“It’s really exciting to think where it could go”: a mixed-method investigation of clinician acceptance, barriers and enablers of virtual reality technology in communication rehabilitation

Abstract

Purpose

Acquired communication disorders can result in significant barriers to everyday life activities, and commonly require long-term rehabilitation. This research aimed to investigate usability, acceptance, barriers and enablers to the use of immersive virtual reality (VR) technology for communication rehabilitation from the perspective of speech-language pathologists (SLPs).

Methods

Semi-structured interviews and surveys (system usability and motion sickness) were carried out with 15 SLPs following their participation in communication activities typical of daily life, experienced within an immersive VR kitchen environment.

Results

The system usability scores were average. In addition, motion sickness symptoms were low after interaction with the VR system. The main findings from semi-structured interviews are discussed across five main themes: (i) attitude towards the use of VR in communication rehabilitation (ii) perceived usefulness of VR (iii) perceived ease of use of VR (iv) intention to use VR, and (v) clinical adoption barriers and enablers.

Conclusions

Overall, participants were positive about VR and its potential applications to communication rehabilitation. This study provides a foundation to inform the design, development, and implementation of a VR system to be used in the rehabilitation of individuals with acquired communication disorders.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Virtual Reality applications could simulate social communication situations within the clinic.

• VR could be used as a rehabilitation tool for communication assessment and/or outcome measure.

• VR requires customisation to the specific communication rehabilitation needs of the client.

• Participants identified barriers and enablers to adoption of VR by speech-language pathologists.

Keywords:

• Communication disorders
• speech and language therapy
• rehabilitation
• virtual reality
• human-computer interaction
• technology acceptance

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Dr Jessica Campbell for contribution in the coding of the interview data, and individuals who shared their expert insight by participating in this research.

Disclosure statement

The co-author Dr Koenig has a financial interest in the tested VR application, therefore, he was not involved in the data collection and analysis of the data.

Additional information

Funding

The funding support for this research is provided by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), Australia.