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Early Communication in Dyads with Visual Impairment

Rattray, J.; Suzanne Zeedyk, M.

Authors

M. Suzanne Zeedyk



Abstract

The ability of dyads with restricted access to the visual channel of communication to establish a reliable pre-linguistic communicative signalling system has traditionally been viewed as problematic. Such a conclusion is due in part to the emphasis that has been placed on vision as central to communication by traditional theory. The data presented in this paper question these assertions. The results of a longitudinal study exploring the nature of early dyadic interactions in dyads with visual impairment are presented. The dyads' use of three types of non-visual behaviour - touch, vocalizations and facial orientation - were investigated in terms of their potential as alternatives to visual communication. It is argued that the results are evidence that visually impaired dyads engage in sophisticated communicative exchanges prior to infants' acquisition of language.

Citation

Rattray, J., & Suzanne Zeedyk, M. (2005). Early Communication in Dyads with Visual Impairment. Infant and Child Development, 14(3), 287-309. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.397

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 2005-09
Deposit Date Mar 28, 2008
Journal Infant and Child Development
Print ISSN 1522-7227
Electronic ISSN 1522-7219
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 14
Issue 3
Pages 287-309
DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.397
Keywords Visual impairment, Communication, Dyadic interaction.