Bridging the digital disability divide: supporting digital participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders as a task for speech-language pathology
PurposeThe goal of speech-language pathology is to ensure and improve the participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders. Continued digital transformation means more participation occurs through digital media, raising questions about the digital participation of thes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Communication |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1523083/full |
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| author | Dennis Thorndahl Miriam Abel Miriam Abel Katharina Albrecht Anna Rosenkranz Kristina Jonas |
| author_facet | Dennis Thorndahl Miriam Abel Miriam Abel Katharina Albrecht Anna Rosenkranz Kristina Jonas |
| author_sort | Dennis Thorndahl |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | PurposeThe goal of speech-language pathology is to ensure and improve the participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders. Continued digital transformation means more participation occurs through digital media, raising questions about the digital participation of these individuals and the role, content, and framework of speech-language pathology, both of which need proactive discussion. This Perspective Article outlines a viewpoint on these developments, aiming to stimulate critical reflection and disciplinary dialog on the future role of speech-language pathology in the digital age.ConclusionResearch indicates that individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders are restricted in their digital participation. There is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the impact of various speech, language and communication skills on digital participation across different disorders. If speech-language pathology aims to promote participation and this is increasingly dependent on digital media and information and communication technologies (ICTs) then digital participation must also be a therapeutic goal. Achieving this requires more (participatory) research and corresponding training opportunities for speech language pathologists (SLPs). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e4bba2e37f05480f88ad9e0efc830b2c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2297-900X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Communication |
| spelling | doaj-art-e4bba2e37f05480f88ad9e0efc830b2c2025-08-20T03:14:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Communication2297-900X2025-07-011010.3389/fcomm.2025.15230831523083Bridging the digital disability divide: supporting digital participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders as a task for speech-language pathologyDennis Thorndahl0Miriam Abel1Miriam Abel2Katharina Albrecht3Anna Rosenkranz4Kristina Jonas5Special Education and Rehabilitation of Speech and Language Disabilities, Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education, University of Cologne, Cologne, GermanySpecial Education and Rehabilitation of Speech and Language Disabilities, Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education, University of Cologne, Cologne, GermanySpecial Educational Needs in Language and Communication, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Institute of German Language and Comparative Literature, Paderborn University, Paderborn, GermanySpecial Education and Rehabilitation of Speech and Language Disabilities, Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education, University of Cologne, Cologne, GermanySpecial Education and Rehabilitation of Speech and Language Disabilities, Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education, University of Cologne, Cologne, GermanySpecial Educational Needs in Language and Communication, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Institute of German Language and Comparative Literature, Paderborn University, Paderborn, GermanyPurposeThe goal of speech-language pathology is to ensure and improve the participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders. Continued digital transformation means more participation occurs through digital media, raising questions about the digital participation of these individuals and the role, content, and framework of speech-language pathology, both of which need proactive discussion. This Perspective Article outlines a viewpoint on these developments, aiming to stimulate critical reflection and disciplinary dialog on the future role of speech-language pathology in the digital age.ConclusionResearch indicates that individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders are restricted in their digital participation. There is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the impact of various speech, language and communication skills on digital participation across different disorders. If speech-language pathology aims to promote participation and this is increasingly dependent on digital media and information and communication technologies (ICTs) then digital participation must also be a therapeutic goal. Achieving this requires more (participatory) research and corresponding training opportunities for speech language pathologists (SLPs).https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1523083/fulldigital participationspeech-language-pathologydigital dividespeech-language-therapyspeechlanguage and communication disorders |
| spellingShingle | Dennis Thorndahl Miriam Abel Miriam Abel Katharina Albrecht Anna Rosenkranz Kristina Jonas Bridging the digital disability divide: supporting digital participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders as a task for speech-language pathology Frontiers in Communication digital participation speech-language-pathology digital divide speech-language-therapy speech language and communication disorders |
| title | Bridging the digital disability divide: supporting digital participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders as a task for speech-language pathology |
| title_full | Bridging the digital disability divide: supporting digital participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders as a task for speech-language pathology |
| title_fullStr | Bridging the digital disability divide: supporting digital participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders as a task for speech-language pathology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bridging the digital disability divide: supporting digital participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders as a task for speech-language pathology |
| title_short | Bridging the digital disability divide: supporting digital participation of individuals with speech, language, and communication disorders as a task for speech-language pathology |
| title_sort | bridging the digital disability divide supporting digital participation of individuals with speech language and communication disorders as a task for speech language pathology |
| topic | digital participation speech-language-pathology digital divide speech-language-therapy speech language and communication disorders |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1523083/full |
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