Telespeech

Telespeech or Speech Therapy Telepractice is, as defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), "The application of telecommunications technology to deliver professional services at a distance by linking clinician to client, or clinician to clinician, for assessment, intervention, and/or consultation"- [http://www.asha.org/about/leadership-projects/national-office/focused-initiatives/01-03-archive/telepractice.htm] ASHA Web Page on Telepractice.

Telespeech falls under Telehealth and Telerehabilitation and is performed with high-end videoconferencing technology to simpler applications that involve only webcam and headset.

Benefits

The practice is of benefit to populations where access to a Speech-Language Pathologist or Audiologist is very limited. It delivers equal opportunity service and reduces costs associated with distance. Telespeech has also begun to be of greater value to employers and regions where recruiting and retaining qualified speech professionals is becoming a greater challenge.

The efficacy of Speech Therapy Telepractice has been a debated issue for many years, but as the technology continues to strengthen and the need for speech therapy increases, the adoption of this practice will be much more commonplace.

External links

* [http://www.asha.org American Speech and Hearing Association's Website]
* [http://www.atmeda.org/news/2005%20ATA%20CPT%20Submission.pdf PDF Document on Telespeech by American Telemedicine Association President Jonathan Linkous]
* Clinical Communications speech teletherapy (http://www.clinicalcom.com/teletherapy.html)
* [http://www.TinyEYE.com TinyEYE Technologies: Online Speech Therapy]
* [http://www.asha.org/docs/html/TR2005-00152.html Technical Paper on Telepractice (Telespeech) from ASHA]
* [http://www.asha.org/docs/html/KS2005-00077.html ASHA Information document for Speech-Language Pathologists in skills needed for Telepractice/Telespeech]
* [http://www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2006/061128/061128f.htm Three Articles on Telepractice/Telespeech Applications that happened in the United States]
* [http://www.caslpa.ca/PDF/position%20papers/telepractice.pdf PDF Position Paper on Telepractice performed by CASLPA (Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists)]