Telerehabilitation tools for the provision of remote speech-language treatment

Telerehabilitation is the method of using communication technologies to provide rehabilitation at a distance. Advancements in videoconferencing and networking technologies present opportunities to deliver rehabilitation services to patients at home, at school, in the workplace, and in the community. Speech-language treatment is an area of rehabilitation well suited for telerehabilitation. This article will review the technology for performing remote speech-language diagnosis and treatment for patients after stroke. Development of a telerehabilitation system incorporating computerized therapy tasks with a touchscreen interface is described. Such a system enhances off-the-shelf videoconferencing equipment and extends the potential utility and effectiveness of telerehabilitation sessions.