Clinical Feasibility & Validation of the Virtual Reality GlenxRose Speech-Language Therapies

May 7, 2026 updated by: University of Alberta

Clinical Implementation, Feasibility, & Validation of the Virtual Reality Delivered GlenxRose Speech-Language Therapies to Improve Patient Adherence and Treatment Outcomes

Factors related to successful rehabilitation are often directly related to adherence; for instance, dosage, frequency, and intensity can burden the patient regarding time and motivational factors. Furthermore, surrounding salience, patients may lose interest or find an intervention boring after a few sessions. It is well documented that nonadherence not only impacts rehabilitation for the patient but can also further prolong treatment, and increase hospital and clinician costs, in addition to a higher prevalence of future comorbidities. Therefore, strategies that improve patient adherence can significantly help optimize patient care and treatment outcomes.

One avenue to increase patient adherence is through the gamification of rehabilitation therapies using virtual reality (VR). Gamification of rehabilitation therapy can make mass practice required in rehabilitation therapies seemingly fun and more personally engaging for the patient. Additionally, the immersive experience achieved through VR can further promote salience and be customizable to individual patient requirements. As VR systems are now highly portable and relatively simple to utilize, they can provide an excellent opportunity to continue rehabilitation practice on the home front. Overall, the VR gamification of rehabilitation may increase adherence by shifting patients' perspectives of therapy as tedious, boring, or a hassle, to a fun and engaging game that ultimately helps their recovery processes.

The GlenXRose VR-delivered speech-language therapies (Cognitive Projections Lab, University of Alberta) have been developed and piloted in collaboration with the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital with the overall goal of increasing patient adherence, treatment outcomes, and satisfaction with vocal therapy. The proposed studies are to investigate the feasibility of implementing this technology in routine clinical care (specific to voice disorders), obtaining clinician feedback, examining associated financial costs, and continuing to examine the effect of the GlenXRose VR speech-language therapies on patient adherence and clinical outcomes, compared to traditional clinical care.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Nonadherence to Speech-Language rehabilitation can result in suboptimal vocal recovery or compensation methods while impacting the quality of life and further burdening the healthcare system. In addition to traditional face-to-face voice therapy, many patients are further given daily voice exercises to practice at home. It is estimated that 38-74% of patients are nonadherent to voice therapies (Ebersole et al., 2018); with such a large prevalence, opportunities to prevent and mitigate nonadherence to voice therapy can significantly promote clinical/functional outcomes. In a recent meta-analysis, it is reported that methods increasing adherence to speech-language rehabilitation further promote home practice (Bartlett et al., 2022). One identified method of promise includes technological approaches (Bartlett et al., 2022) such as the GlenXRose VR Speech-Language therapies (VR-SLP).

Purpose & Objective: The GlenXRose VR-SLP program, developed by the Cognitive Projections lab at the University of Alberta in collaboration with the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, provides patients with gamified vocal exercises, therapies, and education delivered through immersive virtual reality. With the degree of VR portability, patients will be able to take the equipment home to facilitate at-home vocal practice.

The objective of these studies is to examine the feasibility of implementing the previously developed GlenXRose VR Speech Language therapies (VR-SLP) to routine clinical care delivered by Speech-Language Pathologists to patients with vocal cord disorders. The variables of patient adherence to treatment as well as preliminary effects on vocal measurements (Voice Handicapped Index - 10; Acoustic Analysis of Voice) will be explored.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

  • Name: Adriana Rios Rincon, PhD, R.OT
  • Phone Number: 780.492.5150
  • Email: aros@ualberta.ca

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults receiving speech-language therapy at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital (Edmonton, AB, Canada; Alberta Health Services)
  • Presence of a speech disorder
  • Proficiency in English
  • Able to provide signed informed consent to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe cognitive impairments and/or behavioural impairments
  • Communication disorders that impact comprehension of verbal commands and understanding of scale used in the study
  • Previous history of neurological or psychiatric disorder
  • Substance use disorders

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Virtual Reality Delivered Therapy + Standard Clinical Care
The GlenXRose virtual reality therapies will be delivered to participants using a head-mounted device to allow vocal therapy and practice. Participants will also receive routine clinical care provided by speech-language pathologists.
Device: GlenXRose Virtual Reality Speech Therapies
Speech therapies for vocal cord disorders have been developed for virtual reality implementation. These include various games to interact with in a virtual environment while conducting rehabilitation therapy, in addition to educational visualizations
No Intervention: Standard Clinical Care
Participants will receive routine clinical care provided by speech-language pathologists.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Frequency and Treatment Adherence Rates
Time Frame: Up to 12 Weeks
Reported Frequency of Rehabilitation Therapy
Up to 12 Weeks
Change in Generalization
Time Frame: Up to 12 Weeks
Self-reported time using voice production techniques
Up to 12 Weeks
Change in Compliance Rate
Time Frame: Up to 12 Weeks
Self-reported time (using a visual analog scale)
Up to 12 Weeks
Change in Voice Handicap Index - 10
Time Frame: Up to 12 Weeks
Quantification of participant reported perspectives of voice impairment(s)
Up to 12 Weeks
Change in Acoustic Analysis of Voice
Time Frame: Up to 12 Weeks
Conducted by Registered Speech-Language Pathologists (as part of standard care)
Up to 12 Weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Alberta

Collaborators

Alberta Health services

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Adriana Rios Rincon, PhD, R.OT, University of Alberta
  • Study Chair: Antonio Miguel Cruz, DrSc, University of Alberta
  • Study Chair: James Raso, MASc, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Alberta Health Services

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

September 20, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 4, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 14, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

January 23, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 7, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Pro00126403

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Speech Disorders

Clinical Trials on GlenXRose Virtual Reality Speech Therapies

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Slovenia

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe