ERIC Number: EJ1448869
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Nov
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1368-2822
EISSN: EISSN-1460-6984
Available Date: N/A
Use of an Intelligent Tutoring System for a Curriculum on Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Feasibility for Implementation
Shakila Dada; Cathy Flores; Kirsty Bastable; Kerstin Tönsing; Alecia Samuels; Sourav Mukhopadhyay; Beatrice Isanda; Josephine Ohenewa Bampoe; Unati Stemela-Zali; Saira Banu Karim; Legini Moodley; Adele May; Refilwe Morwane; Katherine Smith; Rahab Mothapo; Mavis Mohuba; Maureen Casey; Zakiyya Laher; Nothando Mtungwa; Robyn Moore
International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, v59 n6 p2279-2293 2024
Background: Over 8 million children with disabilities live in Africa and are candidates for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), yet formal training for team members, such as speech-language therapists and special education teachers, is extremely limited. Only one university on the continent provides postgraduate degrees in AAC, and other institutions provide only short modules at an undergraduate level. The need for an introductory training course on AAC that is accessible by university students continent-wide was identified. An online programme, namely an intelligent tutoring system (ITS), was identified as a possible option to facilitate interactive learning without the need for synchronous teaching. The use of an ITS is shown to be effective in developing knowledge and clinical reasoning in the health and rehabilitation fields. However, it has not yet been applied to student teaching in the field of AAC. Aim: To determine both the feasibility of an ITS to implement an AAC curriculum for students in four African countries, and the usability and effectiveness of such a system as a mechanism for learning about AAC. Method & Procedures: The study included two components: the development of a valid AAC curriculum; and using the ITS to test the effectiveness of implementation in a pre- and post-test design with 98 speech-language therapy and special education students from five universities. Outcomes & Results: Statistically significant differences were obtained between pre- and post-test assessments. Students perceived the learning experience as practical, with rich content. Conclusions & Implications: The findings suggest that the ITS-based AAC curriculum was positively perceived by the students and potentially offers an effective means of providing supplementary AAC training to students, although modifications to the system are still required.
Descriptors: Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Curriculum Development, Technology Uses in Education, Foreign Countries, Faculty Development, Speech Language Pathology, Online Courses, Access to Education, Feasibility Studies, Curriculum Implementation, Institutional Cooperation, Universities, Undergraduate Students, Allied Health Occupations Education, Teacher Education Programs, Student Attitudes
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Botswana; Kenya; Ghana; South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A