Experiences and challenges of telepractice in the rehabilitation of adult language disorders: an integrative review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20453/rhr.v9i1.7280Keywords:
telepractice, language disorders, language rehabilitation, adultAbstract
This study presents the findings of an integrative review of scientific literature on the use of telepractice in the rehabilitation of adult language disorders following the COVID-19 pandemic period. The objective was to identify the main experiences and challenges associated with this model of care, considering analytical categories related to evidence of effectiveness, user acceptance and experience, as well as the implementation and use of technological tools. The literature search was conducted in the EBSCO, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. Within this framework, descriptors and a study period from 2021 to 2025 were defined. Similarly, inclusion and exclusion criteria were established in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The quality of the articles was assessed using an adapted version of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. A total of nineteen articles were analyzed, and the results show that 32% of the studies focused on aphasia, 21% on voice disorders, 10% on dysphagia, 5% on stuttering and language disorders associated with dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, while the remaining percentage addressed other areas of interest in speech-language pathology from a telepractice perspective. The analyzed evidence suggests progress in terms of therapeutic effectiveness, user adherence, and the implementation of digital tools. However, barriers related to digital illiteracy among users and healthcare professionals remain.
Downloads
References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Telepractice [Internet]. ASHA; [s. f.]. Disponible en: https://www.asha.org/Practice-Portal/Professional-Issues/Telepractice
World Health Organization. Rehabilitation in Health Systems [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2017. Disponible en: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549974
Houston KT. Telepractice in Speech-Language Pathology. San Diego: Plural Publishing; 2014.
Maggio MG, Baglio F, Arcuri F, et al. Cognitive telerehabilitation: an expert consensus paper on current evidence and future perspective. Front Neurol. 2024;15:1338873. doi:10.3389/fneur.2024.1338873
Carr P, Moser D, Williamson S, et al. Improving functional communication outcomes in post-stroke aphasia via telepractice: an alternative service delivery model for underserved populations. Int J Telerehabil. 2022;14(2):e6531. doi:10.5195/ijt.2022.6531
Kim S, Roman AM, Moore A. Patient and caregiver satisfaction regarding telepractice versus in-person services at a university speech, language, and hearing clinic. Clin Arch Commun Disord. 2022;7(3):83-93. doi:10.21849/cacd.2021.00598
Bhattarai B, Sanghavi T, Abhishek BP. Challenges in delivering tele-practice services for communication disorders among audiologists and speech language pathologists. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;74(suppl 3):4360-5. doi:10.1007/s12070-021-03032-7
Valencia-Contrera M, Febré N, Cancino D, et al. Metodología INTEGRA para el desarrollo de revisiones integrativas: origen, directrices y recomendaciones. Data Metadata. 2024;3:401. doi:10.56294/dm2024.401
Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Br Med J. 2021;372:n71. doi:10.1136/bmj.n71
Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. CASP checklist [Internet]. CASP; [s. f.]. Disponible en: https://casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists/
OCEBM Levels of Evidence Working Group. The Oxford Levels of Evidence 2 [Internet]. OCEBM; [s. f.]. Disponible en: https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/resources/levels-of-evidence/ocebm-levels-of-evidence
Dahl KL, Weerathunge HR, Buckley DP, et al. Reliability and accuracy of expert auditory-perceptual evaluation of voice via telepractice platforms. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2021;30(6):2446-55. doi:10.1044/2021_AJSLP-21-00091
Nelson NW, Plante E. Evaluating the equivalence of telepractice and traditional administration of the test of integrated language and literacy skills. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2022;53(2):376-90. doi:10.1044/2022_LSHSS-21-00056
Kallhoff L, Mauszycki S, Rose B, et al. The impact of telehealth on the efficacy of sound production treatment. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2023;32(5S):2461-79. doi:10.1044/2023_AJSLP-22-00301
Teti SD, Murray LL, Orange JB, et al. A preliminary examination of a novel telepractice screening protocol for poststroke aphasia. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2024;33(6S):3296-314. doi:10.1044/2024_AJSLP-23-00341
Sevitz JS, Bryan JL, Mitchell SS, et al. Telehealth management of dysphagia in adults: a survey of speech language pathologists’ experiences and perceptions. Dysphagia. 2023;38(4):1184-99. doi:10.1007/s00455-022-10544-z
Dunne M, Hoover E, DeDe G. Efficacy of aphasia group conversation treatment via telepractice on language and patient-reported outcome measures. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2023;32(5S):2565-79. doi:10.1044/2023_AJSLP-22-00306
Bhattarai B, Sanghavi T, Abhishek BP. Challenges in delivering tele-practice services for communication disorders among audiologists and speech language pathologists. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;74(Suppl 3):4360-5. doi:10.1007/s12070-021-03032-7
Frizelle P, McGill M. Prologue to the forum: speech and language tele-intervention: the future is now. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2022;53(2):233-6. doi:10.1044/2022_LSHSS-21-00188
Choi N, Park S, Lee GJ. Effectiveness of voice therapy in telepractice with patients with hyperfunctional voice disorder: a pilot study. J Clin Med. 2024;13(17):5320. doi:10.3390/jcm13175320
Myers B, Hary E, Ellerston J, et al. Telepractice considerations for evaluation and treatment of voice disorders: tailoring to specific populations. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2022;31(2):678-88. doi:10.1044/2021_ajslp-21-00206
Irani F, Rojas R. Intensive stuttering therapy with telepractice follow-up: longitudinal outcomes. Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2022;74(4):254-70. doi:10.1159/000519866
Arnold HL, Plante E, Vance R. Translating enhanced conversational recast to a telepractice setting. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2022;53(2):275-89. doi:10.1044/2021_LSHSS-21-00051
Hayakawa T, Imura H, Inoue C, et al. Efficacy of telepractice, an alternative therapy tool during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, for speech disorders related to congenital anomalies. Congenit Anom. 2023;63(6):206-10. doi:10.1111/cga.12543
Gauch R, Corsten S, Geschke K, et al. Differences of modality use between telepractice and face-to-face administration of the scenario-test in persons with dementia-related speech disorder. Brain Sci. 2023;13(2):204. doi:10.3390/brainsci13020204
Mahmoud MMM. [The effectiveness of a training program based on digital literacy to improve the competencies of employing telepractice to provide rehabilitation services for communication disorders among undergraduate students in the Department of Communication and Language Disorders]. Al-Majallah Al-Tarbawiyah. 2024;125(5):1253-330. doi:10.21608/edusohag.2024.305694.1523 Arabic.
Roman A, Baylor C, Johnson L, et al. Expanding availability of speech-generating device evaluation and treatment to people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (pALS) through telepractice: perspectives of pALS and communication partners. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2021;30(5):2098-114. doi:10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00334
Ensafi Z, Kamali M, Bahadorizadeh L, et al. The lived experiences of speech-language pathologists regarding the use of telepractice during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Health Emerg Disasters. 2024;10(1):67-76. doi:10.32598/hdq.10.1.573.1
Ward EC, Raatz M, Marshall J, et al. Telepractice in dysphagia management: the era of COVID-19 and beyond. Dysphagia. 2022;37(6):1386-99. doi:10.1007/s00455-022-10444-2
King M, Ward H, Soto G, et al. Supporting emergent bilinguals who use augmentative and alternative communication and their families: lessons in telepractice from the COVID-19 pandemic. Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2022;31(5):2004-21. doi:10.1044/2022_AJSLP-22-00003
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Alba Francy Suárez Mendez, Diana Carolina Ardila Luna, Jacqueline Rincón Córdoba, Mauricio Javier Prada Rozo, Luis Alberto Díaz Cortes

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles published in the Revista Herediana de Rehabilitación are under a Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 International license.
The authors retain the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work registered with the Creative Commons License, which allows third parties to use what is published whenever they mention the authorship of the work, and to the first publication in this magazine.
Authors can make other independent and additional contractual agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version published in this journal, provided they clearly indicate that the work was published in this journal.
The authors can file in the repository of their institution:
The research work or thesis of degree from which the published article derives.
The pre-print version: the version prior to peer review.
The Post-print version: final version after peer review.
The definitive version or final version created by the publisher for publication.











Esta obra está bajo una