Sunday, October 26, 2025 10/26/2025

Technology-assisted language intervention for children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing (TALI)

Award Number: R01DC018550
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/20/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2025

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Technology-assisted language intervention for children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing (TALI) - PROJECT SUMMARY Upon diagnosis of hearing loss, parents/caregivers of children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing (DHH) make decisions around numerous approaches to language and communication development. Despite strong efforts to improve long-term outcomes, DHH children continue to fall short of age-appropriate language levels, placing them at risk for reduced academic achievement, behavioral problems, and poor social abilities that persist into adulthood. The lack of research supporting innovative intervention strategies leaves a gaping hole in our ability to fully support DHH children. Thus, we are unable to provide families with the quality information regarding intervention options. Evidence supports augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for enhancing language development, yet technology-based AAC has not been applied or effectively studied in DHH children. To address the substantial and pervasive language deficits among DHH children that have persisted despite advances in amplification technology and early identification, we designed a technology-assisted language intervention (TALI) that incorporates high-tech AAC into speech-language therapy as a language teaching tool specifically adapted for DHH children. Our central hypothesis is that DHH children who participate in the TALI will have greater gains in spoken language outcomes compared to DHH children who receive treatment-as-usual (TAU) speech-language therapy. In a small randomized trial to test the effectiveness of the TALI, our preliminary data show that the TALI significantly improves spoken language outcomes for DHH children and is more effective than TAU. However, there remains a need to (a) provide evidence for reproducibility and generalizability in a larger population and (b) understand the TALI effectiveness on additional language outcome measures. We propose a randomized controlled trial of 114 DHH children at 2 recruitment sites (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Colorado). Children will be randomized to either receive 24 weeks of the TALI or 24 weeks TAU therapy. We will expand our current work to include additional language outcomes, creating a more complete picture of the effectiveness of the proposed intervention. We will test our central hypothesis through the following specific aims: (1) Compare spoken (expressive) language outcomes in DHH children and participating in the TALI with those participating in TAU therapy; (2) Compare language outcomes measured on standardized assessments between children who are DHH participating in the TALI with those participating in TAU; (3) Evaluate whether the benefits of the TALI on language outcomes is maintained 6 months post-intervention. Primary outcomes include syntax, semantics and discourse collected from language samples measured every 6 weeks and receptive/expressive standardized language scores measured pre and post intervention. AAC use will be monitored to measure adherence to the TALI while at home. This project directly aligns with NIDCD’s strategic plan’s overarching goal of improving outcomes in human communication.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $588,358 )
2024	2024	CHILDRENS HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER	3333 BURNET AVE	CINCINNATI	OH	45229	HAMILTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	5	3/29/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$588,358
														Subtotal = $588,358

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $596,702 )
2023	2023	CHILDRENS HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER	3333 BURNET AVE	CINCINNATI	OH	45229	HAMILTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	4	3/27/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$596,702
														Subtotal = $596,702

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $610,031 )
2022	2022	CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER	3333 BURNET AVE	CINCINNATI	OH	45229	HAMILTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	3	3/31/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$610,031
														Subtotal = $610,031

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $619,377 )
2021	2021	CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER	3333 BURNET AVE	CINCINNATI	OH	45229	HAMILTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	5/4/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$619,377
														Subtotal = $619,377

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $648,829 )
2020	2020	CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER	3333 BURNET AVE	CINCINNATI	OH	45229	HAMILTON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	4/18/2020	NEW	$648,829
														Subtotal = $648,829

Grand Total All Awards = $3,063,297

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Technology-assisted language intervention for children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing (TALI)

Award Number: R01DC018550

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/20/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2025

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer