and not preparing something else.
xxxxxxxxx: well before my Touch Talker, I used someinteresting ways to communicate
B Romich: Want to tell me more?
xxxxxxxxx: I began to communicate at the age of two with newspaper ads and it was like using Unity without a communication device actually talking, over
B Romich: 4. When and where were you first introduced to AAC? (Please explain in detail).
xxxxxxxxx: and I started moving up to boards and got my Touch Talker at seven and Liberator at fourteen and Pathfinder at twenty-three, I think the newspapers have helped me even get where I am today over
B Romich: What do you mean by that last comment, that the newspapers have helped you?
xxxxxxxxx: I'm saying I think the pictures that I found in the newspaper back than before I knew what a communication device was, helped me to get ready for using a Minspeak Application Program because its the general idea but my Pathfinder has a voice and the newspapers didn't over
B Romich: Okay, now I get what you'ree saying. 5. Tell me about your current equipment.
B Romich: a. How long have you had it? b. What have you used in the past? c. Why did you change?
xxxxxxxxx: I communicate using a Pathfinder with Unity and I have made very little changes to it besides programming names of people
xxxxxxxxx: I have used a Touch Talker and Liberator and now the Pathfinder, I have made the changes due to newer and better assistive technology being developped actually, over
B Romich: So you are suggesting that the standard Unity vocabulary satisfies the vast majority of your communication needs, is that right?
xxxxxxxxx: yes, I have honestly found Unity has almost everything you need to communicate other than your names and places like XXXXXXX or Wooster over
B Romich: 6. What features do you like/dislike most about your current system?
xxxxxxxxx: I like the computer access in the Pathfinder the most and I like the size of the actual device and the well built body it has over
B Romich: 7. How do you manage the vocabulary and messages stored in your AAC system?
B Romich: Sounds as though you mostly use the standard Unity organization.
xxxxxxxxx: actually that's a great question because I don't have a book with everything programmed in the Pathfinder, everything is remembered by myself and I'm actually my Unity teacher because I taught myself by playing around with it, I think that's the best way you can learn it anyway over
B Romich: Well, we've gone over the half hour. Are you good for a few more questions?
xxxxxxxxx: yes and the battery is still great to go ha ha ha
B Romich: Great! 8. Explain the 'social rules' you would like your communication partners to honor when you are carrying on a conversation. (An example of this may be that others don't complete/anticipate your sentences for you).
xxxxxxxxx: good question again, I feel that newer people when they first meet me think they should help talk for me but as time goes on people know they shouldn't help, I know how communicating and I will say whatever I need or want over
B Romich: 9. How has your current system changed your life?
xxxxxxxxx: actually I believe my Pathfinder hasn't changed anything greatly really, but the big change happened when I changed from Touch Talker to Liberator and it was because the Liberator had dec talk so about anyone could understand me over
B Romich: 10. Do you have any specific suggestions for how to adapt or change your current system to increase its efficiency?
xxxxxxxxx: not really because the Pathfinder offers the newest things but I think it's very important to stay up with the times and I'm sure I will have a better device again some day with whatever technology is tomorrow over
B Romich: Well, I think we better stop. You've been most generous with your time. Now you'll need to send the LAM data from your Pathfinder to the computer.
B Romich: Let's try putting it into the text of an email message to me.
B Romich: If it's too big, we'll need to create a new word processor document and put it there.
xxxxxxxxx: say can you call us to talk us how to do it (This is the end of the analyzed sample.)
B Romich: Sure. What's your number? xxxxxxxxx: xxxxxxxxxx
B Romich: Okay. Hold on while I save our IM transcript and log off AOL. Bye from here.
