Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Medical Education
Date Submitted: Nov 20, 2025
Date Accepted: Feb 24, 2026
“AACHEN” e-Learning Tool in Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Medical Students in Germany: Cross-Sectional Evaluation Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a topic of interest in medicine. However, it is not implemented into medical education in Germany, nor do free access e-learning tools exist for German-speaking medical students or professionals. Therefore, we developed an e-learning tool in AAC and tested it with medical students at Rhenish-Westphalian Technical University (RWTH) Aachen, Germany.
Objective:
The overall goal is to improve e-learning in phoniatrics. We aim to assess whether medical students find AAC -and particularly our tool- useful to be implemented into medical education. Furthermore, we seek feedback on the tool’s content, design, and performative learning character. Moreover, we aim to analyze whether our students can improve their prior knowledge using our tool.
Methods:
Medical students of RWTH Aachen University sign up for our “AACHEN”-tool on the e-learning platform RWTHmoodle. Inclusion criterion is the enrollment in the medicine study course from semester 6 onwards. Students can remotely watch our 25-minutes learning video including a knowledge quiz. Following this, they fill out a feedback form with Likert scales, ordinal scales (German grading system), single-choice options, multiple-choice options, and free text fields. The data is analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Intragroup differences are described.
Results:
39 students completed the feedback form. An overwhelming 97.4% (38/39) perceive AAC as being important for medical doctors. 74.4 % (29/39) find that the “AACHEN”-tool should be a fixed content in their curriculum. 97.4% (38/39) gained knowledge from our tool and 94.9% (37/39) state that this knowledge will benefit them as medical doctors. 64.1% (25/39) found the knowledge quiz helpful and liked that they could test their expertise immediately.
Conclusions:
Our study shows that AAC should be included in teaching medical students in Germany. Especially our e-learning tool “AACHEN” is considered helpful to gain knowledge in the field of AAC. Our tool will be further improved to be provided to students at RWTH Aachen University and beyond.
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