On-Line Training in Treating Dementia: Spaced Retrieval

描述(申请人提供)：到2050年，美国被诊断为阿尔茨海默病相关痴呆症的人数预计将超过1500万，而全球总共有8000万人。为痴呆症相关认知障碍者提供有效干预的计算机学习材料的市场潜力正在扩大。特别是，硕士水平的语言病理学(SLP)课程的学生在开始他们的职业生涯之前，需要获得这样的临床工作技能。对痴呆症患者进行有效干预的一个例子是空间提取(SR)。SR是一种通过在越来越长的时间段内回忆信息来学习和保留信息的方法。本质上，它是一种应用于记忆的塑造范式(Bjork，1988；Camp&McKitrick，1992；Landauer&Bjork，1978)。SLP被指定提供治疗的另一个领域是吞咽障碍(吞咽困难)的诊断和治疗，这是痴呆症患者中常见的。此外，学生通常不会在他们的标准课程中学习如何有效地与痴呆症患者沟通。这个第二阶段的SBIR项目将利用国家康复服务公司(NRS)的专业知识，NRS已经创建并成功地销售了用于康复专业人员教育的产品。NRS还成功地完成了本提案所依据的第一阶段SBIR，其中包括创建一个以网络为基础的、以文本为基础的关于SR使用的课程。在第二阶段，我们希望采用可共享内容对象参考模型(SCORM)作为我们的规范标准，使用自接触式富互联网应用程序(RIA)产品中的SCORM模型的概念，为硕士项目的SLP学生开发基于SCORM的课程的初始产品线。这些课程将涉及：SR的使用，吞咽困难的诊断和治疗，以及与痴呆症患者的交流。在这个为期两年的项目中，四所大学的200名SLP学生将参与三门拟议课程的阿尔法和测试版的创建和测试，以及大学附属诊所的150名患有痴呆症的老年客户。我们的目标是：1)为SLP硕士水平的学生创建三个基于SCORM的课程的阿尔法和测试版，专注于有效地与痴呆症患者合作所需的技能；2)证明这些基于SCORM的课程在知识获取方面可以产生与传统的、面对面交付版本的课程类似的结果；3)确定在这些基于SCORM的课程中获得的知识是否可以被学生在与老年痴呆症患者合作时有效地应用；4)确定学生在这些基于SCORM的课程中获得的知识的实施是否会在痴呆症患者中产生相应的健康相关改善；以及5)对课程进行必要的最终修改，以便在项目结束时为市场做好准备。与公共卫生相关：到2050年，美国被诊断为阿尔茨海默病相关痴呆症的人数预计将超过1500万，而全球总共有8000万人。随着未来老年人数量的增加，其他形式的痴呆症也将变得更加普遍。旨在培训治疗师以促进痴呆症患者更高水平独立的教育材料对社会所有成员都有好处。国家康复服务(NRS)有开发和展示此类材料的历史，将利用这一第二阶段SBIR项目创建最先进的基于计算机的内容，用于培训即将进入言语语言病理学领域的学生。这将有助于提高这些未来专业人员的技能，并鼓励他们中更多的人与患有痴呆症的老年客户合作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The number of people in the U.S. diagnosed with dementia related to Alzheimer's disease is expected to exceed 15 million by 2050, out of a total of 80 million worldwide. Market potential is expanding for the creation of computer-based learning materials involving effective interventions for persons with cognitive disabilities associated with dementia. In particular, students in masters-level speech-language pathology (SLP) programs need to acquire such clinical job skills before beginning their professional careers. One example of an effective intervention for persons with dementia is Spaced-Retrieval (SR). SR is a method of learning and retaining information by recalling that information over increasingly longer periods of time. It is, in essence, a shaping paradigm applied to memory (Bjork, 1988; Camp & McKitrick, 1992; Landauer & Bjork, 1978). Another area in which SLPs are designated to provide therapy is the diagnosis and treatment of swallowing disorders (dysphagia), which is commonly seen in persons with dementia. In addition, students generally do not learn how to effectively communicate with persons with dementia in their standard coursework. This Phase II SBIR project will capitalize on the expertise of National Rehabilitation Services (NRS), which has created and successfully marketed products for the education of rehabilitation professionals. NRS also successfully concluded the Phase I SBIR on which this proposal is based, involving creation of a web-housed, text-based course on the use of SR. For Phase II, we wish to adopt the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) as our specification standard to develop an initial product line of SCORM-based courses for SLP students in masters-level programs, using the concepts drawn from the SCORM model in a self-contact Rich Internet Application (RIA) product. These courses will involve: the use of SR, diagnosis and treatment of dysphagia, and communicating with persons with dementia. In this 2-year project, 200 SLP students at four universities will participate in alpha and beta version creation and testing of the three proposed courses, in addition to 150 older adult clients with dementia in university affiliated clinics. Our objectives are to: 1) Create alpha and beta versions of three SCORM-based courses for SLP masters- level students focusing on skills necessary to work effectively with clients with dementia; 2) Document that these SCORM-based courses can produce comparable results to traditional, face-to-face delivery versions of the courses in terms of knowledge acquisition; 3) Determine whether knowledge acquired in these SCORM-based courses can be effectively implemented by students when working with older adult clients with dementia; 4) Determine whether implementation of knowledge acquired by students in these SCORM- based courses results in corresponding health-related improvements in clients with dementia; and 5) Create the necessary final modifications to the courses so that they will be market ready by the end of the project. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The number of people in the U.S. diagnosed with dementia related to Alzheimer's disease is expected to exceed 15 million by 2050, out of a total of 80 million worldwide. Other forms of dementia also will become more prevalent as the number of older adults increases in the future. Educational material designed to train therapists to facilitate higher levels of independence in people with dementia is beneficial to all members of society. National Rehabilitation Services (NRS), with a history of developing and presenting such materials, will use this Phase 2 SBIR project to create state-of-the-art, computer-based content for training students about to enter the field of Speech-Language Pathology. This will serve to enhance the skills of these future professionals, as well as to encourage more of them to work with geriatric clients with dementia.