Experiences of SKYPE communication in education and research – Data collection concerning young children with long-term illness

The purpose of this paper is to provide knowledge about communication using SKYPE with young children with chronic illness; advantages and barriers are investigated related to education and data issues collection. A qualitative exploratory research method was applied to interviews and notes via SKYPE between children and their web teachers. The data were analysed using phenomenography. The findings are based on five children aged between three and six years and presented in two main categories and seven subcategories. The advantages were: being able to be at home; well-known being and convenience for the child and the family; being to watch and observe each other; being supported by the family; the family were able to contribute to the development of the intervention; and attend ones possible regardless of geographical distance. Barriers were that the images could drop out of range of the computer camera and the SKYPE Internet connection works intermittently with audio or picture.

"The advantages were: being able to be at home; well-known being and convenience for the child and the family; being to watch and observe each other; being supported by the family; the family were able to contribute to the development of the intervention; and attend ones possible regardless of geographical distance. Barriers were that the images could drop out of range of the computer camera and the SKYPE Internet connection works intermittently with audio or picture." (Authors, in Abstract)