Establishing an Encoded
Eye Gaze Communication System

Carolann Cormier, MS, CCC-SLP, ATP
Assistive Technology Coordinator
Capital Region Educational Council

Individuals who are not able to directly select what they want on a communication board, using their hands or some other body part, often use their eyes to indicate what they want. By using encoding a person using eye gaze can have direct selection access to communication boards with unlimited amounts of vocabulary.

Individuals who use scanning with their vocal output system often have the complaint that it is slow and tedious, which is unfortunately true. Hopefully technology will continue to come along with advances which increase the possibilities for people who use scanning as a method to communicate or use other technologies such as the computer. Having a voice is a powerful tool which should be available to all individuals even those who have non vocal output communication systems. The two should work with each other and not replace one another. Any person who has a vocal output communication system should also always have access to a non vocal output communication system. This system can be used as a back up system with equipment failure or when a device needs to be charged. Most people can use an eye gaze system in all positions and all environments which is often not true of their vocal output system which may be dependent on switch sites and physical position. A non vocal output system can be used outside in inclement weather. Finally, at times the a non vocal output system can be easier to use as it can require less concentration and energy that is needed to use a scanning vocal output communication system.

An encoded eye gaze communication system is comprised of two parts, the communication board which contains the relevant vocabulary and a clear acrylic board which contains the encoded information. The communication board often is placed on the wheelchair tray and the acrylic board is held in an upright manner, parallel to the user’s face. The information on the acrylic board can also be placed around the communication board. The position of the encoded information depends on the user’s preference and physical abilities. The encoded information can be colors and letters or numbers, with one representing the rows and the other the columns on the board. The vocabulary is contained within squares or cells (as in a spreadsheet) on the communication board. Each cell is represented by a color and a number or letter. Depending on the user, the columns can be colors or numbers or letters and the rows can be colors or numbers or letters. Again it is based on the user’s preference and can also be based on what is being used by others in that environment.

Example of the communication section of an encoded eye gaze board

Example of the clear arylic component of the encoded eye gaze system

Generally a note on the communication board which says how the person uses the board is helpful. Such as "I communicate by looking at first the color and then the letter or number. Please watch my eyes and when I look at a color repeat what I look at. I will smile to let you know that is correct. I will then look at a number (or letter), please say what I am looking at. Go to the square that is that color and number for what I want."

Color coding is an important part of this type of communication system and should be used immediately. Color coding can easily be done by using Boardmaker and coloring in the background of the Picture Communication Symbols. If Boardmaker is not available then black and white pictures can be copied onto colored paper. When using photographs, the picture can be cut out and mounted on colored paper, or software such as Picture This can be used. The person designing the communication board should choose the colors with the user or use color coding that is already in place in the school or facility. When choosing colors with the user, phrases such as "When you think of outside things, what color do you think of" might be helpful. This way the user can choose colors for categories which make sense to them. For example one individual that works with this therapist choose: green for outside things; blue for work things (her work building was blue); and pink for leisure items because her favorite leisure activity was putting on pink nail polish. Pictures or words can be included on the board, or a combination of both, whatever works with the individual using the board.

Even if a person is not using an encoded eye gaze communication system, color coding is a helpful strategy to use in designing communication arrays as it assist the user in increased efficiency in finding the desired vocabulary item as well as transitioning to overlays containing more messages. The color coding and setup of all communication arrays should remain consistent from one board to another on and off vocal output communication systems.

When starting a person on an eye gaze system often it is easier for individuals using just the acrylic component with the person looking directly at what they want. The communication partner puts the color coded category pictures on the acrylic board (usually one in each of the four corners, but again this is based on the user’s preferences). The user chooses the category and then those pictures are taken off and the specific vocabulary items in the category chosen to make a choice from are put on the acrylic board. Once a person is comfortable with this, make a communication board with the 16 vocabulary choices arranged on an overlay like in the example above. The person still looks at the color coded category pictures to make a choice and the communication partner goes down the column of choices asking "Do you want ____?" until coming to what the individual indicates he or she wants. When the user is competent with this skill, the numbers or letters indicating the rows can be added on and the user then looks at the color and number or letter to let you know what they want.

Once a person is able to indicate the row and column contains the possibilities are endless, those two items are all that is needed to communication as much information as can fit on the board, can be distinguished by the user with their eye gaze and read by the partner. If the individual has difficulty with many more choices at one time, the same concepts can be used with multiple boards, all using the same colors and numbers or letters but different vocabulary, allowing the user access to endless amounts of messages.

Encoded eye gaze systems have been around for many years, and we have all seen systems with the alphabet letters clustered in the four corners of the communication board, where an individual looks at one corner and then another corner to indicate what letter they want. This type of system can be valuable and is used by many individuals today, however it can be confusing and requires the user to spell out everything they want. An encoded system, as describe in this article can be used with pictures, can contain whole phrases, letters, numbers or whatever is needed, and allows the individual to access large amounts of vocabulary with two eye movements. It may take time to train these skills, but the possibilities are limitless.

Carolann Cormier is the Assistive Technology Coordinator for the Capital Region Educational Council, and has been specializing in Augmentative Alternative Communication for 17 years. She can be reached at 860-747-2112 or at cmcormier@aol.com.

Sources for Materials Mentioned:

Crestwood Communication Aids, Inc.
6625 North Sidney Place
Milwaukee, WI 53209-3259
414-352-5678
www.communicationaids.com

Opticommunicator (clear acrylic board) which can be purchased with an acrylic base, table stand, floor stand or mount. Price for Opticommunicator with base is $74.95. Prices for the other bases vary.

Home Supply Centers

Acrylic Boards can also be purchased from home supply centers, who can cut them to size. Make sure the edges are sanded so they are not sharp. It is helpful to have the center of the acrylic cut out so that the communication partner can see through it to see where the user is looking.

Mayer-Johnson Co.
P.O. Box 1579
Solana Beach, CA 92075-7570
800-588-4548
http://www.mayer-johnson.com

Boardmaker - available for Mac and Windows, $399.00

Picture This - 2,700 high quality photographs from Silver lining Multimedia, Inc. for Mac and Windows. $49.95

Picture This Photos in Boardmaker Libraries, $59.95

References:

Charlebois-Marois, C. (1985). Everybody’s technology: A sharing of ideas in augmentative communication. Montreal: Charlecoms Enr.

Goossens, C. & Crain, S. Overview of Currently Used Eye-Gaze Communication Systems.

ConnSENSE Bulletin