Dear Parent/Guardian,

You are invited to participate in a research study to support the early detection of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) using a game called Chatty Check.

Purpose of the Research

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a condition that affects a child’s ability to understand and use language effectively. It often goes unnoticed and typically requires a one-on-one session with a Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP) for proper detection.

Our goal is to develop a gamified, AI-powered solution that automates this process, making early screening more accessible and engaging for children.

This study is conducted by Hamdan Al-Ali, a Ph.D. student at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), under the supervision of Dr. Hanan Aldarmaki. The study has been reviewed and approved by the MBZUAI Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Department of Health (DOH).

Details of the Pre-Test

1. What is Chatty Check?

Chatty Check is a child-friendly video game that includes fun activities and mini-games. It is designed to encourage natural interaction and language use in a comfortable and enjoyable environment.

2. What will you and your child do?

• You will complete this consent form and answer a parent-report DLD mass screening questionnaire, along with some simple background questions about your child.

• Once the form is completed, a unique Game ID and Password will be generated for your child.

• You will use this Game ID and Password to log in and let your child play Chatty Check.

• You are expected to stay with your child during the game session. Please do not guide their answers or interactions. Whether your child responds, does not respond, or chooses how to interact with the game is part of the data required for this study.

• The game session will last approximately 15–20 minutes.

• If you wish to register more than one child, you may complete the registration form separately for each child. A different Game ID and Password will be generated for each child.

3. What will be collected?

• Audio data – what your child says during the game.

• Gameplay data – such as what your child clicks on, how long they take to respond, and how they interact with the game.

Benefits of Participation

• By participating, your child will be included in a parent-report mass screening process for possible signs of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). If the screening responses suggest strong indicators of possible language difficulties, we will inform you and recommend follow-up with a licensed specialist.

• Your child’s gameplay and audio data will help us develop and validate Chatty Check as an AI-powered screening tool. Once the solution has been validated, we will run the validated model using your child’s collected game data. If the results suggest that your child may be at risk for DLD, we will contact you and recommend appropriate follow-up.

• If you are interested in a traditional one-on-one screening with a licensed Speech and Language Pathologist, you may visit the Speech Care Center, our collaborating clinic. The research team will cover the cost of this traditional screening.

How Will This Data Be Used?

The data collected during the Chatty Check game session, including audio and gameplay interactions, will be used solely for research and parental notification purposes.

For research purposes, the data will be used to develop and evaluate Artificial Intelligence (AI) models that can automatically detect potential signs of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). This involves training computer programs to recognize patterns in children’s natural language use during gameplay and comparing them with expert-verified labels. The aim is to explore whether game-based tools can make early screening more accurate and accessible.

As part of this study, you will also complete a parent-report DLD mass screening questionnaire. This type of screening may help identify children with stronger indicators of possible language difficulties. However, it may be less reliable for detecting mild cases. A traditional one-on-one screening conducted by a licensed Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP) is more accurate and better suited for identifying a wider range of language difficulties, including mild cases.

The results will not be shared with your child, your child’s school, or any third party. They will only be used for parental notification and research purposes.

Potential Risks and How We Address Them

• Data is securely stored on Google Cloud Firebase using industry-standard encryption and access controls.

• In the unlikely event of a data breach, your child’s identity will remain protected because all gameplay data is anonymized. IDs used to label data are stored separately and offline, ensuring that no identifying information is linked to the stored data.

• Only authorized researchers and collaborating licensed specialists will have access to the data.

Your Rights

• Participation is entirely voluntary.

• During the game session, if you notice that your child does not wish to continue, please stop the session. Your child should never be pressured to continue playing.

• You may request deletion of your child’s data at any time—even after the study has been completed—by contacting the Principal Investigator. We fully respect your decision and will permanently delete the data from all storage systems. The deletion process is expected to take approximately two working days.

Let's get started with your Chatty Check registration