One major challenge of increasing and rapid digitization is ensuring digital participation for people with varying life situations and preconditions. "Digital participation means that people are able to participate in the use and design of the Internet, digital media, and modern technologies." (Bubolz-Lutz and Stiel 2018, p. 199 f.) To this extent, digital participation is an essential element of social participation and a fundamental human right in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD, 2007). There are three main aspects of digital participation (Bosse, 2016): a) participation IN digital technologies, meaning access to and competent usage of digital devices, b) participation THROUGH digital technologies, meaning participation through alternative access options and c) participation WITHIN the digital world, meaning active participation in social networks, digital services and media. Reduced digital participation leads to restrictions in all important areas of life (self-determination, educational/vocational qualifications, social contacts, political and social commitment, etc.). Such restrictions become all the more clear when considering the lives of those with communication disorders.
Speech and communication impairments may occur across the lifespan (e.g. Damico et al., 2010). People may be born with disabilities that limit communication, such as autism spectrum disorder. In childhood, the development of speech and language or reading and writing may be impaired. At any age, neurological communication disorders can occur after (traumatic) brain injury. In older adulthood, there are more problems due to strokes or degenerative diseases such as dementia or Parkinson's disease.
The various dimensions of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, WHO, 2001) make clear the significance of the role of communication and language in activities and participation. This becomes all the more obvious in regard to digital activities and participation (e.g. via emails, messenger services, video channels). A large part of digital development involves changes with respect to (interindividual) interaction and, accordingly, language and communication. People with language impairments are therefore particularly affected by the digital divide (Johansson et al., 2021). Nevertheless, a nuanced consideration of digital participation in the case of communication disorders is still lacking in the literature.
We invite contributions on digital participation and communication disorders, including adult or developmental language disorders (aphasia, cognitive communication disorder, (developmental) language disorder, autism spectrum disorder, etc.) or speech impairment (stuttering, dysarthria, apraxia of speech etc.) with regard to diagnostics and assessment, treatment, counseling, prevention etc. We accept all types of manuscripts accepted into Frontiers’ Language Sciences section: empirical reports, review articles, methodological contributions. Empirical studies should demonstrate methodological and statistical rigor. Theoretical papers should provide new insights crossing different disciplines, if possible. Potential themes may include, but are not limited to:
• comparisons of clinical and non-clinical subject groups
• demographic variables such as age, gender, language status (e.g. monolingual, multilingual)
• influence of different technological devices on digital participation
• comparisons of the different aspects of digital inclusion, i.e. participation IN digital technologies, participation THROUGH digital technologies, participation WITHIN the digital world
• consequences of the digital divide for people with communication disorders
• new methods that offer opportunities for the assessment of digital participation.
One major challenge of increasing and rapid digitization is ensuring digital participation for people with varying life situations and preconditions. "Digital participation means that people are able to participate in the use and design of the Internet, digital media, and modern technologies." (Bubolz-Lutz and Stiel 2018, p. 199 f.) To this extent, digital participation is an essential element of social participation and a fundamental human right in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD, 2007). There are three main aspects of digital participation (Bosse, 2016): a) participation IN digital technologies, meaning access to and competent usage of digital devices, b) participation THROUGH digital technologies, meaning participation through alternative access options and c) participation WITHIN the digital world, meaning active participation in social networks, digital services and media. Reduced digital participation leads to restrictions in all important areas of life (self-determination, educational/vocational qualifications, social contacts, political and social commitment, etc.). Such restrictions become all the more clear when considering the lives of those with communication disorders.
Speech and communication impairments may occur across the lifespan (e.g. Damico et al., 2010). People may be born with disabilities that limit communication, such as autism spectrum disorder. In childhood, the development of speech and language or reading and writing may be impaired. At any age, neurological communication disorders can occur after (traumatic) brain injury. In older adulthood, there are more problems due to strokes or degenerative diseases such as dementia or Parkinson's disease.
The various dimensions of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, WHO, 2001) make clear the significance of the role of communication and language in activities and participation. This becomes all the more obvious in regard to digital activities and participation (e.g. via emails, messenger services, video channels). A large part of digital development involves changes with respect to (interindividual) interaction and, accordingly, language and communication. People with language impairments are therefore particularly affected by the digital divide (Johansson et al., 2021). Nevertheless, a nuanced consideration of digital participation in the case of communication disorders is still lacking in the literature.
We invite contributions on digital participation and communication disorders, including adult or developmental language disorders (aphasia, cognitive communication disorder, (developmental) language disorder, autism spectrum disorder, etc.) or speech impairment (stuttering, dysarthria, apraxia of speech etc.) with regard to diagnostics and assessment, treatment, counseling, prevention etc. We accept all types of manuscripts accepted into Frontiers’ Language Sciences section: empirical reports, review articles, methodological contributions. Empirical studies should demonstrate methodological and statistical rigor. Theoretical papers should provide new insights crossing different disciplines, if possible. Potential themes may include, but are not limited to:
• comparisons of clinical and non-clinical subject groups
• demographic variables such as age, gender, language status (e.g. monolingual, multilingual)
• influence of different technological devices on digital participation
• comparisons of the different aspects of digital inclusion, i.e. participation IN digital technologies, participation THROUGH digital technologies, participation WITHIN the digital world
• consequences of the digital divide for people with communication disorders
• new methods that offer opportunities for the assessment of digital participation.
