Updated 04/2006

This is a partial list of materials on this topic available from DB-LINK. In most instances, DB-LINK is able to provide a copy of the complete article. For this and other questions or information that you may need, please contact DB-LINK, (800) 438-9376 or (800) 854-7013 (TTY) or email: dblink@tr.wou.edu.

2000-0589

Tangible Symbols, Tangible Outcomes. Rowland, Charity & Schweigert, Philip. AUGMENTATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION, vol. 16, #2, June 2000, pp. 61-78. This 3-year study on the use of tangible symbols (objects and pictures) by 41 children with a variety severe and multiple disabilities was conducted to follow-up an earlier study by the authors that revealed the utility of tangible symbols for children who are deaf-blind. The children all had combinations of the following major disabilities: mental retardation (9), developmental delay (32), vision impairment (23), hearing impairment (8), autism (9), orthopedic impairment (23), seizure disorder (8), and medical fragility (6). Seven children had combined vision and hearing impairment plus additional disabilities. All were cognitively delayed. Of the 41 participants, only 6 failed to acquire tangible symbols, demonstrating their usefulness for children with a broad range of abilities. A number of the participants progressed beyond tangible symbols and learned to use abstract symbol systems, including speech. Data describing the progress of participants are presented. Participants are grouped according to outcomes, and the characteristics of each group are discussed in terms of the communication skills of participants as they began intervention. A correction to 2 figures published in a later AAC issue (vol. 16, #3, p. 205) is appended to this article.

2005-0152

Tangible Symbols: Symbolic Communication for Individuals with Multisensory Impairments. Rowland, Charity & Schweigert, Philip. AUGMENTATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION (AAC), vol. 5, #4, pp. 226-234. 1989. This article describes a study in which nine deaf-blind students who were not able to acquire abstract symbol systems were taught to use tangible symbols--manipulable symbols (objects or pictures) that bear a clear perceptual relationship to a referent. Many individuals with multisensory impairments fail to bridge the gap between presymbolic communication and formal language systems such as speech or manual signs. A sequence of communication development that accommodates the use of tangible symbols is presented, as well as case studies illustrating the acquisition of tangible symbols by two students. Finally, data on the progress of the nine students in the study is presented.

2006-0076

Participating Children and Their Teams --Chen, Deborah; Downing, June; Minor, Lavada; Rodriguez-Gil, Gloria. Northridge: Department of Special Education, California State University, Northridge. Successful Adaptations for Learning to Use Touch Effectively: Interacting with Children who are Deaf-Blind or Visually Impaired and Have Additional Disabilities, pp. 7-11. (2005) This is a description of the research findings of Project SALUTE, which conducted a number of activities related to tactile learning in children who are deaf-blind. One component of Project SALUTE involved research with four children in whom tactile strategies were identified, implemented, and evaluated. Data analysis was based on videotaped observations over the course of the two years that the children were followed. Findings included an increase in the use of appropriate tactile strategies by family members and service providers; a decrease in the use of hand-over-hand guidance by family members and service providers; an increase in positive and more active responses from children during interactions, including increased attention to the partner, increased frequency of responses to object queues and signs, and increased frequency of expressive communication; an increase in adults' expectation of a child's response as measured by an increase in "wait time" and using less support to prompt a response; and an increase in readability and elaboration of adults' interactions with children. Available on the Web: http://www.projectsalute.net/Description/Descriptionhtml/Descriptionmain.html.

2005-0151

How Do Objects Become Objects of Reference?: A Review of the Literature on Objects of Reference and a Proposed Model for the Use of Objects in Communication. Park, Keith:GivenName. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, vol. 24, #3, September 1997, pp. 108-114. An analytical review of the literature on objects of reference in order to formulate a model of object use in communication. Peirce's (1932) three categories of sign (index, icon, and symbol) are suggested as a method of providing a developmental framework for the use of objects of reference.

1997-0015

Using Objects of Reference: A Review of the Literature.  Park, Keith. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION, vol. 10, #1, 1995, pp.40-46. This report presents a brief overview of the literature pertaining to the use of objects of reference in communication with children who are deaf-blind or multi-sensory impaired, a methodology grounded in van Dijk's work. The work of Rowland and Schweigert with tangible symbols is described. Citing Piaget, a distinction is made between symbolic and nonsymbolic use of objects. It is suggested that the establishment of nonsymbolic object use in appropriate routines may facilitate the acquisition of the symbolic use of objects. In this way, objects of reference may be seen as providing a bridge between nonsymbolic and symbolic communication.

2005-0156

Establishing a Repertoire of Requesting for a Student with Severe and Multiple Disabilities Using Tangible Symbols and Naturalistic Time Delay. Turnell, Ruth & Carter, Mark. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, vol. 19, #3, pp. 193-207. 1994. This single subject design study examined the use of a naturalistic time delay strategy and tangible object symbols to teach a student with severe and multiple disabilities to request high interest leisure activities. The student had been diagnosed as having athetoid quadriplegia, severe intellectual disability, epilepsy, a moderate hearing loss, and an alternating convergent squint. The student was taught to request a preferred item or activity by reaching for and touching a tangible symbol. A multiple probe design was used to demonstrate that requesting selected items and activities was successfully taught during a nine-week program. At the completion of teaching, the student was able to request in response to expectant time delay and the presence of the desired item.

1996-0754

Objects of Reference. McLarty, Marion. In: The Education of Dual Sensory Impaired Children: Recognising and Developing Ability, pp. 35-45.  David Etheridge (Ed.) London: David Fulton Publishers 1995. This book chapter discusses objects of reference as they relate to the development of understanding and communication in the education of deaf-blind children and use of the methodology in England and Wales. Although this is not a specific research study, case studies of the use of objects for communication by four deaf-blind children are detailed. The following topics about the use of objects of reference in the classroom are also addressed: relationship with a key staff member, a structured environment, choice of objects, and calendar boxes.

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