The rapid development of Meta Humans, i.e. Artificial Intelligence-based virtual assistants, has expanded transformative services opportunities for people with disabilities. This research note adopts a narrative literature review to explore how Meta Humans can enhance service experiences and wellbeing, while identifying opportunities and challenges in inclusive service contexts. This review scrutinized a total of 58 publications (N = 58) and identified three interrelated themes: (1) the application and impact of Meta Humans for people with disabilities, (2) the role of Meta Humans in transforming wellbeing and service experiences for people with disabilities, and (3) privacy, trust, ethics and inclusiveness of services by Meta Humans. Building on this background, this article proposes future Transformative Service Research directions relating to Meta Humans serving people with disabilities. It aims to stimulate academic discussion on how Meta Humans can advance digital inclusion and social participation and provide theoretical guidance for ethical policy formulation.

International studies have documented the autism research priorities of the community. However, the perspectives of autistic youth are currently under-represented. We aimed to determine the perspectives of autistic youth on the priorities for future autism research, and the distribution of funding for previous autism research in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our team of autistic and non-autistic researchers drew on a participatory research approach to include people from the Autistic and autism communities in decision-making around the design and execution of the research. Eleven autistic youth aged 8 – 18 years were given a choice of how they could take part in the research: semi-structured interviews (n = 9), questionnaire (n = 2) or focus groups (n = 0). The 11 participating youth were aged from 8 to 18 years (M = 11.36 years, SD = 3.2). Young people were asked five open-ended questions: two questions asked their opinions on future research priorities; 3 questions were in response to an infographic with historical distribution of funding for autism research in Aotearoa New Zealand. Reflexive thematic analysis of data was utilised to determined future priorities for autism research: understanding the autistic experience; inclusion of autistic individuals in communities; autism-friendly and individualised supports; increase understanding of autism. In addition, autistic youth expressed that the distribution of funding for autism research needs to align with the priorities and needs of the community. We discuss how the views of autistic youth in this study compare to those of autistic adults and the autism community. The inclusion of youth opinions in future autism research is vital as they are informed by recent experiences of support during childhood.

Background:Previous studies of community priorities for autism research have been limited by low representation of autistic people and thus a bias toward the views of families and professionals. We aimed to determine the first community-led priorities for autism research in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Methods:Autistic people were essential partners in the project, from inception and design through to methods and outputs. We gathered the views of the autistic and autism communities (including family, practitioners, and researchers) through focus groups (n = 55) and an online survey (n = 450). Almost 40% of the survey respondents indicated that they were autistic. Results:The findings across the focus groups and survey highlighted the importance of research that centralizes the experiences and needs of autistic people, particularly of autistic New Zealanders, including culturally specific research for Māori and Pacific peoples. All five priority topics for autistic adults were also priorities for at least one other group: (1) Health, mental health, and well-being of autistic people (all groups); (2) Services across the life span (autistic adults, health care/disability, and education practitioners); (3) Needs of autistic people in Aotearoa NZ (autistic adults, whānau); (4) Perspectives from autistic people with a diverse range of support needs (autistic adults; education practitioners); (5) Quality of life of autistic people in Aotearoa NZ (autistic adults; health care/disability practitioners). Conclusions:We discuss the advantages of autistic involvement in research, and how these community priorities can inform future research and policy in NZ.

Purpose: There has been concern that a shift in disability funding to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia may have influenced paediatric speech and language intervention to involve parents less in service delivery. This study aimed to describe paediatric speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) practices and perceptions of parent involvement in NDIS-funded speech and/or language intervention.Method: Seventy-two paediatric SLPs currently practicing in Australia with NDIS-funded speech and/or language clients completed an online survey. The survey assessed SLPs' self-reported practices supporting parent involvement through Likert scale responses and included open-text questions about perceived barriers and facilitators in NDIS-funded intervention services. Results from the survey were analysed using descriptive statistics, significance testing, and thematic analysis.Result: The majority of SLPs indicated commitment to involving parents in intervention. Experienced SLPs used more family-centred practices and Department of Education (DE)-based SLPs used fewer. Barriers arose from SLP, parent, and workplace characteristics. Facilitators included communication and rapport building, utilising a family-centred model of service delivery, and parent characteristics.Conclusion: This self-selected sample of Australian SLPs utilised many techniques to facilitate parent involvement within NDIS-funded paediatric speech and language intervention. Results indicate NDIS-funded SLP services for families are family focused.

PURPOSE:This survey-based study explored public awareness of the speech-language pathology profession in Aotearoa New Zealand. The study also aimed to understand participants' knowledge and experiences of individuals with speech, language, and communication impairments. METHOD:An online survey was designed and distributed via the Qualtrics survey platform. The survey included three sections, which focused on participant demographics, awareness about speech-language pathology, and knowledge and experiences of communication impairments. RESULT:The responses from 800 fully completed surveys were analysed. A majority of participants indicated that they had never heard or read anything about speech-language pathology and had never met a speech-language pathologist. The participants' responses reflected low or moderate levels of understanding about the roles of speech-language pathologists and their scope of practice. CONCLUSION:Findings indicated low levels of awareness among the general public about speech-language pathology and individuals with communication impairments. These findings were consistent with similar international research conducted over the past 4 decades. Further research is needed to support the development of initiatives designed to increase awareness of the speech-language pathology profession and the needs of individuals with communication impairments.

On February 2 2023, one of the guiding lights in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for more than four decades, David E. Yoder, passed away at the age of 90. A voracious reader and gifted storyteller, David was particularly fond of a quote from George Bernard Shaw's Back to Methuselah, "You see things; and you say 'Why?' but I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?'" That vision led him to take on multiple leadership roles and influence the field of AAC in multiple ways. He played a pivotal role in establishing both the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) and the United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (USSAAC). Additionally, he chaired the panel for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)'s inaugural Consensus Validation Conference on AAC, advocated for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association to recognize AAC within the profession's scope of practice, and served as the first editor for the Augmentative and Alternative Communication journal. In this tribute, we describe David's diverse and unique contributions to improving the lives of people with communication challenges with a focus on some of his central insights and actions.

Every moment counts (EMC) is a multi-tiered mental health promotion initiative designed to build the capacity of practitioners to address the mental health needs of children and youth in school settings. This study evaluated the impact and cultural relevance of EMC workshops in supporting practitioners to apply a public health approach to children's mental health in Aotearoa New Zealand. A longitudinal mixed methods design employed a survey and semi-structured interviews to evaluate the applicability, impact and cultural relevance of the EMC workshops. Themes identified from participants' reflections on their experiences of implementing EMC represented everyday practices at individual, team, and organizational levels. Specifically, intersectorial collaboration was perceived as beneficial. There is a call to action for practitioners to work more cohesively and interprofessionally, at policy and practice levels, to effectively promote children's mental health and achieve equitable health and well-being outcomes. Communities of practice offer a potential mechanism to support translation of knowledge into practice in schools. Application of a public health approach to children's mental health in schools, facilitated by the EMC initiative, is applicable and positively impacts outcomes in Aotearoa New Zealand, with some modifications needed to better fit the cultural context.

This article reports on an evaluated workshop using a speed networking method to promote inter-professional work-integrated learning (WIL) in a tertiary classroom setting. The article includes specific reference to speech -language therapy, nursing and social work, three of the seven disciplines that engaged with the exercise. Social constructivist learning theory is discussed with reference to development of work readiness for interprofessional teamwork among final year speech-language therapy students. The practical considerations used in facilitating the workshop are explained, with findings derived from a thematic analysis of the evaluation feedback provided. The key outcomes from the learning exercise identified an increased understanding of diverse professional identities amongst students whilst challenging pre-existing disciplinary stereotypes. Finally, the pedagogical implications of facilitating this WIL initiative are discussed.

The special topic editors develop some preliminary ponderings on visual ethics, setting the stage for further contributions to this topic.

PURPOSE:Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems are important to support communication for individuals with complex communication needs. A recent addition to AAC system options is the brain-computer interface (BCI). This study aimed to compare the clinical application of the P300 speller BCI with two more common AAC systems, the EyeLink board, and an eye-tracking camera.METHOD:Ten participants without communication impairment (18-35 years of age) used each of the three AAC systems to spell three-letter words in one session. Accuracy and speed of letter selection were measured, and questionnaires were administered to evaluate usability, cognitive workload, and user preferences.RESULTS:The results showed that the BCI was significantly less accurate, slower, and with lower usability and higher cognitive workload compared to the eye-tracking camera and EyeLink board. Participants rated the eye-tracking camera as the most favorable AAC system on all measures.CONCLUSIONS:The results demonstrated that while the P300 speller BCI was usable by most participants, it did not function as well as the eye-tracking camera and EyeLink board. The clinical use of the BCI is, therefore, currently difficult to justify for most individuals, particularly when considering the substantial cost and setup resourcing needed.SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL:https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21291384.

Many children on the autism spectrum have difficulty developing reading comprehension skills. This multiple phase single case design pilot study examined the impact of a computer-assisted reading tool, Reading Eggspress (TM), with or without teacher directed instruction on the reading comprehension skills of four children on the autism spectrum (mean age 9 years, 10 months). Participants engaged in two randomised intervention phases, each lasting four weeks. Phase A involved Reading Eggspress (TM) plus teacher directed instruction of graphic organiser use and Phase B involved Reading Eggspress (TM) alone. Two participants made significant gains on a standardised measure of reading at post-test. Three participants made gains in median reading comprehension probe scores. Both phases appeared equally supportive of reading comprehension. Participants learned to use graphic organisers to support their comprehension during the intervention. Social validity questionnaires completed by parents, teachers and the participants indicated high acceptability of the intervention package.

Purpose: This study investigated Allied Health Practitioners’ (AHPs) perspectives on and consensus of clinical supervision in an acute tertiary hospital in Singapore. Specifically, AHPs’ views on the benefits of and barriers surrounding engaging in clinical supervision, as well as strategies for enhancing clinical supervision experience. Method: A Delphi approach utilizing a two-round process via online questionnaires was employed. A total of 77 AHPs responded to the first round of the Delphi questionnaire and 55 AHPs completed the second round (71% retention rate). Open-ended responses from the first round underwent thematic analysis and resulted in sixty statements (five themes) describing engagement in clinical supervision. In the second round, AHPs were asked to rate each characteristic of clinical supervision on a 5 point Likert Scale. Results: Consensus was reached on 52 statements using a cut off of greater than 68% positive respondents and an interquartile deviation (IQD) ≤1. The study identified 52 statements considered important for successful clinical supervision for AHP in an acute tertiary hospital in Singapore. Conclusions: The themes and underpinning statements provide insights about clinical supervision in the Singapore hospital setting.

Jayne Newburya , Kerstin Schroetera , Dean Sutherlanda & Jenny Thomsonb (Commentary authors) aSchool of Psychology, Speech and Hearing, Te Whare Wānanga ō Waitaha | University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand; bHealth Sciences School, Division of Human Communication Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK .............................................................................................................................................................

Language-rich experiences in early childhood play a critical role in a child's language development, academic success and well-being. This study aimed to understand New Zealand parents/caregivers' knowledge and beliefs about language rich experiences and child language development. A survey was developed and distributed online using Qualtrics. Items sought information about participants' demographics, perceived influences and sources of information about child language development. Participants were asked to indicate 'agree' or 'disagree' with 30 statements on child language development using a five point Likert-type scale. Five hundred responses were analyzed. The participant sample was skewed towards those with higher levels of education. Participants showed strong general knowledge of the importance of interpersonal interaction in developing language. The importance of early vocabulary development on children's learning trajectories was not well understood. Levels of parent/caregiver education were correlated with higher accuracy on child language development items. Approximately half the participants had sought information on child speech/language development, with health professionals and the internet being the most commonly used sources. Education opportunities for parent/caregivers on how to maximize child language development in the preschool years may be indicated.

Issues with sleep onset and maintenance are common among many children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. A lack of experienced practitioners, financial cost, and practical issues associated with providing parent coaching in the family home during evenings pose a number of barriers to successful sleep intervention. Telehealth interventions represent a potential approach for facilitation of the delivery of treatments for sleep problems in children and adolescents that may alleviate some of the challenges of delivering services equitably and in a timely manner. In the present review, we systematically searched for, summarized, and appraised the quality of ten studies that have used telehealth interventions for the treatment of sleep problems in children and adolescents. The majority of studies used Web-based platforms to deliver content as part of a multi-component intervention. For children, interventions were parent mediated; however, adolescents engaged directly in the intervention process, which typically included cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Each of the studies reported positive overall treatment effects though only five of the studies met criteria that reflected strong methodological rigor, thus limiting the strength of the conclusions. This review identifies current telehealth practices and areas for future research.