Apraxia World: A Speech Therapy Game for Children with Speech Sound Disorders Adam Hair* Penelope Monroe* Beena Ahmed Texas A&M University University of Sydney University of New South Wales College Station, TX, USA Sydney, NSW, Australia Sydney, NSW, Australia
[email protected] [email protected] Texas A&M University at Qatar Doha, Qatar
[email protected] Kirrie J. Ballard Ricardo Gutierrez-Osuna University of Sydney Texas A&M University Sydney, NSW, Australia College Station, TX, USA
[email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION This paper presents Apraxia World, a remote therapy tool Speech sound disorders (SSDs) can affect language for speech sound disorders that integrates speech exercises production and speech articulation in children, leading to into an engaging platformer-style game. In Apraxia World, serious communicative disabilities [4]. Estimates for the the player controls the avatar with virtual buttons/joystick, prevalence of SSDs in children vary; some suggest between whereas speech input is associated with assets needed to 2% and 25% of children aged 5-7 years may be affected advance from one level to the next. We tested performance [21], while others estimate values closer to 1% of the and child preference of two strategies for delivering speech primary-school-aged population [26]. Regardless of their exercises: during each level, and after it. Most children exact prevalence, SSDs can have potentially devastating indicated that doing exercises after completing each level effects on a child’s communication development [10]. was less disruptive and preferable to doing exercises Fortunately, children can reduce symptoms and improve scattered through the level.