AMANDA HYNAN FINAL THESIS PDF

media by people who have additional complex communication needs and already use
digital technology in the form of AAC devices.
2.5. Part Four: The internet and online social media within the
lives of young people who use AAC
2.5.1. Introduction
Smith (2005) argues adolescence is a key developmental stage and young people who
use AAC are likely to have the same aspirations and face similar challenges as their
peers but have to cope with additional physical challenges and complex
communication needs. Wickenden (2009) conducted an ethnographic study with
young people who use AAC and found they were
“more interested in the ways that they are like others than anything else and identify
themselves most importantly as teenagers rather than disabled” (p. 1).
Morris (2003), Rabiee et al. (2005) and Wickenden (2009) all comment on the lack
of direct research with disabled young people with complex communication needs
and say many qualitative studies on a range of topics have collected proxy interview
data with family or caregivers. The following section outlines the literature found that
contains self-reported experiences of using computers, the internet, online social
media and mobile phone technology by people who use AAC.
2.5.2. Use of computers, the internet, online social media and mobile
phone technology by people who use AAC
Research looking at the use of computers, the internet, online social media and mobile
phone technology is patchy and scattered across different countries. Raghavendra,
Newman, Grace and Woods (2013) state there is very limited research with young
people with physical disabilities about internet use. Raghavendra et al. (2012b)
conducted qualitative interviews in Australia with a cohort of 15 children with
physical disabilities (five with communication difficulties, one of whom used a
VOCA). They found that they were using the internet for a variety of purposes but the
extent and frequency of use was lower than their peers. Friends were the main people
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