Abstract
In providing support for persons with communication disabilities, we use a versatile voice-output communication aid VCAN developed in-house. Supporters determine specifications of each user's VCAN according to his or her communication ability and living environment, and provide the frequent updates. Communications abilities are usually evaluated using language-tests and through daily observations. Additionally, daily log-data updates allow us to evaluate subjects' communication abilities objectively, from a much border perspective. In order to clarify the relationship between conventional language-test results and the outcome of our support system, we carried out experiments using 5 subjects with different communication disabilities. We conducted a detailed analysis of log-data over period of three consecutive months and compared its outcome with results of the Sign-Significate Relations developed by the National Rehabilitation Center of Japan. Additionally, we analyzed how the use of each communication function changes, over time. All results suggested that the log-data analysis is effective for complementing and reinforcing Sign-Significate Relation results, and evaluating habituation of VCAN-based communication, the number of communication scenes and usability of user's VCAN.
