There are many commercially available apps for speech-language instruction, yet few have been researched. The Inclusivity in Syntax and Grammar Apps for Educational and Instructional App Usage study had a dual purpose. First, the researchers conducted a literature review of published works on diversity and inclusivity in teaching and therapy strategies to investigate principles of inclusivity that are important in child language therapy apps. This information was synthesized and used to develop an inclusivity checklist. The checklist serves as a comprehensive and customizable resource for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to evaluate principles of inclusivity and inclusion in the apps they use with their clients. Additionally, the researchers completed a literature review on how to most effectively host a focus group, and used this information to host a focus group of three current SLPs. The purpose of this focus group was to understand current SLP’s feelings regarding inclusivity in child language therapy apps. The focus group explored how principles of inclusivity are considered by SLPs when choosing a language therapy app to use with their client. The feedback from the focus group was used to inform development of the inclusivity checklist, as well as provide an initial confirmation of the researchers’ hypothesis that the inclusivity checklist would be a useful tool for SLP’s to use when selecting child language therapy apps. The checklist that was developed from this study was informed by literature regarding inclusivity and diversity, as well as the feelings and values of current practicing speech-language pathologists.
Author(s): Hannah Seinfeld, Speech Pathology & Audiology Major
Advisor(s): Arnold Olszewski, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology
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