Identifying, locating, and sequencing picture communication symbols: Contributions from developmental visuospatial and temporal memory

Abstract

This study investigated visuospatial and temporal working memory through assessment of feature binding abilities of typically developing first-, third-, and fifth-grade school-age children. One hundred and twelve children were asked to identify, locate, and sequence various numbers and arrays of picture communication symbols during a picture span assessment task. Feature binding was assessed through analysis of object recall, location recall, object–location recall, object–sequence recall, and location–sequence recall. Significant increases in picture span occurred with increasing grade level. Objects were highly salient with most children having recall greater than 90%. Most children had difficulty with recall of location, object sequence, and location sequence. A significant increase in location–sequence binding ability was noted as grade level increased from first to third grade. When visuospatial and temporal working memory capacity is exceeded, limitations in the ability to bind multiple features (object, location, and sequence) may reduce children’s abilities to successfully use visual graphic displays for communication.