Read my lips: The importance of the face in a computer-animated tutor for vocabulary learning by children with autism.

Full Abstract

A computer-animated tutor, Baldi, has been successful in teaching vocabulary and grammar to children with autism and those with hearing problems. The present study assessed to what extent the face facilitated this learning process relative to the voice alone. Baldi was implemented in a Language Wizard/Tutor, which allows easy creation and presentation of a vocabulary lesson involving the association of pictures and spoken words. The lesson plan included both the receptive identification of pictures and the production of spoken words. A within-subject design with five children with autism followed an alternating treatment in which each child continuously learned to criterion sets of words with and without the face. The rate of learning was significantly faster and the retention was better with the face. The research indicates that at least some children with autism benefit from the face in learning new language within an automated program.

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Author information

Author/s: Massaro, Dominic W (DW); Bosseler, Alexis (A);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA. massaro(-atsign-)fuzzy.ucsc.edu

Grants: R01 DC00236 (Agency:NIDCD NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Autism : the international journal of research and practice (Autism), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Sep; vol 10 (issue 5) : pp 495-510

Dates: Created 2006/08/30; Completed 2007/01/23; Revised 2007/12/03;

PMID: 16940315, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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