A user co-designed digital INtervention for Child LangUage DisordEr: The INCLUDE Project Protocol (2304.05224v4)

Abstract: Around ten percent of children may present with a disorder where language does not develop as expected. This often affects vocabulary skills, i.e., finding the words to express wants, needs and ideas, which can influence behaviours linked to wellbeing and daily functioning, such as concentration, independence, social interactions and managing emotions. Without specialist support, needs can increase in severity and continue to adulthood. The type of support, known as interventions, showing strongest evidence for improving vocabulary with some signs of improved behaviour and wellbeing are ones that use word webs. These are diagrams consisting of lines that connect sound and meaning information about a word to strengthen the child's word knowledge and use. The diagrams resemble what is commonly known as mind-maps and are widely used by Speech and Language Therapists in partnership with school educators to help children with language difficulties. In addition, interventions delivered through mobile-devices has led in some cases to increased vocabulary gains with positive influence on wellbeing and academic attainment. With advances in technology and availability of user-friendly mobile devices to capture, combine and replay multimedia, new opportunities for designing bespoke vocabulary instruction have emerged that are without timing and location constraints. This brings the potential to engage and motivate users and harbour independence through functional strategies that support each child's unique language needs. To achieve this, children with language disorder, their parents/carers, support professionals and software development team members must work jointly to create an intervention that is fit for purpose. This is the first research planned to explore the collaborative development and acceptability of a digitally enhanced vocabulary intervention for child language disorder.