AMANDA HYNAN FINAL THESIS PDF

colleges and one specialist school and adult residential centre. These were
geographically wide spread across the United Kingdom.
3.6.2.2. Semi-structured interviews
Data was collected through semi-structured interviews lasting between 30 minutes to
2 hours and guided by topic themes (appendix A) identified from the literature review
and substantiated by the pilot investigation. Of the twenty-five participants, fifteen
were supported within the interview environment by a familiar communication
partner: a speech and language therapist, parent, teacher, personal assistant or the
head of the technical department. Sometimes more than one communication support
partner was present. The heads of technology within two of the special colleges and
the quality assurance manager from a special school and adult residential centre took
part in semi-structured interviews (lasting between 30 minutes to 1 hour) to clarify
issues emerging within the data in order to help develop emerging theory (see section
3.6.3.7. on theoretical sampling).
3.6.2.3. Total communication and low tech AAC
Within the field of AAC problems with equipment are not uncommon. This impacted
on the interviews as follows: one participant used an alphabet board as the joystick
that drove her VOCA broke off her wheelchair before the interview. Another
participant had a last minute technical problem but did not want to cancel. As no low
tech AAC was available at short notice, we used yes/no questions (at his request) and
the interview was supported by his father. A second interview was arranged and he
requested that the questions be sent by email so he could pre-prepare answers on his
VOCA. One participant did not want to use her VOCA and chose to use a low tech
form of AAC (an eye transfer frame, see footnote entry within Figure B in section
2.6.3.2.). All participants used total communication strategies and utilised body
language, facial expression, gesture and on occasion Makaton signing
(http://www.makaton.org/).
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