A Case Study of a Robot-Assisted Speech Therapy for Children with Language Disorders

Estévez, David; Terrón-López, María-José; Velasco-Quintana, Paloma J.; Rodríguez-Jiménez, Rosa-María; Álvarez-Manzano, Valle

doi:10.3390/su13052771

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A Case Study of a Robot-Assisted Speech Therapy for Children with Language Disorders

David Estévez

María-José Terrón-López

^1,*

Paloma J. Velasco-Quintana

Rosa-María Rodríguez-Jiménez

and

Valle Álvarez-Manzano

⁴

Aerospace and Industrial Engineering Department, School of Architecture, Engineering and Design, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain

Academic Model and Digital Transformation, School of Architecture, Engineering and Design, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain

Science, Computation and Technology Department, School of Architecture, Engineering and Design, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Spain

⁴

Gabinete de Psicología y Logopedia Vallmen S.L., 28200 San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Academic Editors: Luis Ortiz Jiménez and José Juan Carrión Martinez

Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2771; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052771

Received: 27 January 2021 / Revised: 27 February 2021 / Accepted: 1 March 2021 / Published: 4 March 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Education: The Educational Response to Students with Disabilities)

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the potential of using a social robot in speech therapy interventions in children. A descriptive and explorative case study design was implemented involving the intervention for language disorder in five children with different needs with an age ranging from 9 to 12 years. Children participated in sessions with a NAO-type robot in individual sessions. Qualitative methods were used to collect data on aspects of viability, usefulness, barriers and facilitators for the child as well as for the therapist in order to obtain an indication of the effects on learning and the achievement of goals. The main results pointed out the affordances and possibilities of the use of a NAO robot in achieving speech therapy and educational goals. A NAO can contribute towards eliciting motivation, readiness towards learning and improving attention span of the children. The results of the study showed the potential that NAO has in therapy and education for children with different disabilities. More research is needed to gain insight into how a NAO can be applied best in speech therapy to make a more inclusive education conclusions. View Full-Text

Keywords: NAO robot; social robot; speech therapy; inclusive education; children with language disorders

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Estévez, D.; Terrón-López, M.-J.; Velasco-Quintana, P.J.; Rodríguez-Jiménez, R.-M.; Álvarez-Manzano, V. A Case Study of a Robot-Assisted Speech Therapy for Children with Language Disorders. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2771. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052771

AMA Style

Estévez D, Terrón-López M-J, Velasco-Quintana PJ, Rodríguez-Jiménez R-M, Álvarez-Manzano V. A Case Study of a Robot-Assisted Speech Therapy for Children with Language Disorders. Sustainability. 2021; 13(5):2771. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052771

Chicago/Turabian Style

Estévez, David, María-José Terrón-López, Paloma J. Velasco-Quintana, Rosa-María Rodríguez-Jiménez, and Valle Álvarez-Manzano. 2021. "A Case Study of a Robot-Assisted Speech Therapy for Children with Language Disorders" Sustainability 13, no. 5: 2771. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052771

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Author Biographies

David Estévez

David-Javier Estevez-Ibañez is a teacher at the School of Architecture, Engineering and Design at the Universidad Europea de Madrid. He holds a MSc degree in Industrial engineering, MSc on organization and project management. He is currently working leading a master degree in renewable energy. He is currently doing a PhD in Educational Robotic

María-José Terrón-López

Professor at the School of Architecture, Engineering and Design at the Universidad Europea de Madrid where she has worked in the implementation of the PBL academic model. She holds a MSc degree in Physics, MSc on Electronics (UCM) and a PhD on the photovoltaic solar energy program (UPM). She has participated in several research projects focused on photovoltaics, educational robotics and on university education, skills development and employability. She is currently working in innovation in higher education and educational robotics. Her research interests include, among others, improvement of key skills and sustainability competences in degree students and educational robotics.

Paloma J. Velasco-Quintana

Paloma-Julia Velasco-Quintana holds a MSc degree in Mathematics (UAM) and a PhD in Education (UEM). Currently she is Vice-Dean for Internationalization and Academic Projects at Universidad Europea. She is Full Professor and combines teaching in Mathematics and in Education. She has participated in several research projects focused on the development of peer tutoring programs, new teaching and learning methodologies, the development and evaluation of cross-disciplinary skills in university students and in educational robotics. Her research interests include, among others, improvement of key skills in degree students. She is currently working in innovation in higher education and her research interests include, among others, improvement of key skills and sustainability competences in degree students and educational robotics.

Rosa-María Rodríguez-Jiménez

Rosa-María Rodríguez-Jiménez is a full professor at the School of Architecture, Engineering and Design at the Universidad Europea de Madrid. She holds a MSc degree in Physics and a PhD on Physics of the Atmosphere (UCM). She also holds a MSc degree in Psychology and in Education for Special Needs (UPS). Additionally, she holds a Master in Dance Movement Therapy. She has participated in several research projects focused on educational innovation, experiential learning, development and evaluation of cross-disciplinary skills in university students, inclusive education and embodiment and non-verbal processes applied to well-being and personal growth. She is currently working in innovation in higher education and her research interests include, among others, improvement of soft skills, embodiment in higher education and sustainability competences in degree students.

Valle Álvarez-Manzano

Valle Álvarez Manzano is a Speech therapist that holds a MsC in Education, master on Human Sciences and a MsC in Speech therapy. Master in Hearing and Language disturbances. Sistemic Therapist, expert in family. Specialist in the treatment and rehabilitation of dysphonia and in vocal projection and training. Degree in Psychomotor Reeducation techniques. Specialist in the development of learning and Study Techniques. Trainer of the literacy course in early childhood education. Training in Story Therapy and in Executive Functions in Education. She is the owner of the psychologist and speech therapy center Vallmen.

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