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Research on Nonlinguistic Communication Functioning of Individuals with Severe or Profound Handicaps

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Part of the book series: Disorders of Human Learning, Behavior, and Communication ((HUMAN LEARNING))

Abstract

It should not be surprising that research pertaining to communication skills development of individuals with severe or profound handicaps has been somewhat lacking. This most probably is due to a number of interrelated factors, including the low incidence of the population itself, the anticipated rate of development or acquisition of skills, and the nonavailability of a consistent research knowledge base concerning individuals with the most pronounced type and degree of handicap. It is only recently that researchers have begun to take a more active role in relation to this population. In regard to investigations concerning communication skills development, most studies have examined the effectiveness of communication interventions within the context of simple cause and effect relationships. Although most people would agree that communication develops as the result of an interplay of an indeterminant number of cognitive, social, environmental, and physical factors, most researchers have focused on single components of behaviors instead of taking a more holistic approach. From a philosophic standpoint, such a narrow focus ignores the richness and complexity of human communicative behavior. From a research and intervention standpoint, such a view severely limits external validity and clinical applications of obtained results.

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

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Alvares, R., Falor, I., Smiley, L. (1991). Research on Nonlinguistic Communication Functioning of Individuals with Severe or Profound Handicaps. In: Sternberg, L. (eds) Functional Communication. Disorders of Human Learning, Behavior, and Communication. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-9011-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-9011-4_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-9013-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-9011-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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