Application of Phonetic Placement Method for Articulation Disorder in Children with Intelectual Disablities: A Single Case Study

Abstract

Introduction: Speech intelligibility is an important factor in verbal communication. Children with intellectual disabilities with intellectual disabilities will face difficulties in communicating due to reduced speech intelligibility. This condition will affect social skills, mental mental state, and academics. Articulatory misplacement is one of the factor that makes difficulties in articulation accuracy.
Objective: The use of the phonetic placement method to improve the ability to produce /m/ in the initial position of words has not been effective for children with intellectual disabilities in this case.
Method: Using a single subject experiment, with a one group pretest-posttest design. The participant was a 7-year-old girl with articulation disorder /m/ in the initial position of the word and had never received speech therapy. Data collection was conducted through interviews with the client's parents, direct observation of the client, tests, and document studies. Speech therapy was conducted for 10 sessions with an emphasis on bilabial phonetic placement exercises. Perceptual assessment by comparing the ability to produce /m/ in the initial position of the word before and after therapy.
Results: In the evaluation assessment, there has been no improvement in the client's ability to produce /m/ in the initial position of the word.
Suggestion: It may be possible to increase the frequency of therapy to see more significant improvement, and adjust the therapy materials.
Keywords: articulation, intellectual disabilities, phonetic placement, speech intelligibility.