"Talking about Emotions Using Culturally Sensitive AAC" — Publication

Na, Ji Young (June 2014).  Talking about Emotions.  Augmentative Communication World Network (ACWN) Newsletter [Full Text].
Penn State Scholar Ji Young Na’s article discusses the results of the research project which she conducted with Dr. Krista Wilkinson in the spring of 2014.  They interviewed 20 American and Korean mothers about their children’s conversation about emotions and the results showed significant cultural differences.
Based on their research findings, Ji Young Na emphasizes that we can begin by supporting families and professionals to have a better awareness about the need for individuals with Complex Communication Needs (CCNs) to have access to emotion language in their AAC systems, beyond happy, sad, angry, so they can have meaningful conversations about their feelings, opinions, interests, and beliefs, as well as their wants and needs.
ACWN seeks to provide practical supports to people who are trying to develop augmentative communication resources and services in areas where they have not previously existed.  The ACWN newsletter delivers the updates and news from around the world, with archives available online.