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Advanced Qualitative Methods hosted by the Qualitative Methods Learning Collaborative

I’m not drunk, I’m not stupid, it’s ALS!: How to Include People with Speech Limitations in Research


by Amelia Calder, MS, CCC-SLP ; Matthew Griffith, MD, MPH ; Marcie Lee, MA, MPH
Seminar date: 10/12/2023

Description: The DoD-funded “Evaluation of Telemedicine Spirometry Testing for Veterans with ALS (E-TEST VA)” study was designed to evaluate the use and satisfaction of an at-home, hand held spirometer for Veterans living with ALS enrolled at two Veteran Affairs Medical Centers. Participants in this study have different abilities related to communication, including dysarthria, due to the progression of their ALS. This cyberseminar provides practical applications to working with patients with dysarthria in practice and qualitative research. Being inclusive to participants with speech limitations in research allows this patient population to provide insights into their lives and experiences that would have been limited otherwise. We provide our lessons learned from working with this population and working with a diverse qualitative study team.

Intended audience:
Health services researchers, qualitative analysts, and practitioners that work with Veterans with dysarthria.

View archived session video:



DOWNLOAD: PDF handout | Audio only (mp3) | transcript not yet available


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