The University of Newcastle uses VOMA to prepare speech pathology students for paediatric oral musculature assessments. Developed with Start Beyond and university academics Joanne Walters and Rachael Unicomb, the application presents filmed assessments of children aged four and six from the clinician's perspective. Students select narrated task sequences and repeat them at their own pace; the children are recorded, not responsive synthetic patients.
The published study documents standalone Oculus Quest 1 headsets in supported second-year tutorials during 2020–21. Across three semesters, 77 students completed the tutorial and 55 returned surveys. These are the evaluated cohorts, not total lifetime reach. Responses described perceived preparation and learning benefits; the qualitative study did not measure improved clinical performance.
The university's current course page continues to advertise VOMA access for students. A November 2024 interview reported a second module on anatomical variations in development, including tongue-tie, a high palate and enlarged tonsils. Its completion is not established by the reviewed evidence.
