Developing a novel system to support language acquisition in children with CNN: an ethnographic study

Communication aids designed for use by young children are typically based on a word phrase retrieval system using a grid-based symbol access paradigm. What has become clear, however, is that such systems have significant usability shortfalls for young children with complex communication needs (CCN). These systems may be failing these emergent communicators by hindering their capacity to acquire vocabulary during a critical developmental phase, and to their lifelong detriment (Light & Drager, 2007).