Telepractice: The Australian experience in an international context

Telepractice is emerging as a viable alternative to traditional "face-to-face" service as practitioners seek to meet the diverse needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. Telepractice provides the opportunity for many countries to expand their reach and viability within their own borders as well as the possibility of delivering some services internationally. The potential benefits of moving to telepractice models of service delivery are significant, but successful implementation requires that consideration be given to potential barriers. As one of the international "early adopters" of telepractice, the experiences of service providers in Australia offer insight into the factors that influence the development of telepractice services as well as some of the potential barriers to implementation.