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Educators' perspectives on facilitating computer-assisted speech intervention in early childhood settings
Crowe, Kathryn Cumming, Tamara McCormack, Jane Baker, Elise Mcleod, Sharynne Wren, Yvonne Roulstone, Sue Masso, Sarah
Crowe, Kathryn
Cumming, Tamara
McCormack, Jane
Baker, Elise
Mcleod, Sharynne
Wren, Yvonne
Roulstone, Sue
Masso, Sarah
Abstract
Early childhood educators are frequently called on to support preschool-aged children with speech sound disorders and to engage these children in activities that target their speech production. This study explored factors that acted as facilitators and/or barriers to the provision of computer-based support for children with speech sound disorders (SSD) in early childhood centres. Participants were 23 early childhood educators at 13 centres who participated in the Sound Start Study, a randomized controlled trial that examined the effectiveness of the Phoneme Factory Sound Sorter® (PFSS) computer program (Wren and Roulstone, 2013). Following the trial, participants completed a telephone interview discussing their experiences implementing the program. Transcripts from the interviews were analysed and three categories emerged as factors that influenced the provision of support: (1) personal factors that related to the children (engagement with PFSS, inclusion/exclusion experience), peers, and educators (service provision, educator engagement, support of child PFSS use); (2) environmental factors that related to policies and philosophies (child-centred practice, technology), the physical environment (inclusion/exclusion), and logistics (time, technology); and (3) program factors that related specifically to PFSS (program format, specific games, game duration). In order to best meet the needs of children, parents, educators, and clinicians, these factors need to be taken into consideration in the provision of speech and language therapy services in early childhood centres.
Keywords
children, computer-based intervention, early childhood education, early childhood educators, intervention, phonology, preschool, service provision, speech and language therapy, speech sound disorders, teachers
Date
2017
Type
Journal article
Journal
Child Language Teaching and Therapy
Book
Volume
33
Issue
3
Page Range
267-285
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Allied Health
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled