Rapid information technology development allows use of the internet in several areas. It is therefore not surprising that online rehabilitation programmes attract a large interest of researchers worldwide. This study aimed to analyse what participants’ experiences of IAR are. The chosen IAR was a five-element programme including reading material, home training, individual online interaction with an audiologist and an online discussion forum. Participants that completed the programme were then interviewed in reference to their overall experience and benefits of the programme. Twenty participants (57-81 years old) took part in this study. In general, participants found the programme useful which agrees with other research findings. Their knowledge of the subject improved and often their self-esteem increased. Negative comments were in reference to the complicated and non-user-friendly interface. It is interesting that these are common themes especially if research is conducted among older users. The authors mention that it is important to keep the software/interface user-friendly. However, it would also be interesting to discuss how to create clear instructions and easy-to-follow manuals. It also might be useful to conduct similar research for a larger sample and different age groups.
Internet-based aural rehabilitation (IAR)
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