JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Children with hearing impairments (HIs) have traditionally faced difficulties with language acquisition due to various factors, such as difficulties in accessing early intervention and therapy, among others. There is an opportunity for digital technology to address the problem, although how different technologies can facilitate language acquisition, as well as the level of evidence, is not well understood.

Objective:

This scoping review aimed to explore the types, roles, and outcomes of different digital technologies in supporting language development in children with HIs.

Methods:

Following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for conducting a scoping review and PRISMA-ScR, we systematically searched six online databases from 2014 to September 2024 for relevant studies on the role of digital technologies in supporting language learning among children with HIs (<18 years).

Results:

A total of forty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. Mobile applications were the most frequently reported technologies, followed by digital books, extended reality, computer-based programs, and tangible or robotic tools. The most commonly used signed language applications involved vocabulary development and visual communication. Spoken language tools were less common but included augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems and auditory training applications. The efficacy outcomes of twelve studies included in this review showed that AAC-based applications had stronger effects on expressive language, pragmatic communication skills, and vocabulary development. These outcomes occurred when AAC-based applications were used in structured contexts with a therapist or a parent. In contrast, signed language applications often reported narrower, word level outcomes. Notably, relatively few interventions targeted early spoken language development, despite early childhood being a critical period for language acquisition. In addition, limited attention was given to visual design considerations related to user comfort, cultural relevance, or contextual adaptation.

Conclusions:

The evidence base reveals three structural patterns: the dominance of accessibility driven mobile technologies, an imbalance between signed and spoken language interventions, characterised by a greater number of signed language tools but stronger and more consistent evidence for spoken language outcomes, particularly in AAC based interventions; and limited integration of digital technologies across home, school, and clinical contexts. Future research should prioritise the co design and evaluation of culturally responsive, integrated, developmentally appropriate digital systems that support early spoken language development and sustained, family mediated language learning across contexts.