Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Language disorders in children; Speech disorders in children; Videoconferencing;

Abstract

Videoconferencing allows participants separated by distance to see and hear each other in real time. Traditionally, videoconferencing has been associated with expensive, room-based systems that limit the number of potential users. Recent advances in technology have made it possible to videoconference via desktop computers using inexpensive software programs. This has allowed broader participation in videoconferencing, thus, making it a more affordable means of communication. The purpose of this study was to determine if desktop videoconferencing (DVC) could be used in the clinical management of individuals with communication disorders. One of the potential advantages of DVC over traditional therapy programs is that speech language pathologists could administer therapy via DVC, to individuals right in their homes. This would make therapy possible for more individuals in remote areas where it is difficult or impossible to receive speech and language services. In addition, DVC could provide services for people unable to travel any distance to receive services. For this study, the experimenter selected three children identified as having speech and or language disorders and DVC systems were set up in their homes. A DVC system was also installed at the University of Northern Iowa, that was to be used by the experimenter to deliver therapy. The experimenter obtained baseline measures of selected target behaviors from each subject prior to treatment and then treatment probes were obtained after DVC therapy began. The investigator administered a total of 25 DVC sessions lasting 20 to 30 minutes to each child. The experimenter found that administering therapy over DVC was difficult, primarily because of technical difficulties encountered while videoconferencing. However, results of this study revealed that all three subjects demonstrated improvements in targeted areas of their communication as a result of receiving therapy via DVC. This would suggest that DVC can be successfully utilized as a clinical tool for the clinical management of speech and language impaired individuals. Given the rapid advancements in computer technology, it is believed that DVC for delivering speech and language therapy services will become more common in the near future.

Year of Submission

1998

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Communicative Disorders

First Advisor

Ken M. Bleile

Second Advisor

Theresa A. Kouri

Third Advisor

Carlin F. Hageman

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to scholarworks@uni.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Date Original

1998

Object Description

1 PDF file (82 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Download

Comments?

Share

COinS