Creating meaning through the coordination of gaze direction and arm/hand movement

This study is an investigation of the practice of achieving shared understanding in Augmented and Alternative Communication (AAC) using natural modes. The interaction between a girl with severe speech and physical impairment (SSPI) and moderate intellectual disability and her everyday communication partners is explored. The aims are to investigate how the participants create meaning through the girl's coordination of gaze direction and arm/hand movements and vocalizations, as they occur in natural interaction with everyday communication partners. The principles of conversation analysis (CA) were used to record, transcribe and analyse the interaction. The analysis demonstrates that the participants collaboratively create local meaning in and through the coordination of gaze and arm/hand movement. Thus, the speaking co-participants ascribe meaning to the girl's actions of directing gaze and arm/hand movement at the same target. The analysis shows that the ascription of a specific: meaning is context-specific. These findings highlight the importance of taking into account all interaction-relevant modalities and the relevance of systematic details in the micro-context of interaction when looking for processes of sense making. In addition, the role of the communication partner is emphasized. These findings may have implications for clinical intervention.