Technology-assisted language intervention for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing; a pilot study of augmentative and alternative communication for enhancing language development.

Technology-assisted language intervention for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing; a pilot study of augmentative and alternative communication for enhancing language development.

Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2016 Dec 16;:1-8

Authors: Meinzen-Derr J, Wiley S, McAuley R, Smith L, Grether S

Abstract
PURPOSE: Pilot study to assess the effect of augmentative and alternative communication technology to enhance language development in children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five children ages 5-10 years with permanent bilateral hearing loss who were identified with language underperformance participated in an individualized 24-week structured program using the application TouchChat WordPower on iPads(®). Language samples were analyzed for changes in mean length of utterance, vocabulary words and mean turn length. Repeated measures models assessed change over time.
RESULTS: The baseline median mean length of utterance was 2.41 (range 1.09-6.63; mean 2.88) and significantly increased over time (p = 0.002) to a median of 3.68 at final visit (range 1.97-6.81; mean 3.62). At baseline, the median total number of words spoken per language sample was 251 (range 101-458), with 100 (range 36-100) different words spoken. Total words and different words significantly increased over time (β = 26.8 (7.1), p = 0.001 for total words; β = 8.0 (2.7), p = 0.008 for different words). Mean turn length values also slightly increased over time.
CONCLUSIONS: Using augmentative and alternative communication technology on iPads(®) shows promise in supporting rapid language growth among elementary school-age children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing with language underperformance.

PMID: 27982714 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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