I speak Tele outlines the design of a digitized dysarthria assessment

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide, leaving many survivors with chronic neurological deficits that restrict their daily activities. Telerehabilitation offers an opportunity to improve access to care, reducing travel burdens and fostering ongoing therapy in diverse settings. Speech and language telerehabilitation specifically benefits those with communication disorders such as dysarthria. However, widespread reliance on manual, paper-based documentation and subjective evaluations remains a significant challenge for remote speech and language therapy. To address this, we identified the specific requirements of various stakeholders and employed a user-centred design approach to develop a digital tool that integrates note-taking, time measurement, and audio/video recording within a single interface. By prioritizing the needs of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), researchers, and IT specialists, the resulting prototype streamlines common tasks, enhances data consistency, and delivers high usability. In testing, SLPs reported a reduction in assessment times from 50 to 35 min, while the average System Usability Scale score exceeded industry benchmarks, indicating strong acceptance. By enabling automated scoring, data export, and potential interoperability with healthcare systems, this tool foster more comprehensive patient monitoring. Future iterations will incorporate a secure backend and support for additional assessments, potentially transforming remote speech and language therapy.