scholarly journals Speech and Language Practitioners’ Experiences of Commercially Available Voice-Assisted Technology: Web-Based Survey Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pranav Kulkarni ◽  
Orla Duffy ◽  
Jonathan Synnott ◽  
W George Kernohan ◽  
Roisin McNaney
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Outcome Measurement ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Web Based ◽  
At Home

BACKGROUND Speech and language therapy involves the identification, assessment, and treatment of children and adults who have difficulties with communication, eating, drinking, and swallowing. Globally, pressing needs outstrip the availability of qualified practitioners who, of necessity, focus on individuals with advanced needs. The potential of voice-assisted technology (VAT) to assist people with speech impairments is an emerging area of research but empirical work exploring its professional adoption is limited. OBJECTIVE This study aims to explore the professional experiences of speech and language therapists (SaLTs) using VAT with their clients to identify the potential applications and barriers to VAT adoption and thereby inform future directions of research. METHODS A 23-question survey was distributed to the SaLTs from the United Kingdom using a web-based platform, eliciting both checkbox and free-text responses, to questions on perceptions and any use experiences of VAT. Data were analyzed descriptively with content analysis of free text, providing context to their specific experiences of using VAT in practice, including barriers and opportunities for future use. RESULTS A total of 230 UK-based professionals fully completed the survey; most were technologically competent and were aware of commercial VATs (such as <i>Alexa</i> and <i>Google Assistant</i>). However, only 49 (21.3%) SaLTs had used VAT with their clients and described 57 use cases. They reported using VAT with 10 different client groups, such as people with dysarthria and users of augmentative and alternative communication technologies. Of these, almost half (28/57, 49%) used the technology to assist their clients with day-to-day tasks, such as web browsing, setting up reminders, sending messages, and playing music. Many respondents (21/57, 37%) also reported using the technology to improve client speech, to facilitate speech practice at home, and to enhance articulation and volume. Most reported a positive impact of VAT use, stating improved independence (22/57, 39%), accessibility (6/57, 10%), and confidence (5/57, 8%). Some respondents reported increased client communication (5/57, 9%) and sociability (3/57, 5%). Reasons given for not using VAT in practice included lack of opportunity (131/181, 72.4%) and training (63/181, 34.8%). Most respondents (154/181, 85.1%) indicated that they would like to try VAT in the future, stating that it could have a positive impact on their clients’ speech, independence, and confidence. CONCLUSIONS VAT is used by some UK-based SaLTs to enable communication tasks at home with their clients. However, its wider adoption may be limited by a lack of professional opportunity. Looking forward, additional benefits are promised, as the data show a level of engagement, empowerment, and the possibility of achieving therapeutic outcomes in communication impairment. The disparate responses suggest that this area is ripe for the development of evidence-based clinical practice, starting with a clear definition, outcome measurement, and professional standardization.

scholarly journals The Virtual Mock Oral Examination: A Multi-institutional Study of Resident and Faculty Receptiveness

OTO Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 2473974X2199739
Author(s):  
Joseph F. Goodman ◽  
Prashant Saini ◽  
Alexander J. Straughan ◽  
Christopher D. Badger ◽  
Punam Thakkar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Likert Scale ◽  
Oral Examination ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Online Format

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, several American Board of Medical Specialties members have implemented board exams in an online format. In response, we decided to evaluate the efficacy and receptiveness of otolaryngology faculty and residents to a web-based virtual mock oral examination (MOE). Faculty and residents from DC-metropolitan institutions were recruited for decentralized virtual MOE in early 2020. A total of 28 faculty and 20 residents signed up. Follow-up included a survey study consisting of Likert scale and free-text questions to evaluate receptiveness. Helpfulness of the exercise was rated as an average of 8.8 and 9.06, respectively, by faculty and residents on a 10-point Likert scale. Likelihood to recommend a similar exercise to others was 9.2 and 9.3, respectively, for faculty and residents. All survey respondents said they would participate again if given the opportunity. We conclude that existing videoconferencing technologies can be effective tools for conducting virtual MOE by otolaryngology residency programs.

scholarly journals Achieving ‘coherence’ in routine practice: a qualitative case-based study to describe speech and language therapy interventions with implementation in mind

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Avril Nicoll ◽  
Margaret Maxwell ◽  
Brian Williams
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Work ◽  
Complex Interventions ◽  
Normalisation Process Theory ◽  
Routine Practice ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Child Speech ◽  
Intervention Description ◽  
Case Based

Abstract Background Implementation depends on healthcare professionals being able to make sense of a new intervention in relation to their routine practice. Normalisation Process Theory refers to this as coherence work. However, specifying what it takes to achieve coherence is challenging because of variations in new interventions, routine practices and the relationship between them. Frameworks for intervention description may offer a way forward, as they provide broad descriptive categories for comparing complex interventions. To date such frameworks have not been informed by implementation theory, so do not account for the coherence work involved in holding aspects of routine practice constant while doing other aspects differently. Using speech and language therapy as an empirical exemplar, we explored therapists’ experiences of practice change and developed a framework to show how coherence of child speech interventions is achieved. Methods We conducted a retrospective case-based qualitative study of how interventions for child speech problems had changed across three NHS speech and language therapy services and private practice in Scotland. A coherence framework was derived through interplay between empirical work with 42 therapists (using in-depth interviews, or self-organised pairs or small focus groups) and Normalisation Process Theory’s construct of coherence. Findings Therapists reported a range of practice changes, which had demanded different types of coherence work. Non-traditional interventions had featured for many years in the profession’s research literature but not in clinical practice. Achieving coherence with these interventions was intellectually demanding because they challenged the traditional linguistic assumptions underpinning routine practice. Implementation was also logistically demanding, and therapists felt they had little agency to vary what was locally conventional for their service. In addition, achieving coherence took considerable relational work. Non-traditional interventions were often difficult to explain to children and parents, involved culturally uncomfortable repetitive drills and required therapists to do more tailoring of intervention for individual children. Conclusions The intervention coherence framework has practical and theoretical applications. It is designed to help therapists, services and researchers anticipate and address barriers to achieving coherence when implementing non-routine interventions. It also represents a worked example of using theory to make intervention description both user-focused and implementation-friendly.

scholarly journals Speech & Language Pathologists Interpretation of Pure Tone Audiometrical Test

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rana KK ◽  
◽  
Ahmad U ◽  
Bhutta AH ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Speech Therapy ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Speech And Language Pathologists ◽  
Speech Therapist

Background: Facilitation of hearing impaired is important because a large amount of hearing impaired whose are still awaited for speech and language therapy. Persons With Disabilities (PWDS) statistics in Pakistan recently released the results of prevalence of Hearing impairment in Pakistan. The data indicates that deaf /mute population is n=380548 in number. This shows a large amount of Pakistani population facing the problem of speech and hearing. The current study was conducted to establish speech and language pathologists are being able to interpret the Pure Tone Audiometrical tests and to facilitate them with speech therapy. Objective: To evaluate how much well interpretation speech therapist can do in clinical setup. Methodology: The study was a quantitative survey based. The survey study was selected to analyze the knowledge of SLPs regarding the interpretation of pure tone audiometrical tests. Data was collected form 43 speech and language pathologist/therapists from Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi/Islamabad who were working with the hearing impairment. All the SLPs were qualified clinicians who were working in school and private clinic settings. The participants were MS degree in SLP and diploma in SLT holder was included in the study. But those whose experiences were less than year excluded from this study. A pre designed self-made questionnaire was designed which includes 20 items. Each question was valid to assess the knowledge regarding pure tone audiometrical test. Data was analyzed through SPSS. The result shows that speech and language pathologists were aware about the interpretation of audiometrical test and developing speech of hearing impaired persons. Conclusion: The study showed that SLP’s were having mild to moderate level interpretation skills which must be enhanced to upgrade the professional practice and better clinical practice in management of hearing issues.

Outcome measurement using naturalistic language samples: A feasibility pilot study using language transcription software and speech and language therapy assistants

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Overton ◽  
Yvonne Wren
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Outcome Measurement ◽  
Initial Training ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Language Analysis ◽  
Language Sampling

The ultimate aim of intervention for children with language impairment is an improvement in their functional language skills. Baseline and outcome measurement of this is often problematic however and practitioners commonly resort to using formal assessments that may not adequately reflect the child’s competence. Language sampling, transcription and analysis provide a more thorough and realistic picture of a child’s abilities but are time consuming and usually considered unfeasible in the typical clinic setting. This article reports on a pilot study in which a speech and language therapy assistant (SLTA) carried out language transcription using language analysis software. Following a brief initial training period, the SLTA carried out transcriptions on 17 language samples at two time periods. Reliability between a speech and language therapist and the assistant’s transcriptions were calculated and were found to be acceptable for the majority of measures taken. The use of software by assistants is proposed as a viable alternative for outcome measurement of naturalistic language skills.

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