JCPSLP vol 14 no 3 2012

communities. In A. Smith & A. Maeder (Eds.), Selected papers from Global Telehealth 2010 (pp. 104–111). Netherlands: IOS Press. Nyström, K., & Öhrling, K. (2006). Parental support: Mothers’ experience of electronic encounters. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare , 12 , 194–197. O’Brian, S., Packman, A., & Onslow, M. (2008). Telehealth delivery of the Camperdown Program for adults who stutter. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research , 51 , 184–195. Russ, S., Poulakis, Z., Barker, M., Rickards, F., Saunders, K., & Oberklaid, F. (2003). Epidemiology of congenital hearing loss in Victoria, Australia. International Journal of Audiology , 42 , 385–390. Senate Committee. (2002). Employment, workplace relations, and education references: Education of students with disabilities . Retrieved from http://aph. gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_ Committees?url=eet_ctte/completed_inquiries/2002-04/ ed_students_withdisabilities/report/index.htm Sightspeed Business (2004–2009). [computer software]. Berkeley, CA: Sightspeed. Retrieved from www.sightspeed. com/business.html Theodoros, D. (2011, June). A new era in speech pathology practice: Innovations and diversification . Paper presented at the Speech Pathology Australia National Conference Diversity & Development, Darwin, Australia. Retrieved from http://www.speechpathologyaustralia. org.au/library/2011_Conference/Prof_Deb_Theodoros_ Abstract.pdf Waite, M., Theodoros, D., Russell, T., & Cahill, L. (2010). Internet-based telehealth assessment of language using the CELF-4. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools , 14 , 445–458. Corinne Loomes is a senior speech pathologist who has worked in the field of disability since 1998. She is currently working with hearing- and vision-impaired children across Australia with RIDBC Teleschool. Alice Montgomery is a speech pathologist working at RIDBC Teleschool. Alice works with children with a hearing impairment who live in rural and remote Australia. Alice graduated from City University in London in 2005 and moved to Australia in 2008.

number allowed us to manage any technology problems. This discussion highlights some key practical and pedagogical considerations that are required to make the telepractice model successful and illustrates modifications that might be made in telepractice sessions on other topics or within other areas of speech pathology. Conclusion Our aim of providing an It Takes Two to Talk program to parents was to connect rural families and provide a high-quality parent education program. For families enrolled in RIDBC Teleschool, this required the use of technology to deliver parent courses. When speech pathology services can use technology to offer group sessions to support communities of people from similar circumstances across wide distances, then rural and remote families are truly receiving services comparable to their metropolitan counterparts. RIDBC Teleschool’s initial investigations in using telepractice to deliver parent education groups have been technology-based. Each telepractice method described was trialled to establish which technologies can be used to effectively deliver parent education groups. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of telepractice parent education groups as compared to those delivered face to face. This should not only look at parent satisfaction, but also examine the changes in the communication skills of the children participating while using different modes for delivering the parent education groups. References Atkins, V. (2009). Family involvement and counselling in serving children who possess impaired hearing. In R. Hull (Ed.), Introduction to aural rehabilitation (pp. 89–106). San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009) Australian social trends: 2008 . Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/ AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Chapter3002008 Baharav, E., & Reiser, C. (2010). Using telepractice in parent training in early autism. Telemedicine and e-Health , 16 , 727–731. Conklin, C., Pepper, J., Weitzman, E., & McDade, A. (2007). It Takes Two to Talk: The Hanen program for parents (5th ed.). Toronto, Canada: Hanen Centre Publication. Crinc, K., & Stormshak, E. (1997). The effectiveness of providing social support for families of children at risk. In M. J. Guralnick (Ed.), The effectiveness of early intervention (pp. 209–226). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing. McCarthy, M. (2010). Telehealth or tele-education? Providing intensive, ongoing therapy to remote

Correspondence to: Corinne Loomes RIDBC Teleschool Private Bag 29, Parramatta, NSW, 2124 phone: +61 (0)2 9872 0254 email: Corinne.loomes@ridbc.org.au

145

JCPSLP Volume 14, Number 3 2012

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au