A survey of therapists' attitudes to computers in the home-based treatment of adult aphasics

Abstract

In order to enable a wide cross-section of practising speech therapists to have an influence on the design of a computer-based therapy system that the author is developing, a questionnaire was compiled and distributed. Questions addressed two main areas: current practice in the setting of homework (the results of which are being published separately) and requirements and concerns arising from the potential application of computers to this area of therapy, the results of which form the basis of this paper. Of 1220 questionnaires that were distributed, 572 were completed and returned. Responses reported here result from questions on: the amount of use a therapist might make of such a system; the relative importance of various possible features; the significance of potential benefits; and the nature of any problems that might arise. Results are presented in tabular form and it is argued that they highlight issues which need to be addressed if computers are to be widely adopted, as well as offering encouragement for efforts in this area.