Manuscript received November 7, 2023; revised November 30, 2023; accepted February 10, 2024; published July 9, 2024
Abstract—Speech disorders in preschool children have farreaching consequences, affecting their communication abilities, social interaction, and overall development. This study aims to analyze the impact of artificial intelligence-based interventions on the psycholinguistic development of preschool children with speech disorders. To achieve this goal, the research included an experimental study conducted for five months. It rested on the intervention of AI tools and an assessment of progress. Participants were offered a program aimed at improving speech skills. The program included sessions with speech therapists and classes based on AI-based applications (Fluency SIS, Articulation Station Pro, and Apraxia Farm). Additional methods were semi-structured interviews in focus groups with parents and speech therapists, as well as statistical analysis of the obtained data. The study participants were 170 children aged 3−5 years with diagnosed speech disorders, as well as 20 parents and 6 independent speech therapists. The Shapiro-Wilk test measured the normality of the data obtained in the study. The result of this test was 0.97 (p = 0.23), which indicates a normal distribution of data. The moderate effect size (0.47) indicates a moderate difference between the scores of the two groups after the intervention. This result confirms the assumption that AI-based interventions contribute to significant improvement. The findings can become the basis for scientifically sound recommendations regarding the inclusion of AI interventions in preschool speech therapy practice. The study can aid in the development and revision of artificial intelligence applications according to the specific needs of this age group.
Keywords—apraxia, mobile applications, special education, speech and language pathology, verbal fluency
Cite: Aigerim Utepbayeva, Nadezhda Zhiyenbayeva, Leila Assylbekova, and Olga Tapalova, "Artificial Intelligence Applications (Fluency SIS, Articulation Station Pro, and Apraxia Farm) in the Psycholinguistic Development of Preschool Children with Speech Disorders," International Journal of Information and Education Technology vol. 14, no. 7, pp. 927-935, 2024.