Language Intervention: Computer Training for Young Children with Special Needs

Three studies that explore the usefulness and effectiveness of computers for training language skills of young children with communication disabilities are reviewed. A study of eight toddlers with Down syndrome compared traditional individual language intervention with computer-based instruction for developing comprehension of vocabulary and early grammatical patterns over a period of three months. Both approaches showed a similar, highly significant effect, indicating that computer-based intervention was as successful as traditional one-to-one language therapy. A second study used 52 children (ages 4–10) who were enrolled in special education classes for children with severe language, learning and behavioral disabilities. The effectiveness of adding twice a week, 30-minute interactive computer language training sessions to the regular classroom language curriculum was examined. Children showed significantly more progress in vocabulary, general language ability and social communication during the 10 week period they were receiving the computer training. Lastly, the effectiveness of using a parent volunteer to work with toddlers on computer-based language tasks was compared with language progress when these children worked with a professional speech language pathologist. Four out of five of the children showed more progress when working with the parent volunteer. The article concludes with a discussion of educational considerations for planning computer-based language intervention and includes a sample language lesson for the computer as well as software evaluation guidelines. The microcomputer, a device that has existed in widespread use for little more than a decade, is reshaping the clinical and educational realms of speech-language pathology and special education (Lewis, 1993). A recent review of research studies conducted over this period indicates that the use of computer technologies for young learners with language impairments can be helpful and effective (Schery and O’Connor, 1995). There is also some evidence that a trained non-professional can effectively facilitate learning during computer-based intervention activities (Schery and Spaw, 1993), making the intervention process less “labor intensive”. As the accessibility of educational microcomputers increases, the opportunity for effective instruction and interactive practice in developing communication skills for young children with special needs expands. There are several reasons why a computer-based approach is attractive for work with such children. Computers are nonjudgmental and patient. They provide undivided attention to the child using them and allow instruction to proceed at the child’s pace, no matter how long it takes for the child to process information or to respond. Computer programs typically provide immediate reinforcement to children, allowing them to see at once the results of their responses. The use of computer animation and colorgraphics in current generation software provides variety and may aid motivation and attention processes for youngsters (Meyers, 1990; Shriberg et al. 1989). Through the use of synthesized speech, non-speaking children can be provided with language output capability, perhaps for the first time. And, in addition, the organized pre-structured format of computer programs (when carefully selected to match the individual child’s developmental needs), should allow individuals with pre-professional levels of training, such as classroom aides or older student tutors, to work effectively with the young child. This paper reports on three related studies exploring the usefulness and effectiveness of using computers for training language skills of young children with special communication disabilities. Two of the studies were carried out in an early intervention program with toddlers ages 2–3 years. The third study extended the training approach to somewhat older children enrolled in public school programs for pupils with exceptional needs. Although the ages of these children ranged from 4–10 years, they all functioned in terms of their language and speech development at the early stages of communication (15 months to 3 years). The questions addressed were: Is computer-based intervention effective in teaching vocabulary and general communication skills to young children with language impairments? How effectively does it compare to traditional language intervention provided by a trained graduate language specialist or as an augmentation to a special education classroom language program? Can non-professionals (parents) utilize computer-training effectively with young children with language disabilities? Comparison of computer and traditional individual language intervention The first study was carried out at two infant/toddler intervention programs in Los Angeles, California, where several of the toddlers had been identified as needing 272 British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 28 No 4 1997 © National Council for Educational Technology, 1997. intensive help with communication skills. All the children were included who met the basic criteria of functioning at a mental age of at least 15 months (judged necessary to comprehend the symbol relationships of the computer graphics), having grossly intact perceptual and motor abilities (glasses, hearing aids acceptable), and speaking or signing in no more than single words. The eight toddlers who met this criteria were followed for their vocabulary and language learning during a computer-facilitated intervention period of 6–10 weeks compared with a similar period of language training using a model of traditional individual language therapy.