Principal Investigator
Other Investigator(s)
Project Abstract/Overview
Progress and Outcomes

David Brennan, MBE

Amy Georgeadis , MS, CCC-SLP
Lindsey Barker, BS

Project Abstract/Overview

This project began as an extension of R&D activity, conducted under the NIDRR-funded RERC on Telerehabilitation, which investigated using telemedicine to deliver speech-language and cognitive rehabilitation to adult clients with neurologic impairments. A team of researchers and clinicians collaborated to develop a system that combined videoconferencing capabilities with a shared digital workspace that would enhance and extend the client-clinician interaction during telemedicine sessions. Within this workspace therapy and assessment materials (i.e. worksheets, flashcards, computer programs, etc.) could be delivered and shared by the clinician and remote client in real-time, much as they would be shared during traditional face-to-face sessions. During the course of this RERC activity, it was realized that much of the treatment material being developed for the telemedicine application could also be utilized during conventional SLP sessions. From that, arose the concept of a portable “digital library” of SLP materials that clinicians could use to provide more dynamic and interactive treatment interventions.

With ATRC funding this concept has resulted in the development of two generations of the CERT (Computer-Enhanced Rehabilitation Treatment) software system. The current release of CERT contains a vast array of computerized versions of existing paper-based treatment material, such as worksheets and flashcards that address impairments in areas such as reading, memory, reasoning, and functional math. It extends the concept of traditional photocopied pages by making them more engaging and flexible such that clinicians are able to customize materials with respect to content and formatting.

CERT has been installed on several Tablet PC computers, allowing clients to interact naturally with material by “writing” with the stylus much as they would use a pencil or pen with a piece of paper. The tablet computers also allow clinicians to take the software to the clients rather than requiring them to move clients to a computer. Clinicians are able to work more efficiently, by carrying a variety of treatment materials with them digitally instead of needing to photocopy and carry individual pages from workbooks.

Progress and Outcomes

The CERT development activity was approved for continued funding through ATRC 2005. The goal of this one-year project (Click_Here for Project C2: Computerized cognitive and communicative treatment for survivors of brain injury) is to enhance the current CERT software so as to: 1) promote and extend the ongoing applications related to computerized SLP treatment, and 2) use CERT as a foundation for future brain-injury-related clinical and research applications across a broad range of disciplines.

In light of the continued funding, progress focused on bridging together the past CERT-related activities with the plan outlined in Project C2 in the new ATRC. Progress as been centered in two areas:

1.) Clinical Pilot Testing. The existing CERT software continued to be pilot tested within the SLP service at NRH. Usage data and qualitative feedback from the clinicians was recorded.

2.) Design Specifications. A formal plan for the next version of software was finalized. It calls for the next-generation system to be built on an open architecture software platform, designed to enable four primary modes of interaction: drawing, point and click, typing, and voice. Additionally, it will incorporate features and functions such as audio and video multimedia, “digital ink,” dynamic information displays, and flexible options for data storage and retrieval. This approach will allow the system to have greater applicability to a wide range of clinical and research applications related to the treatment of survivors of brain injury.

The development of the new CERT software architecture has begun and will continue under new funding from Project C2. The software is being developed using Microsoft C#.NET. This development environment allows for true object-oriented programming, and has resulted in scalable, flexible code modules that will be able to be used in subsequent iterations of the software system.