Apraxia Farm 3.3

Apraxia Farm presents itself as a noteworthy application tailored to support children grappling with childhood apraxia of speech and other severe speech-sound disorders. Engineered with multiple levels featuring both vowel and consonant targets, along with the facility to create custom words, the application serves as a resourceful tool for enhancing sound production. Developed by certified speech-language pathologists, Apraxia Farm incorporates video modeling of consonants and vowels, categorizes word targets by syllable structure (CV, VC, CVC, & CVCV), offers customization options for targets, and includes progress monitoring capabilities. This comprehensive design makes it suitable for use by speech-language pathologists (SLPs), special educators, and parents alike.

How to Play:
Apraxia Farm accommodates both single and multi-player participation. Users can be imported from the Therapy Report Center or entered individually on the home screen. The application allows for the selection of up to four players, each able to customize targets across various sound groups and syllable structures. Notably, if a returning student previously used Apraxia Farm, adults have the option to revisit the targets from their last session. Multiple students can engage with different targets during the same session. The choice of gameplay is contingent upon which area the adult opts to visit: The Sound Windows (sound production), The Farm House (single word production), and The Words Farm (multiple word production). Each area presents relevant visual stimuli, such as animated phoneme production in Sound Windows and various word pictures in The Words Farm.

If the quick play option is selected, the app advances directly to target selection. Upon completion of a session, adults can choose to email or print results or upload this information straight to The Therapy Report Center. However, it is important to note that using the quick play option results in no user data being retained within the app itself.

Data Collection:
Apraxia Farm features a robust data collection system, complete with graphs for efficient progress monitoring. Data collection reports can be exported seamlessly to The Therapy Report Center. Moreover, backup data is created within iTunes, granting users the ability to restore their work should they need to delete the app or upgrade their device.

Customization:
The app includes a “settings” button on the home screen that enables users to modify the word pool for each session. A simple selection process allows adults to choose specific words for use during therapy sessions. Additionally, Apraxia Farm permits users to add custom images relevant to individual students' functional communication needs (e.g., pictures of family members or pets). This feature allows adults to record the targeted word while selecting its syllable structure and targeted phoneme, thereby adding custom words into the program’s lexicon.

Purpose:
Apraxia Farm aims to facilitate sound production therapy through technology that presents sounds and words while concurrently collecting data. Its multi-user design is especially advantageous for group sessions, as it enables data collection across multiple utterances for each student, thereby maximizing therapeutic benefits without complicating data collection processes.

The application employs a phonotactic intervention strategy that allows users to select targets by consonant or vowel and plan movement sequences within syllables. This unique approach enables students to produce words with varying syllable structures while gradually progressing towards more complex word patterns. Additionally, incorporating written words alongside each corresponding picture allows SLPs to embed literacy components into therapy sessions. Print referencing successfully directs students’ attention towards printed words, thereby enhancing their metalinguistic focus during activities. Furthermore, integrating orthographic elements while focusing on sound production may positively influence phonological awareness.