Abstract:
Visual Impairment (VI) poses significant challenges to children's development,
particularly in the realm of conversational pragmatics, which are essential for effective
social interaction. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and nature of
conversational pragmatic difficulties among children with VI in Bangladesh. A cross
sectional survey was conducted involving 220 children, aged 6-17 years, from various
educational settings, including special schools, inclusive schools, and residential
institutions for the visually impaired. Data were collected through two primary
assessment tools: the Assessment of Conversational Pragmatics (ACP) and the
Conversational Skills Rating Scale (CSRS). The results revealed that a large proportion
of children (93.2%) exhibited emerging pragmatic skills, while a smaller percentage
(5.9%) faced more significant difficulties, with limited conversational abilities. The
study found that non-verbal communication, a crucial component of conversational
pragmatics, was particularly challenging for children with VI, as 98.6% struggled to
effectively use gestures and facial expressions. Additionally, difficulties in maintaining
conversation, staying on topic, and understanding non-literal language were commonly
observed. Age, type of VI, and socio-economic factors such as parental education and
residential status were found to influence pragmatic skill development. Children
diagnosed at an earlier age, and those from families with higher educational levels,
showed more developed conversational skills. The study also highlighted the need for
specialized speech-language therapy interventions, as only 1.4% of the children had
received such support, which was linked to better conversational abilities. These
findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions to enhance conversational
pragmatics in children with VI in Bangladesh.
Keywords: Visual Impairment, Conversational Pragmatic Difficulties, Prevalence,
Social Interaction, Assessment of Conversational Pragmatics, Conversational Skills
Rating Scale, Speech and Language Therapy.
Description:
This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Speech and Language Therapy, Bangladesh Health Professions Institute, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh