Specific Syndromes and Associated Communication Disorders: A Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanger, Dixie D.; And Others

1984-01-01

The review, intended to provide speech-language pathologists and special educators with an awareness of genetics and specific syndromes involving speech, language, and hearing components, discusses basic etiologies of abnormal development and selected syndromes (such as Down's and Klinefelter's) that include communication disorders. (CL)

Idaho's Three-Tiered System for Speech-Language Paratherapist Training and Utilization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longhurst, Thomas M.

1997-01-01

Discusses the development and current implementation of Idaho's three-tiered system of speech-language paratherapists. Support personnel providing speech-language services to learners with special communication needs in educational settings must obtain one of three certification levels: (1) speech-language aide, (2) associate degree…

A Comprehensive PEL-IEP Speech Curriculum Overview and Related Carryover and Summary Forms Designed for Speech Therapy Services for the Hearing-Impaired.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erlbaum, Sheila Judith

1990-01-01

This article presents a curriculum for speech-language-communication skills which combines the Present Education Level and Individualized Education Program formats for deaf and hearing-impaired students. Information on carryover procedures, parent/teacher contact, and report card format is presented. The curriculum was designed for preschool…

Children with a cochlear implant: characteristics and determinants of speech recognition, speech-recognition growth rate, and speech production.

PubMed

Wie, Ona Bø; Falkenberg, Eva-Signe; Tvete, Ole; Tomblin, Bruce

2007-05-01

The objectives of the study were to describe the characteristics of the first 79 prelingually deaf cochlear implant users in Norway and to investigate to what degree the variation in speech recognition, speech- recognition growth rate, and speech production could be explained by the characteristics of the child, the cochlear implant, the family, and the educational setting. Data gathered longitudinally were analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and growth-curve analysis. The results show that more than 50% of the variation could be explained by these characteristics. Daily user-time, non-verbal intelligence, mode of communication, length of CI experience, and educational placement had the highest effect on the outcome. The results also indicate that children educated in a bilingual approach to education have better speech perception and faster speech perception growth rate with increased focus on spoken language.

Interpersonal Learning Systems for National Speech-Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinberg, Paul

A consensus has prevailed among educators that Americans of verying ethnic, social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds who must communicate with each other in social, academic, and occupational situations might achieve a greater degree of rapport if the dialect of the English mutually spoken and the speech mannerisms used were standardized.…

Speech-Language Pathologists' Opinions on Communication Disorders and Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanger, Dixie; Moore-Brown, Barbara J.; Montgomery, Judy; Hellerich, Susan

2004-01-01

Purpose: This study investigated the opinions of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regarding their role, education, and training in serving students with communication disorders who have been involved in violence. Method: A survey consisting of 26 items was given to 598 SLPs from eight states representing geographic regions of the United…

An international perspective: supporting adolescents with speech, language, and communication needs in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Joffe, Victoria

2015-02-01

This article provides an overview of the education system in the United Kingdom, with a particular focus on the secondary school context and supporting older children and young people with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCNs). Despite the pervasive nature of speech, language, and communication difficulties and their long-term impact on academic performance, mental health, and well-being, evidence suggests that there is limited support to older children and young people with SLCNs in the United Kingdom, relative to what is available in the early years. Focus in secondary schools is predominantly on literacy, with little attention to supporting oral language. The article provides a synopsis of the working practices of pediatric speech and language therapists working with adolescents in the United Kingdom and the type and level of speech and language therapy support provided for older children and young people with SLCNs in secondary and further education. Implications for the nature and type of specialist support to adolescents and adults with SLCNs are discussed. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Understanding the Oral Mind: Implications for Speech Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cocetti, Robert A.

The primary goal of the basic course in speech should be to investigate oral communication rather than public speaking. Fundamental to understanding oral communication is some understanding of the oral mind, that operates when orality is the primary means of expression. Since narrative invites action rather than leisurely analysis, the oral mind…

Designing the Speech Communication Classroom: A Viable Alternative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springhorn, Ron G.

This paper presents a structure for the speech communication classroom, based on a philosophically existential approach to education. The following suggestions are offered to those considering such an approach. There should be movable furniture, enabling students to move about and to turn toward one another so that they can be physically in…

Speech and Language Disorders. Fact Sheet = Trastornos del Habla y Lenguaje. Hojas Informativas Sobre Discapacidades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities, Washington, DC.

This fact sheet on speech and language disorders is presented in English and Spanish. It provides information on the definition of speech and language disorders and possible causes; the incidence (about one in ten people); and characteristics of delayed communication, speech disorders, and language disorders. It notes educational implications,…

My Body--My Words. Communication for the Mentally Handicapped.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anden, Gerd, Ed.; Brodin, Jane, Ed.

The collection of papers by Swedish special educators, addresses approaches to helping mentally retarded and multiply handicapped people communicate. The papers are written by psychologists, educators, speech therapists, music instructors, and researchers and focus on the following topics: the context of communication (Mats Granlund), early…

School performance and wellbeing of children with CI in different communicative-educational environments.

PubMed

Langereis, Margreet; Vermeulen, Anneke

2015-06-01

This study aimed to evaluate the long term effects of CI on auditory, language, educational and social-emotional development of deaf children in different educational-communicative settings. The outcomes of 58 children with profound hearing loss and normal non-verbal cognition, after 60 months of CI use have been analyzed. At testing the children were enrolled in three different educational settings; in mainstream education, where spoken language is used or in hard-of-hearing education where sign supported spoken language is used and in bilingual deaf education, with Sign Language of the Netherlands and Sign Supported Dutch. Children were assessed on auditory speech perception, receptive language, educational attainment and wellbeing. Auditory speech perception of children with CI in mainstream education enable them to acquire language and educational levels that are comparable to those of their normal hearing peers. Although the children in mainstream and hard-of-hearing settings show similar speech perception abilities, language development in children in hard-of-hearing settings lags significantly behind. Speech perception, language and educational attainments of children in deaf education remained extremely poor. Furthermore more children in mainstream and hard-of-hearing environments are resilient than in deaf educational settings. Regression analyses showed an important influence of educational setting. Children with CI who are placed in early intervention environments that facilitate auditory development are able to achieve good auditory speech perception, language and educational levels on the long term. Most parents of these children report no social-emotional concerns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reflections on Speech-Language Therapists' Talk: Implications for Clinical Practice and Education. Clinical Forum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Alison; Armstrong, Elizabeth

2004-01-01

Background: Research into the practices of speech-language therapists in clinical sessions is beginning to identify the way communication in clinical interactions both facilitates and potentially impedes the achievement of therapy goals. Aims: This target article aims to raise the issues that arise from critical reflections on the communication of…

Examining the relationship between speech intensity and self-rated communicative effectiveness in individuals with Parkinson's disease and hypophonia.

PubMed

Dykstra, Allyson D; Adams, Scott G; Jog, Mandar

2015-01-01

To examine the relationship between speech intensity and self-ratings of communicative effectiveness in speakers with Parkinson's disease (PD) and hypophonia. An additional purpose was to evaluate if self-ratings of communicative effectiveness made by participants with PD differed from ratings made by primary communication partners. Thirty participants with PD and 15 healthy older adults completed the Communication Effectiveness Survey. Thirty primary communication partners rated the communicative effectiveness of his/her partner with PD. Speech intensity was calculated for participants with PD and control participants based on conversational utterances. Results revealed significant differences between groups in conversational speech intensity (p=.001). Participants with PD self-rated communicative effectiveness significantly lower than control participants (p=.000). Correlational analyses revealed a small but non-significant relationship between speech intensity and communicative effectiveness for participants with PD (r=0.298, p=.110) and control participants (r=0.327, p=.234). Self-ratings of communicative effectiveness made participants with PD was not significantly different than ratings made by primary communication partners (p=.20). Obtaining information on communicative effectiveness may help to broaden outcome measurement and may aid in the provision of educational strategies. Findings also suggest that communicative effectiveness may be a separate and a distinct construct that cannot necessarily be predicted from the severity of hypophonia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adopting public health approaches to communication disability: challenges for the education of speech-language pathologists.

PubMed

Wylie, Karen; McAllister, Lindy; Davidson, Bronwyn; Marshall, Julie; Law, James

2014-01-01

Public health approaches to communication disability challenge the profession of speech-language pathology (SLP) to reconsider both frames of reference for practice and models of education. This paper reviews the impetus for public health approaches to communication disability and considers how public health is, and could be, incorporated into SLP education, both now and in the future. The paper describes tensions between clinical services, which have become increasingly specialized, and public health approaches that offer a broader view of communication disability and communication disability prevention. It presents a discussion of these tensions and asserts that public health approaches to communication are themselves a specialist field, requiring specific knowledge and skills. The authors suggest the use of the term 'communication disability public health' to refer to this type of work and offer a preliminary definition in order to advance discussion. Examples from three countries are provided of how some SLP degree programmes are integrating public health into the SLP curriculum. Alternative models of training for communication disability public health that may be relevant in the future in different contexts and countries are presented, prompting the SLP profession to consider whether communication disability public health is a field of practice for speech-language pathologists or whether it has broader workforce implications. The paper concludes with some suggestions for the future which may advance thinking, research and practice in communication disability public health. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Teaching Research Methodology and Writing in the Emerald City.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Larry D.

The major goal of graduate education in speech communication is to advance knowledge about human communication through research and by training minds. Graduate education differs from undergraduate education because it emphasizes not only what we know, but how we come to know. Often, however, graduate education is just seen as being an extension of…

On Being Educated in 1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Terrel H.

This speech was delivered at a conference of student body presidents and college and university presidents. The major purpose of the conference was to help open and maintain clear channels of communication between those who run the colleges and universities, and those who attend them. The major points of the speech were: (1) education is not over…

Fontbonne University: Collaboration in Speech-Language Pathology and Early Intervention in Deaf Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Gale; Lenihan, Susan

2010-01-01

Children with hearing loss are best served through the collaborative efforts of their parents and a team of professionals. For communication development and educational achievement, speech-language pathologists and teachers of the deaf working together can have a profound impact. A collaborative approach to assessment, direct instruction, and…

Report of the First Annual Conference of the Western Educational Society for Telecommunications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Richard B., Comp.

The material in this report consists of transcriptions of audiotapes of the general session speeches and the reports of the concurrent sessions of this conference. The topics of the six general session speeches were: the responsibility of the educational communicator in the political process, commercial television programing for children,…

Teaming for Speech and Auditory Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nussbaum, Debra B.; Waddy-Smith, Bettie

1985-01-01

The article suggests three strategies for the audiologist and speech/communication specialist to use in assisting the preschool teacher to implement student's individualized education program: (1) demonstration teaming, (2) dual teaming; and (3) rotation teaming. (CL)

Open Communication: Having Your Voice Heard

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Angela

2015-01-01

Communication is the use of language to exchange information to one another. African slaves used to embark on communication by means of using common symbols and speech, telling stories, singing spirituals, writing poems. As time revolved, blacks valued education. Education and the ability to read write and effectively would give them the skill or…

Competitive Speech and Debate: How Play Influenced American Educational Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartanen, Michael D.; Littlefield, Robert S.

2015-01-01

The authors identify competitive speech and debate as a form of play that helped democratize American citizenship for the poor, who used what they learned through the practice to advance their personal social and economic goals. In addition, this competitive activity led to the development of speech communication as an academic discipline and…

Intensive Dysarthria Therapy for Older Children with Cerebral Palsy: Findings from Six Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennington, Lindsay; Smallman, Claire; Farrier, Faith

2006-01-01

Children with cerebral palsy often have speech, language and communication difficulties that affect their access to social and educational activities. Speech and language therapy to improve the intelligibility of the speech of children with cerebral palsy has long been advocated, but there is a dearth of research investigating therapy…

Speech-Language Pathologists' Perceptions of the Importance and Ability to Use Assistive Technology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Dawaideh, Ahmad Mousa

2013-01-01

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) frequently work with people with severe communication disorders who require assistive technology (AT) for communication. The purpose of this study was to investigate the SLPs perceptions of the importance of and ability level required for using AT, and the relationship of AT with gender, level of education,…

Cost-Effectiveness of Interventions for Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN): A Review Using the Drummond and Jefferson (1996) "Referee's Checklist"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, James; Zeng, Biao; Lindsay, Geoff; Beecham, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Background: Although economic evaluation has been widely recognized as a key feature of both health services and educational research, for many years there has been a paucity of such studies relevant to services for children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), making the application of economic arguments to the development of…

The Collection and Analysis of Data on Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs: The Challenge to Education and Health Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, Geoff

2011-01-01

The Bercow Report (Bercow, 2008) commissioned by the UK government provided a high status impetus to improve services for children and young people with the full range of speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). A research study commissioned to provide evidence to Bercow (2008) identified both limitations and potential benefits regarding…

Public Speaking on the Streets and in the Ivory Tower: A Comparison of the Dale Carnegie Course and the Academic Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Christine M.

Many speech communication educators and researchers look upon Dale Carnegie's public speaking course with derision for its methods as well as its motives. A comparison of Carnegie's course with university courses in speech communication reveals a number of differences between the two, which in part explains this attitude. Carnegie began his course…

Accommodating a social work student with a speech impairment: the shared experience of a student and instructor.

PubMed

Calderwood, Kimberly; Degenhardt, Jonathan

2010-01-01

This ethnographic study describes the results of a collaborative journaling process that occurred between a student and his instructor of a second-year social work communications course. Many questions from the student's and the instructor's perspectives are raised regarding accommodating the student with a severe speech impairment in a course that specifically focuses on communication skills. Preliminary recommendations are made for social work students and professionals with communication limitations, and for social work educators.

Non-Standard Assessment Practices in the Evaluation of Communication in Australian Aboriginal Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gould, Judith

2008-01-01

Australian Aboriginal children typically receive communication assessment services from Standard Australian English (SAE) speaking non-Aboriginal speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Educational assessments, including intelligence testing, are also primarily conducted by non-Aboriginal educational professionals. While the current paper will show…

[Thematic Issue: International/Intercultural Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oxford, Wayne, Ed.

1978-01-01

Fifteen articles dealing with international/intercultural communication are contained in this journal. The following topics are considered: a communication perspective on aging in Japan and America; Japanese speech characteristics; the development of a communication-conflict test; information systems in the educational institution; the foundation,…

Building a Model of Support for Preschool Children with Speech and Language Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Natalie; Ohi, Sarah

2016-01-01

Speech and language disorders impede young children's abilities to communicate and are often associated with a number of behavioural problems arising in the preschool classroom. This paper reports a small-scale study that investigated 23 Australian educators' and 7 Speech Pathologists' experiences in working with three to five year old children…

Communication after laryngectomy: an assessment of quality of life.

PubMed

Carr, M M; Schmidbauer, J A; Majaess, L; Smith, R L

2000-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine quality of life in laryngectomees using different methods of communication. A survey was mailed to all the living laryngectomees in Nova Scotia. Patients were asked to rate their ability to communicate in a number of common situations, to rate their difficulty with several communication problems, and to complete the EORTC QLQ-C30 quality-of-life assessment tool. Sixty-two patients responded (return rate of 84%); 57% were using electrolaryngeal speech, 19% esophageal speech, and 8.5% tracheoesophageal speech. These groups were comparable with respect to age, sex, first language, education level, and years since laryngectomy. There were very few differences between these groups in ability to communicate in social situations and no difference in overall quality of life as measured by these scales. The most commonly cited problem was difficulty being heard in a noisy environment. Despite the fact that tracheoesophageal speech is objectively most intelligible, there does not seem to be a measurable improvement in quality of life or ability to communicate in everyday situations over electrolaryngeal or esophageal speakers.

Speech pathologists' current practice with cognitive-communication assessment during post-traumatic amnesia: a survey.

PubMed

Steel, Joanne; Ferguson, Alison; Spencer, Elizabeth; Togher, Leanne

2013-01-01

To investigate speech pathologists' current practice with adults who are in post-traumatic amnesia (PTA). Speech pathologists with experience of adults in PTA were invited to take part in an online survey through Australian professional email/internet-based interest groups. Forty-five speech pathologists responded to the online survey. The majority of respondents (78%) reported using informal, observational assessment methods commencing at initial contact with people in PTA or when patients' level of alertness allowed and initiating formal assessment on emergence from PTA. Seven respondents (19%) reported undertaking no assessment during PTA. Clinicians described using a range of techniques to monitor cognitive-communication during PTA, including static, dynamic, functional and impairment-based methods. The study confirmed that speech pathologists have a key role in the multidisciplinary team caring for the person in PTA, especially with family education and facilitating interactions with the rehabilitation team and family. Decision-making around timing and means of assessment of cognitive-communication during PTA appeared primarily reliant on speech pathologists' professional experience and the culture of their workplace. The findings support the need for further research into the nature of cognitive-communication disorder and resolution over this period.

Selling Visions for Education: What Do Australian Politicians Believe in, Who Are They Trying to Convince and How?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitman, Tim

2012-01-01

This article analyses the educational visions put forward by Australian federal politicians in their maiden (first) speeches to Parliament. The theoretical approach was a Habermasian-based analysis of the communication strategies adopted by the politicians, meaning that it was not only the content of the speeches but also the delivery that was the…

Prompting Students to Contemplate Effective Communication with a Visible Speech Chart from the 1870s

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Lee Ann

2014-01-01

In this article, director of Educational Outreach at the Library of Congress Lee Ann Potter describes a classroom activity that focuses on an 1876 single-page circular published in Salem, Massachusetts about Alexander Melville Bell's Visible Speech. A. M. Bell's son, Alexander Graham Bell described "Visible Speech" as "a…

Children's Communication Checklist (CCC) Scores in 11-Year-Old Children with Communication Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Botting, Nicola

2004-01-01

Background: The pragmatic skills of children with communication disorders and their assessment are currently an issue for speech and language therapy and educational placement. Aims: To explore whether different subgroups of children with communication disorders score differently on the Children's Communication Checklist (CCC) and to study how…

Communication and Gamification in the Web-Based Foreign Language Educational System: Web- Based Foreign Language Educational System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osipov, Ilya V.; Volinsky, Alex A.; Nikulchev, Evgeny; Prasikova, Anna Y.

2016-01-01

The paper describes development of the educational online web communication platform for teaching and learning foreign languages. The main objective was to develop a web application for teaching foreigners to understand casual fluent speech. The system is based on the time bank principle, allowing users to teach others their native language along…

Perspectives of speech-language pathologists on the use of telepractice in schools: the qualitative view.

PubMed

Tucker, Janice K

2012-01-01

Telepractice in speech-language pathology shows the potential to mitigate the current shortage of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) available to serve a growing number of persons with communication disorders. Since a majority of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certified SLPs work in schools and the population of communicatively impaired clients in schools continues to grow, research into the use of telepractice in the educational setting is warranted. This article reports upon the perspectives of SLPs regarding the use of telepractice in school settings. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with five SLPs experienced in the delivery of telepractice. Four major themes emerged: barriers, benefits, reasons for acceptance and use of telepractice, and suggestions to resolve telepractice professional issues.

The Normalizing of Hate Speech and How Communication Educators Should Respond. Wicked Problems Forum: Freedom of Speech at Colleges and Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waltman, Michael S.

2018-01-01

Whereas hate is defined as extreme negative feelings for others because of some aspect of their identity (Perry, 2001; Waltman & Haas, 2011), hate speech is discourse devoted to the vilification of the other's identity (Waltman, 2015; Waltman & Mattheis, 2017). It is an attempt to vandalize the other's identity to such an extent that the…

Meeting the needs of children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties.

PubMed

Lindsay, Geoff; Dockrell, Julie; Desforges, Martin; Law, James; Peacey, Nick

2010-01-01

The UK government set up a review of provision for children and young people with the full range of speech, language and communication needs led by a Member of Parliament, John Bercow. A research study was commissioned to provide empirical evidence to inform the Bercow Review. To examine the efficiency and effectiveness of different arrangements for organizing and providing services for children and young people with needs associated with primary speech, language and communication difficulties. Six Local Authorities in England and associated Primary Care Trusts were selected to represent a range of locations reflecting geographic spread, urban/rural and prevalence of children with speech, language and communication difficulties. In each case study, interviews were held with the senior Local Authority manager for special educational needs and a Primary Care Trust senior manager for speech and language therapy. A further 23 head teachers or heads of specialist provision for speech, language and communication difficulties were also interviewed and policy documents were examined. A thematic analysis of the interviews produced four main themes: identification of children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties; meeting their needs; monitoring and evaluation; and research and evaluation. There were important differences between Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts in the collection, analysis and use of data, in particular. There were also differences between Local Authority/Primary Care Trust pairs, especially in the degree to which they collaborated in developing policy and implementing practice. This study has demonstrated a lack of consistency across Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts. Optimizing provision to meet the needs of children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties will require concerted action, with leadership from central government. The study was used by the Bercow Review whose recommendations have been addressed by central government and a funded action plan has been implemented as a result.

Communicating Style: A New Theoretical Approach to Instructional Communication in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Susan M.

Improving the quality of teaching should be a fundamental concern of the discipline of speech communication. In studying communicating style in any context or situation (including the classroom), attention needs to be given (1) to the character of the interpretive and behavioral repertoires of individuals; (2) to any socio-historical expectations…

A computerized procedure for teaching the relationship between graphic symbols and their referents.

PubMed

Isaacson, Mick; Lloyd, Lyle L

2013-01-01

Many individuals with little or no functional speech communicate through graphic symbols. Communication is enhanced when the relationship between symbols and their referents are learned to such a degree that retrieval is effortless, resulting in fluent communication. Developing fluency is a time consuming endeavor for special educators and speech-language pathologists (SLPs). It would be beneficial for these professionals to have an automated procedure based on the most efficacious method for teaching the relationship between symbols and referent. Hence, this study investigated whether a procedure based on the generation effect would promote learning the association between symbols and their referents. Results show that referent generation produces the best long-term retention of this relationship. These findings provide evidence that software based on referent generation would provide special educators and SLPs with an efficacious automated procedure, requiring minimal direct supervision, to facilitate symbol/referent learning and the development of communicative fluency.

Communicatively Developing Technology of Speech Activation of Tatar Schools' Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khairova, Irina V.; Egamberdieva, Nodira M.

2016-01-01

The timeliness of the problem under study is that in conditions of the renewal of the content and system of education the interest to the communicative and development potentials of education in the system of course retraining of teachers who work in national (Tatar) schools is growing. However, actual academic complexes for teachers do not always…

Unraveling the Administrative Tangles in JMU's Speech Communication and General Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emmert, Philip; Smilowitz, Michael

What has transpired at James Madison University provides a model for the successful implementation of a basic communication education program required of all first-year students. This paper provides an accounting of the efforts that made possible the commitment to the development of the program. The paper is first divided into two columns. One…

Communications: Where Schools Go Wrong.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Kenneth K.

This speech presents the ten commandments of communicating educational information to school district patrons. When dealing with parents' and citizens' groups, an administrator should (1) keep no secrets, (2) be honest, (3) have a planned information program, (4) communicate with all publics, (5) respond to other groups' needs as well as his own,…

Working towards an inclusive curriculum.

PubMed

Wren, Y; Parkhouse, J

1998-01-01

The move towards an inclusive model of education presents teachers with the difficulty of differentiating the curriculum for children with speech, language and communication impairments. This paper focuses on the 'WiSaLT Curriculum Appendix'-a tool which can be used by teachers and speech and language therapists to help such children access the mainstream curriculum and to promote improvement in their language and communication skills. As well as highlighting potential areas of difficulty within each attainment target for key stage one, the appendix guides users to specific strategies and activities. Thus the speech and language therapist and teacher can identify which attainment targets might prove problematic for any one child and also have access to ideas which can help.

Censorship and Student Communication in Online and Offline Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oluwole, Joseph O.; Green, Preston C., III

2016-01-01

While freedom of speech is a defining characteristic of the United States, the First Amendment right is often regulated within certain environments. For years, schools have attempted to monitor and regulate student communication both within the educational environment and in student use of social media and other online communication tools.…

Communication Breakdown at Home and at School in Young Children with Cerebral Palsy and Severe Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snell, Martha E.; Chen, Lih-Yuan; Allaire, Janet H.; Park, Eunhye

2008-01-01

Data about communication breakdown were gathered through interviews of care providers and mailed surveys of special education teachers and speech and language pathologists of 17 children with cerebral palsy and significant language delay. Most care providers indicated that children used personalized communication systems and that these frequently…

Brief Report: A Mobile Application to Treat Prosodic Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Communication Impairments: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Simmons, Elizabeth Schoen; Paul, Rhea; Shic, Frederick

2016-01-01

This study examined the acceptability of a mobile application, SpeechPrompts, designed to treat prosodic disorders in children with ASD and other communication impairments. Ten speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in public schools and 40 of their students, 5-19 years with prosody deficits participated. Students received treatment with the software over eight weeks. Pre- and post-treatment speech samples and student engagement data were collected. Feedback on the utility of the software was also obtained. SLPs implemented the software with their students in an authentic education setting. Student engagement ratings indicated students' attention to the software was maintained during treatment. Although more testing is warranted, post-treatment prosody ratings suggest that SpeechPrompts has potential to be a useful tool in the treatment of prosodic disorders.

[Communicative and social behavior of speech disordered children].

PubMed

Eiberger, W; Hügel, H

1978-07-01

The spheres covering behaviour disorders, social behaviour and communicative behaviour of speech impaired pupils which until now have been analyzed on a more theoretical level, ought to be studied using psychometric testing procedures and an esperimental observational situation in order to gain base data with which to set up a concrete catalogue of aims (learning program) based on the deficits thereby obtained. The study took place at the special school in Esslinger-Berkheim (Baden-Wurttemberg). By taking into account relevant specialized literature and the results of other studies, the following general hypotheses were advanced, namely, that the communication of speech handicapped children is troubled in respect of its content and relation, and that their social behaviour shows more egoistic than cooperative features. In order to determine social motivations and attitudes, we used Muller's "Social Motivation Test" (SMT) and Jorger's "Group test for the social attitude" (S-E-T). Due to the inconsistency between the attitudes measured by means of psychometric methods and the sbusequent free and genuine behaviour, an observational situation was developed during which the pupils, either in pairs or in groups of four and using puppets, took turns in thinking up a story, discussing the plot, roles, etc. and finally putting on the play. The whole was then analyzed by means of tape recordings and film shots, the interaction of the communicating partners being analyzed and categorized in two separate assessment stages: communicative behaviour and social behaviour. The pragmatic axioms of P. Watzlawick, the communication researcher, functioned as theoretical background. Flanders's linear time diagram was used as assessment system. Communicative and social learning aims were prepared in accordance with confirming hypotheses to enable a "preliminary area" for the practical work in (special) education to be defined. In addition, a rough outline was made of the conditional areas pertaining to social and communicative education of the speech impaired for the purpose of carrying out a systematic change.

Using assistive robots to promote inclusive education.

PubMed

Encarnação, P; Leite, T; Nunes, C; Nunes da Ponte, M; Adams, K; Cook, A; Caiado, A; Pereira, J; Piedade, G; Ribeiro, M

2017-05-01

This paper describes the development and test of physical and virtual integrated augmentative manipulation and communication assistive technologies (IAMCATs) that enable children with motor and speech impairments to manipulate educational items by controlling a robot with a gripper, while communicating through a speech generating device. Nine children with disabilities, nine regular and nine special education teachers participated in the study. Teachers adapted academic activities so they could also be performed by the children with disabilities using the IAMCAT. An inductive content analysis of the teachers' interviews before and after the intervention was performed. Teachers considered the IAMCAT to be a useful resource that can be integrated into the regular class dynamics respecting their curricular planning. It had a positive impact on children with disabilities and on the educational community. However, teachers pointed out the difficulties in managing the class, even with another adult present, due to the extra time required by children with disabilities to complete the activities. The developed assistive technologies enable children with disabilities to participate in academic activities but full inclusion would require another adult in class and strategies to deal with the additional time required by children to complete the activities. Implications for Rehabilitation Integrated augmentative manipulation and communication assistive technologies are useful resources to promote the participation of children with motor and speech impairments in classroom activities. Virtual tools, running on a computer screen, may be easier to use but further research is needed in order to evaluate its effectiveness when compared to physical tools. Full participation of children with motor and speech impairments in academic activities using these technologies requires another adult in class and adequate strategies to manage the extra time the child with disabilities may require to complete the activities.

Computers and Communications. Improving the Employability of Persons with Handicaps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deitel, Harvey M.

1984-01-01

Reviews applications of computer and communications technologies for persons with visual, hearing, physical, speech, and language impairments, as well as the effects of technologies on transportation, work at home, education, and other aspects affecting the employment of the disabled. (SK)

Everyday listeners' impressions of speech produced by individuals with adductor spasmodic dysphonia.

PubMed

Nagle, Kathleen F; Eadie, Tanya L; Yorkston, Kathryn M

2015-01-01

Individuals with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) have reported that unfamiliar communication partners appear to judge them as sneaky, nervous or not intelligent, apparently based on the quality of their speech; however, there is minimal research into the actual everyday perspective of listening to ADSD speech. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impressions of listeners hearing ADSD speech for the first time using a mixed-methods design. Everyday listeners were interviewed following sessions in which they made ratings of ADSD speech. A semi-structured interview approach was used and data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Three major themes emerged: (1) everyday listeners make judgments about speakers with ADSD; (2) ADSD speech does not sound normal to everyday listeners; and (3) rating overall severity is difficult for everyday listeners. Participants described ADSD speech similarly to existing literature; however, some listeners inaccurately extrapolated speaker attributes based solely on speech samples. Listeners may draw erroneous conclusions about individuals with ADSD and these biases may affect the communicative success of these individuals. Results have implications for counseling individuals with ADSD, as well as the need for education and awareness about ADSD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sign-Supported Dutch in Children with Severe Speech and Language Impairments: A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wijkamp, Inge; Gerritsen, Betsy; Bonder, Freke; Haisma, Hinke; van der Schans, Cees

2010-01-01

In the Netherlands, many educators and care providers working at special schools for children with severe speech and language impairments (SSLI) use sign-supported Dutch (SSD) to facilitate communication. Anecdotal experiences suggest positive results, but empirical evidence is lacking. In this multiple case study the changes that occur in the way…

Anthropomorphically Speaking: On Communication between Teachers and Children in Early Childhood Biology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thulin, Susanne; Pramling, Niklas

2009-01-01

In this study a particular kind of figurative language, so-called anthropomorphic speech, is analysed in the context of science activities in a preschool setting. Anthropomorphism means speaking about something non-human in human terms. Can any systematic pattern be seen with regard to when such speech is used? Do children and/or teachers…

Educational Applications for Blind and Partially Sighted Pupils Based on Speech Technologies for Serbian.

PubMed

Lučić, Branko; Ostrogonac, Stevan; Vujnović Sedlar, Nataša; Sečujski, Milan

2015-01-01

The inclusion of persons with disabilities has always represented an important issue. Advancements within the field of computer science have enabled the development of different types of aids, which have significantly improved the quality of life of the disabled. However, for some disabilities, such as visual impairment, the purpose of these aids is to establish an alternative communication channel and thus overcome the user's disability. Speech technologies play the crucial role in this process. This paper presents the ongoing efforts to create a set of educational applications based on speech technologies for Serbian for the early stages of education of blind and partially sighted children. Two educational applications dealing with memory exercises and comprehension of geometrical shapes are presented, along with the initial tests results obtained from research including visually impaired pupils.

Educational Applications for Blind and Partially Sighted Pupils Based on Speech Technologies for Serbian

PubMed Central

Lučić, Branko; Ostrogonac, Stevan; Vujnović Sedlar, Nataša; Sečujski, Milan

2015-01-01

The inclusion of persons with disabilities has always represented an important issue. Advancements within the field of computer science have enabled the development of different types of aids, which have significantly improved the quality of life of the disabled. However, for some disabilities, such as visual impairment, the purpose of these aids is to establish an alternative communication channel and thus overcome the user's disability. Speech technologies play the crucial role in this process. This paper presents the ongoing efforts to create a set of educational applications based on speech technologies for Serbian for the early stages of education of blind and partially sighted children. Two educational applications dealing with memory exercises and comprehension of geometrical shapes are presented, along with the initial tests results obtained from research including visually impaired pupils. PMID:26171422

Copying Right and Copying Wrong with Web 2.0 Tools in the Teacher Education and Communications Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrail, Ewa; McGrail, J. Patrick

2010-01-01

Understanding the tenets of copyright in general, and in particular, in online communication and publishing with Web 2.0 tools, has become an important part of literacy in today's Information Age, as well as a cornerstone of free speech and responsible citizenship for the future. Young content creators must be educated about copyright law, their…

The needs of aphasic patients for verbal communication as the element of life quality.

PubMed

Kulik, Teresa Bernadetta; Koc-Kozłowiec, Barbara; Wrońska, Irena; Rudnicka-Drozak, Ewa

2003-01-01

The fact of using the language by man confirms the specific properties of his brain. Man is not able to learn this skill without a contact with speaking and human environment. This skill of linguistic communication with others allows man to get knowledge about the surrounding world and on the other hand it enables him to express his thoughts, feelings and needs. Therefore, people with serious speech disorders, i.e. aphasic patients, suffer not only from the problems connected with communication but mainly because of the deterioration of their social status that consequently will change their life quality. Generally, they cannot cope with the tasks they are lacking both in their personal and professional life. Speech is defined as the process of communication; the act in which the transmitter sends verbal structured message (statement), and the receiver perceives this message or understands its contents. The present paper presents the realised programme of 8-week speech re-education of 10 patients with motor aphasia and 10 patients with sensory aphasia. The examination of speech was performed on the basis of clinical-experimental tests developed by A. Luria. Diagnostic treatment in this test is focused on the qualitative analysis of the disorders structure.

Gesture and speech during shared book reading with preschoolers with specific language impairment.

PubMed

Lavelli, Manuela; Barachetti, Chiara; Florit, Elena

2015-11-01

This study examined (a) the relationship between gesture and speech produced by children with specific language impairment (SLI) and typically developing (TD) children, and their mothers, during shared book-reading, and (b) the potential effectiveness of gestures accompanying maternal speech on the conversational responsiveness of children. Fifteen preschoolers with expressive SLI were compared with fifteen age-matched and fifteen language-matched TD children. Child and maternal utterances were coded for modality, gesture type, gesture-speech informational relationship, and communicative function. Relative to TD peers, children with SLI used more bimodal utterances and gestures adding unique information to co-occurring speech. Some differences were mirrored in maternal communication. Sequential analysis revealed that only in the SLI group maternal reading accompanied by gestures was significantly followed by child's initiatives, and when maternal non-informative repairs were accompanied by gestures, they were more likely to elicit adequate answers from children. These findings support the 'gesture advantage' hypothesis in children with SLI, and have implications for educational and clinical practice.

Speech-language pathology teletherapy in rural and remote educational settings: Decreasing service inequities.

PubMed

Fairweather, Glenn Craig; Lincoln, Michelle Ann; Ramsden, Robyn

2016-12-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate the efficacy of a speech-language pathology teletherapy program for children attending schools and early childcare settings in rural New South Wales, Australia, and their parents' views on the program's feasibility and acceptability. Nineteen children received speech-language pathology sessions delivered via Adobe Connect®, Facetime © or Skype © web-conferencing software. During semi-structured interviews, parents (n = 5) described factors that promoted or threatened the program's feasibility and acceptability. Participation in a speech-language pathology teletherapy program using low-bandwidth videoconferencing improved the speech and language skills of children in both early childhood settings and primary school. Emergent themes related to (a) practicality and convenience, (b) learning, (c) difficulties and (d) communication. Treatment outcome data and parental reports verified that the teletherapy service delivery was feasible and acceptable. However, it was also evident that regular discussion and communication between the various stakeholders involved in teletherapy programs may promote increased parental engagement and acceptability.

Effects of a Voice Output Communication Aid on Interactions between Support Personnel and an Individual with Multiple Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schepis, Maureen M.; Reid, Dennis H.

1995-01-01

A young adult with multiple disabilities (profound mental retardation, spastic quadriplegia, and visual impairment) was provided with a voice output communication aid (VOCA) which allowed communication through synthesized speech. Both educational and residential staff members interacted with the individual more frequently when she had access to…

Bullying: what speech-language pathologists should know.

PubMed

Hughes, Stephanie

2014-01-01

The purpose of this tutorial is to introduce speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to the broad issues surrounding the problem of school bullying in childhood and adolescence. Specifically, types of bullying and their causes are considered, as are the roles students take when bullying occurs and the effects of bullying on students with communication disorders. Strategies and suggestions to help SLPs more effectively prevent and manage bullying of students with communication disorders are discussed. A review of the scholarly literature in education, psychology, child and adolescent development, and speech-language pathology was conducted. Recommendations for how SLPs can prevent and intervene in bullying incidences were extrapolated from the reviewed literature. Students with communication disorders are at particularly high risk for being bullied by peers. Some students with communication disorders are "provocative victims" in that they demonstrate impairments in social skills that draw the attention of bullies. Both provocative victims and typical students may react aggressively when bullied and bully others in retaliation. SLPs can and should help to create an inclusive environment for all students while addressing bullying of students with communication disorders via therapeutic activities.

Educating speech-language pathologists for the 21st century: course design considerations for a distance education Master of Speech Pathology program.

PubMed

McCormack, Jane; Easton, Catherine; Morkel-Kingsbury, Lenni

2014-01-01

The landscape of tertiary education is changing. Developments in information and communications technology have created new ways of engaging with subject material and supporting students on their learning journeys. Therefore, it is timely to reconsider and re-imagine the education of speech-language pathology (SLP) students within this new learning space. In this paper, we outline the design of a new Master of Speech Pathology course being offered by distance education at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Australia. We discuss the catalyst for the course and the commitments of the SLP team at CSU, then describe the curriculum design process, focusing on the pedagogical approach and the learning and teaching strategies utilised in the course delivery. We explain how the learning and teaching strategies have been selected to support students' online learning experience and enable greater interaction between students and the subject material, with students and subject experts, and among student groups. Finally, we highlight some of the challenges in designing and delivering a distance education SLP program and identify future directions for educating students in an online world. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Addressing education of speech-language pathologists in the World Report on Disability: development of a speech-language pathology program in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ahmad, Kartini; Ibrahim, Hasherah; Othman, Basyariatul Fathi; Vong, Etain

2013-02-01

The current paper is a response to the Wiley, McAllister, Davidson, and Marshall lead article regarding the application of the World Report on Disability (WRD) to people with communication disorders. The current paper directly addresses recommendation 5 (improvement of human resource capacity) and indirectly addresses recommendations 7, 8, and 9 (related to improving local knowledge and data on communicative disabilities) indirectly. The paper describes Malaysia's initiatives in the early 1990s, in developing its local professional capacity to provide services for people with communication disorders (PWCD). It charts the history of development of a local undergraduate entry-level degree program for speech-language pathology (SLP) from the point of conceptualization to full execution. The article provides glimpses to the processes and challenges faced by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as the pioneer university in the South East Asia region to undertake the training and education of the SLP profession and highlights relevant issues faced by newly introduced professions in a country where resources and practice traditions were previously unavailable. It underscores the important role played by government institutions and an international professional network in driving forward-looking policies to implement and sustain the program.

Datalink in air traffic management: Human factors issues in communications.

PubMed

Stedmon, Alex W; Sharples, Sarah; Littlewood, Robert; Cox, Gemma; Patel, Harshada; Wilson, John R

2007-07-01

This paper examines issues underpinning the potential move in aviation away from real speech radiotelephony (R/T) communications towards datalink communications involving text and synthetic speech communications. Using a novel air traffic control (ATC) task, two experiments are reported. Experiment 1 compared the use of speech and text while Experiment 2 compared the use of real and synthetic speech communications. Results indicated that generally there were no significant differences between speech and text communications and that either type could be used without any main effects on performance. However, a number of specific differences were observed across the different phases of the scenarios indicating that workload levels may be more varied when speech communications are used. Experiment 2 illustrated that participants placed a greater level of trust in real speech than synthetic speech, and trusted true communications more than false communications (regardless of whether they were real or synthetic voices). The findings are considered in terms of datalink initiatives for future air traffic management, the importance placed on real speech R/T communications, and the need to develop more natural synthetic speech in this application area.

Integrating Communication, Computer Access, Environmental Control & Mobility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romich, Barry A.; Vagnini, Carol B.

Severely physically disabled people can be helped to reach their goals in educational, vocational, and personal pursuits through appropriate use of current technology. The expressive communication needs of people without functional speech can be met through an analysis of selection techniques, processing, and outputs. Examples of new systems…

Secure telemonitoring system for delivering telerehabilitation therapy to enhance children's communication function to home.

PubMed

Parmanto, Bambang; Saptono, Andi; Murthi, Raymond; Safos, Charlotte; Lathan, Corinna E

2008-11-01

A secure telemonitoring system was developed to transform CosmoBot system, a stand-alone speech-language therapy software, into a telerehabilitation system. The CosmoBot system is a motivating, computer-based play character designed to enhance children's communication skills and stimulate verbal interaction during the remediation of speech and language disorders. The CosmoBot system consists of the Mission Control human interface device and Cosmo's Play and Learn software featuring a robot character named Cosmo that targets educational goals for children aged 3-5 years. The secure telemonitoring infrastructure links a distant speech-language therapist and child/parents at home or school settings. The result is a telerehabilitation system that allows a speech-language therapist to monitor children's activities at home while providing feedback and therapy materials remotely. We have developed the means for telerehabilitation of communication skills that can be implemented in children's home settings. The architecture allows the therapist to remotely monitor the children after completion of the therapy session and to provide feedback for the following session.

Understanding the abstract role of speech in communication at 12 months.

PubMed

Martin, Alia; Onishi, Kristine H; Vouloumanos, Athena

2012-04-01

Adult humans recognize that even unfamiliar speech can communicate information between third parties, demonstrating an ability to separate communicative function from linguistic content. We examined whether 12-month-old infants understand that speech can communicate before they understand the meanings of specific words. Specifically, we test the understanding that speech permits the transfer of information about a Communicator's target object to a Recipient. Initially, the Communicator selectively grasped one of two objects. In test, the Communicator could no longer reach the objects. She then turned to the Recipient and produced speech (a nonsense word) or non-speech (coughing). Infants looked longer when the Recipient selected the non-target than the target object when the Communicator had produced speech but not coughing (Experiment 1). Looking time patterns differed from the speech condition when the Recipient rather than the Communicator produced the speech (Experiment 2), and when the Communicator produced a positive emotional vocalization (Experiment 3), but did not differ when the Recipient had previously received information about the target by watching the Communicator's selective grasping (Experiment 4). Thus infants understand the information-transferring properties of speech and recognize some of the conditions under which others' information states can be updated. These results suggest that infants possess an abstract understanding of the communicative function of speech, providing an important potential mechanism for language and knowledge acquisition. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Communication Supports for People with Motor Speech Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Elizabeth K.; Fager, Susan K.

2017-01-01

Communication supports for people with motor speech disorders can include strategies and technologies to supplement natural speech efforts, resolve communication breakdowns, and replace natural speech when necessary to enhance participation in all communicative contexts. This article emphasizes communication supports that can enhance…

Elwood Murray: Pioneering Methodologist in Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownell, Judi

2014-01-01

Elwood Murray (1897-1988) was a pioneer in communication education. Beginning in the 1930s, he applied nontraditional methods in the speech classroom to encourage students to internalize and apply what they learned, and to view knowledge holistically. Drawing on the work of Kunkel, Moreno, Lewin, and Korzybski, Murray focused on developing skills…

Twenty-year follow-up of children with and without speech-language impairments: family, educational, occupational, and quality of life outcomes.

PubMed

Johnson, Carla J; Beitchman, Joseph H; Brownlie, E B

2010-02-01

Parents, professionals, and policy makers need information on the long-term prognosis for children with communication disorders. Our primary purpose in this report was to help fill this gap by profiling the family, educational, occupational, and quality of life outcomes of young adults at 25 years of age (N = 244) from the Ottawa Language Study, a 20-year, prospective, longitudinal study of a community sample of individuals with (n = 112) and without (n = 132) a history of early speech and/or language impairments. A secondary purpose of this report was to use data from earlier phases of the study to predict important, real-life outcomes at age 25. Participants were initially identified at age 5 and subsequently followed at 12, 19, and 25 years of age. Direct assessments were conducted at all 4 time periods in multiple domains (demographic, communicative, cognitive, academic, behavioral, and psychosocial). At age 25, young adults with a history of language impairments showed poorer outcomes in multiple objective domains (communication, cognitive/academic, educational attainment, and occupational status) than their peers without early communication impairments and those with early speech-only impairments. However, those with language impairments did not differ in subjective perceptions of their quality of life from those in the other 2 groups. Objective outcomes at age 25 were predicted differentially by various combinations of multiple, interrelated risk factors, including poor language and reading skills, low family socioeconomic status, low performance IQ, and child behavior problems. Subjective well-being, however, was primarily associated with strong social networks of family, friends, and others. This information on the natural history of communication disorders may be useful in answering parents' questions, anticipating challenges that children with language disorders might encounter, and planning services to address those issues.

Speech-language pathologists as determiners of the human right to diversity in communication for school children in the US.

PubMed

Farrugia-Bernard, Audrey M

2018-02-01

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression - the right to communication. Communication is at the core of the speech-language pathology (SLP) profession. Yet, while we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights some of our most vulnerable youth are being placed in special education at disproportional rates. School-based SLPs in the United States may be unwittingly contributing to this phenomenon, obstructing the human right to communication because of biased assessment procedures. However, increasing cultural competence, diversifying the profession, and utilising additional assessment measures are actions that can be taken to promote equity in assessment for all children.

Unifying Research and Teaching: Pedagogy for the Transition from Forensics Competition to Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Scott

At a minimum, tomorrow's forensic educators need formal training that orients the professional to the responsibilities central to forensic education. While a number of opportunities, as well as applications of those opportunities, are available to forensics students, the rooting of forensics in the speech communication discipline is paramount.…

Education for Corporate Public Relations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baxter, Bill L.

1985-01-01

Surveyed members of the Public Relations Society of America who reported that (1) students planning public relations careers in corporations should take courses in this order of priority: journalism, public relations, internships, speech communication, marketing, etc., and (2) an MBA degree was the best advanced education degree. (PD)

Severe Multisensory Speech Integration Deficits in High-Functioning School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Their Resolution During Early Adolescence

PubMed Central

Foxe, John J.; Molholm, Sophie; Del Bene, Victor A.; Frey, Hans-Peter; Russo, Natalie N.; Blanco, Daniella; Saint-Amour, Dave; Ross, Lars A.

2015-01-01

Under noisy listening conditions, visualizing a speaker's articulations substantially improves speech intelligibility. This multisensory speech integration ability is crucial to effective communication, and the appropriate development of this capacity greatly impacts a child's ability to successfully navigate educational and social settings. Research shows that multisensory integration abilities continue developing late into childhood. The primary aim here was to track the development of these abilities in children with autism, since multisensory deficits are increasingly recognized as a component of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) phenotype. The abilities of high-functioning ASD children (n = 84) to integrate seen and heard speech were assessed cross-sectionally, while environmental noise levels were systematically manipulated, comparing them with age-matched neurotypical children (n = 142). Severe integration deficits were uncovered in ASD, which were increasingly pronounced as background noise increased. These deficits were evident in school-aged ASD children (5–12 year olds), but were fully ameliorated in ASD children entering adolescence (13–15 year olds). The severity of multisensory deficits uncovered has important implications for educators and clinicians working in ASD. We consider the observation that the multisensory speech system recovers substantially in adolescence as an indication that it is likely amenable to intervention during earlier childhood, with potentially profound implications for the development of social communication abilities in ASD children. PMID:23985136

DHEW Research, Service, and Training Programs in Hearing, Speech, and Language: A Summary of Areas of Interest, Funding Mechanisms, Review Processes, and Information Sources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Harriet, Comp.; Lloyd, Lyle L., Comp.

Programs of agencies within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare that support research, training, and clinical service projects in hearing, speech, and language development are reviewed. Information on each program usually includes areas of communication development and disorders specific to each agency; the funding mechanism used by…

Harnessing Repetitive Behaviours to Engage Attention and Learning in a Novel Therapy for Autism: An Exploratory Analysis

PubMed Central

Chen, Grace Megumi; Yoder, Keith Jonathon; Ganzel, Barbara Lynn; Goodwin, Matthew S.; Belmonte, Matthew Kenneth

2012-01-01

Rigorous, quantitative examination of therapeutic techniques anecdotally reported to have been successful in people with autism who lack communicative speech will help guide basic science toward a more complete characterisation of the cognitive profile in this underserved subpopulation, and show the extent to which theories and results developed with the high-functioning subpopulation may apply. This study examines a novel therapy, the “Rapid Prompting Method” (RPM). RPM is a parent-developed communicative and educational therapy for persons with autism who do not speak or who have difficulty using speech communicatively. The technique aims to develop a means of interactive learning by pointing amongst multiple-choice options presented at different locations in space, with the aid of sensory “prompts” which evoke a response without cueing any specific response option. The prompts are meant to draw and to maintain attention to the communicative task – making the communicative and educational content coincident with the most physically salient, attention-capturing stimulus – and to extinguish the sensory–motor preoccupations with which the prompts compete. Video-recorded RPM sessions with nine autistic children ages 8–14 years who lacked functional communicative speech were coded for behaviours of interest. An analysis controlled for age indicates that exposure to the claimed therapy appears to support a decrease in repetitive behaviours and an increase in the number of multiple-choice response options without any decrease in successful responding. Direct gaze is not related to successful responding, suggesting that direct gaze might not be any advantage for this population and need not in all cases be a precondition to communication therapies. PMID:22355292

Training a new generation of speech-language pathologists with competences in the management of literacy disorders and learning disabilities in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Yuen, Kevin C P

2014-01-01

One of the recent developments in the education of speech-language pathology is to include literacy disorders and learning disabilities as key training components in the training curriculum. Disorders in reading and writing are interwoven with disorders in speaking and listening, which should be managed holistically, particularly in children and adolescents. With extensive training in clinical linguistics, language disorders, and other theoretical knowledge and clinical skills, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are the best equipped and most competent professionals to screen, identify, diagnose, and manage individuals with literacy disorders. To tackle the challenges of and the huge demand for services in literacy as well as language and learning disorders, the Hong Kong Institute of Education has recently developed the Master of Science Programme in Educational Speech-Language Pathology and Learning Disabilities, which is one of the very first speech-language pathology training programmes in Asia to blend training components of learning disabilities, literacy disorders, and social-emotional-behavioural-developmental disabilities into a developmentally and medically oriented speech-language pathology training programme. This new training programme aims to prepare a new generation of SLPs to be able to offer comprehensive support to individuals with speech, language, literacy, learning, communication, and swallowing disorders of different developmental or neurogenic origins, particularly to infants and adolescents as well as to their family and educational team. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The confidence and knowledge of health practitioners when interacting with people with aphasia in a hospital setting.

PubMed

Cameron, Ashley; McPhail, Steven; Hudson, Kyla; Fleming, Jennifer; Lethlean, Jennifer; Tan, Ngang Ju; Finch, Emma

2018-06-01

The aim of the study was to describe and compare the confidence and knowledge of health professionals (HPs) with and without specialized speech-language training for communicating with people with aphasia (PWA) in a metropolitan hospital setting. Ninety HPs from multidisciplinary teams completed a customized survey to identify their demographic information, knowledge of aphasia, current use of supported conversation strategies and overall communication confidence when interacting with PWA using a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) to rate open-ended questions. Conventional descriptive statistics were used to examine the demographic information. Descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyse VAS confidence rating data. The responses to the open-ended survey questions were grouped into four previously identified key categories. The HPs consisted of 22 (24.4%) participants who were speech-language pathologists and 68 (75.6%) participants from other disciplines (non-speech-language pathology HPs, non-SLP HPs). The non-SLP HPs reported significantly lower confidence levels (U = 159.0, p < 0.001, two-tailed) and identified fewer strategies for communicating effectively with PWA than the trained speech-language pathologists. The non-SLP HPs identified a median of two strategies identified [interquartile range (IQR) 1-3] in contrast to the speech-language pathologists who identified a median of eight strategies (IQR 7-12). These findings suggest that HPs, particularly those without specialized communication education, are likely to benefit from formal training to enhance their confidence, skills and ability to successfully communicate with PWA in their work environment. This may in turn increase the involvement of PWA in their health care decisions. Implications for Rehabilitation Interventions to remediate health professional's (particularly non-speech-language pathology health professionals) lower levels of confidence and ability to communicate with PWA may ultimately help ensure equal access for PWA. Promote informed collaborative decision-making, and foster patient-centred care within the health care setting.

Microelectronics and Special Education. CET/MEP Information Sheet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council for Educational Technology, London (England).

Used as an additional aid by the teacher, microelectronics can assist mentally and physically handicapped children to meet educational objectives that have been specifically agreed upon for the individual child. Microelectronics can help deaf children develop speech production, communication skills, and grammar and sentence construction;…

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (81st, Baltimore, Maryland, August 5-8, 1998). Mass Communication and Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

The Mass Communication and Society section of the Proceedings contains the following 19 papers: "Talk Radio as Forum and Companion: Listener Attitudes and Uses and Gratifications in Austin, Texas" (John Beatty); "'Willingness to Censor': Developing a Quantitative Measurement across Speech Categories and Types of Media"…

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (86th, Kansas City, Missouri, July 30-August 2, 2003). Minorities and Communication Division.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2003

The Minorities and Communication Division of the proceedings contains the following 6 papers: "Can We Talk? Racial Discourse as a Community-Building Paradigm for Journalists" (Meta G. Carstarphen); "Can Cross Burning Be Constitutionally Proscribed?: Sixty Years of Hate Speech Rulings Culminating in 'Black v. Virginia'" (Roxanne…

Taking It to the Classroom: Strategies for Re-Claiming Citizenship through Communication Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Colleen E.

Speech communication in general and rhetoric in particular address suggestions for protecting the "space" in which public conversation occurs in a democracy. Although the framers of the Constitution clearly envisioned significant citizen involvement in policy making, citizen access to the process has greatly declined, especially at the…

In Retrospect: A Fifteen-Year Follow-Up Report of Speech-Language-Disordered Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Rella R.; And Others

1982-01-01

A 15-year follow-up of 50 children initially diagnosed as communicatively impaired is reported. The survey describes Ss in terms of the educational levels they have attained, their motor skills, their social skills as perceived by their families, and any communication problems that may exist. (Author/DB)

Memory and communication support in dementia: research-based strategies for caregivers.

PubMed

Smith, Erin R; Broughton, Megan; Baker, Rosemary; Pachana, Nancy A; Angwin, Anthony J; Humphreys, Michael S; Mitchell, Leander; Byrne, Gerard J; Copland, David A; Gallois, Cindy; Hegney, Desley; Chenery, Helen J

2011-03-01

Difficulties with memory and communication are prominent and distressing features of dementia which impact on the person with dementia and contribute to caregiver stress and burden. There is a need to provide caregivers with strategies to support and maximize memory and communication abilities in people with dementia. In this project, a team of clinicians, researchers and educators in neuropsychology, psychogeriatrics, nursing and speech pathology translated research-based knowledge from these fields into a program of practical strategies for everyday use by family and professional caregivers. From the available research evidence, the project team identified compensatory or facilitative strategies to assist with common areas of difficulty, and structured these under the mnemonics RECAPS (for memory) and MESSAGE (for communication). This information was adapted for presentation in a DVD-based education program in accordance with known characteristics of effective caregiver education. The resultant DVD comprises (1) information on the nature and importance of memory and communication in everyday life; (2) explanations of common patterns of difficulty and preserved ability in memory and communication across the stages of dementia; (3) acted vignettes demonstrating the strategies, based on authentic samples of speech in dementia; and (4) scenarios to prompt the viewer to consider the benefits of using the strategies. Using a knowledge-translation framework, information and strategies can be provided to family and professional caregivers to help them optimize residual memory and communication in people with dementia. Future development of the materials, incorporating consumer feedback, will focus on methods for enabling wider dissemination.

The Importance of Interprofessional Education for Students in Communication Sciences and Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Lynette R.

2015-01-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) is recognized as a critical component in preparing students for effective interprofessional practice in health care. IPE is supported by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and students' competence in interprofessional practice is expected by clinical supervisors for effective work in any…

Confident Communication: Speaking Tips for Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Douglas A.

This resource book seeks to provide the building blocks needed for public speaking while eliminating the fear factor. The book explains how educators can perfect their oratorical capabilities as well as enjoy the security, confidence, and support needed to create and deliver dynamic speeches. Following an Introduction: A Message for Teachers,…

NEW TECHNIQUES IN DIAGNOSIS AND APPRAISAL AND IMPLICATION FOR THERAPY FOR ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH COMMUNICATION DISORDERS, PROCEEDINGS OF A SPECIAL STUDY INSTITUTE (OCTOBER 4-6, 1967, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery.

IN OCTOBER, 1967, A SPECIAL STUDY INSTITUTE, SPONSORED BY THE ALABAMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CONVENED FOR THE PURPOSES OF (1) DISCUSSING THE MOST EFFICACIOUS MEANS OF SPEECH THERAPY PROGRAM ORGANIZATION, (2) EXPLORING NEW TECHNIQUES OF SPEECH PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION, PROGNOSIS DETERMINATION, AND THERAPEUTIC SEQUENCE DEVELOPMENT, AND (3)…

The World Report on Disability in relation to the development of speech-language pathology in Viet Nam.

PubMed

Atherton, Marie; Dung, Nguyễn Thị Ngọc; Nhân, Võ Hoàng

2013-02-01

Wylie, McAllister, Davidson, and Marshall (2013) argue that recommendations made within the World Report on Disability provide an opportunity for speech-language pathologists to consider new ways of developing services for people with communication and swallowing disorders. They propose that current approaches to the delivery of speech-language pathology services are largely embedded within the medical model of impairment, thereby limiting the ability of services to meet the needs of people in a holistic manner. In this paper, the criticality of selecting an appropriate service delivery model is discussed within the context of a recently established post-graduate speech therapy education programme in Viet Nam. Driving forces for the implementation of the program will be explored, as will the factors that determined the choice of service delivery. Opportunities and challenges to the long-term viability of the program and the program's potential to meet the needs of persons with communication and swallowing disorders in Viet Nam will be considered.

Communication rehabilitation in sub-Saharan Africa: A workforce profile of speech and language therapists

PubMed Central

McAllister, Lindy; Davidson, Bronwyn; Marshall, Julie

2016-01-01

Background There is an urgent global need to strengthen rehabilitation services for people with disabilities. In sub-Saharan Africa, rehabilitation services for people with communication disabilities continue to be underdeveloped. A first step in strengthening services for people with a communication disabilities is to understand the composition and conditions of the current workforce. Objectives This research describes a sample of the speech and language therapists (SLTs) working in SSA (excluding South Africa). This study explores the characteristics of this workforce, including their demographics, education, experience and geographical stability. Method A mixed-methods survey was used to collect data from SLTs within Anglophone countries of SSA. Completed surveys were received from 33 respondents working in 44 jobs across nine countries. Analysis included descriptive and non-parametric inferential statistics. This study reports on a subset of descriptive and quantitative data from the wider survey. Results A background profile of SLTs across the region is presented. Results indicated that the workforce of SLTs comprised a mix of local and international SLTs, with university-level education. Local SLTs were educated both within and outside of Africa, with more recent graduates trained in Africa. These data reflected the local emergence of speech and language therapy training in SSA. Conclusion This sample comprised a mix of African and international SLTs, with indications of growing localisation of the workforce. Workforce localisation offers potential advantages of linguistic diversity and stability. Challenges including workforce support and developing culturally and contextually relevant SLT practices are discussed. PMID:28730052

Do 6-Month-Olds Understand That Speech Can Communicate?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vouloumanos, Athena; Martin, Alia; Onishi, Kristine H.

2014-01-01

Adults and 12-month-old infants recognize that even unfamiliar speech can communicate information between third parties, suggesting that they can separate the communicative function of speech from its lexical content. But do infants recognize that speech can communicate due to their experience understanding and producing language, or do they…

The content of goals in individual educational programs for students with complex communication needs.

PubMed

Klang, Nina; Rowland, Charity; Fried-Oken, Melanie; Steiner, Sandra; Granlund, Mats; Adolfsson, Margareta

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to explore the contents of communication-related goals in individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with complex communication needs. Goals in 43 IEPs were linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Children and Youth version (ICF-CY). The results show that the communication-related IEP goals contain information on multiple domains of functioning in the ICF-CY. However, judging by the amount of codes linked to ICF-CY chapters, the IEPs contain a relatively small proportion of goals that focus on interaction with others, or participation in classroom and leisure activities. Special education teachers and speech-language pathologists working with students with complex communication needs may need support to formulate communication-related IEP goals with a focus on interaction and participation in school activities.

Communication rights: Fundamental human rights for all.

PubMed

McLeod, Sharynne

2018-02-01

The right to communicate includes the right to "freedom of opinion and expression" and rights and freedoms "without distinction of … language". The 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a time to celebrate and reflect on communication as a human right, particularly with respect to Article 19 and its relationship to national and international conventions, declarations, policies and practices. This review profiles articles from the special issue of International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (volume 20, issue 1) addressing communication rights from four perspectives: (1) communication rights of all people; (2) communication rights of people with communication disabilities; (3) communication rights of children and (4) communication rights relating to language. Divergent perspectives from across the globe are considered. First-hand accounts of people whose right to communicate is compromised/upheld are included and perspectives are provided from people with expertise and advocacy roles in speech-language pathology, audiology, linguistics, education, media, literature and law, including members of the International Communication Project. Three steps are outlined to support communication rights: acknowledge people - adjust the communication style - take time to listen. Future advocacy for communication rights could be informed by replicating processes used to generate the Yogyakarta Principles.

Philosophical Perspectives on Values and Ethics in Speech Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Carl B.

There are three very different concerns of communication ethics: (1) applied speech ethics, (2) ethical rules or standards, and (3) metaethical issues. In the area of applied speech ethics, communications theorists attempt to determine whether a speech act is moral or immoral by focusing on the content and effects of specific speech acts. Specific…

Females at Risk in the Future Workplace: Gender Credibility Perceptions and Communication Educator Problems in the Building of Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandeville, Mary Y.

A study examined female and male university students' perceptions about career choice. Essay response questionnaires were administered to 52 university students in speech communication courses in the Fall of 1990 and 55 students the following semester. After reviewing student responses, survey response questions were developed and administered to…

The dance of communication: retaining family membership despite severe non-speech dementia.

PubMed

Walmsley, Bruce D; McCormack, Lynne

2014-09-01

There is minimal research investigating non-speech communication as a result of living with severe dementia. This phenomenological study explores retained awareness expressed through non-speech patterns of communication in a family member living with severe dementia. Further, it describes reciprocal efforts used by all family members to engage in alternative patterns of communication. Family interactions were filmed to observe speech and non-speech relational communication. Participants were four family groups each with a family member living with non-speech communication as a result of severe dementia. Overall there were 16 participants. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. One superordinate theme, Dance of Communication, describes the interactive patterns that were observed during family communication. Two subordinate themes emerged: (a) in-step; characterised by communication that indicated harmony, spontaneity and reciprocity, and; (b) out-of-step; characterised by communication that indicated disharmony, syncopation, and vulnerability. This study highlights that retained awareness can exist at levels previously unrecognised in those living with limited or absent speech as a result of severe dementia. A recommendation for the development of a communication program for caregivers of individuals living with dementia is presented. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Multilevel Analysis in Analyzing Speech Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guddattu, Vasudeva; Krishna, Y.

2011-01-01

The speech produced by human vocal tract is a complex acoustic signal, with diverse applications in phonetics, speech synthesis, automatic speech recognition, speaker identification, communication aids, speech pathology, speech perception, machine translation, hearing research, rehabilitation and assessment of communication disorders and many…

Speech communications in noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The physical characteristics of speech, the methods of speech masking measurement, and the effects of noise on speech communication are investigated. Topics include the speech signal and intelligibility, the effects of noise on intelligibility, the articulation index, and various devices for evaluating speech systems.

Mind, Languages, and Literacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debes, John L., III

For the past 100 years we have been acting as if education in school was of words, by words, and for words, but in fact verbal literacy was preceded by visual literacy when humans communicated with body language before they had speech. American educators have been concentrating efforts on the left hemisphere of the brain in which the verbal…

Parents' communication decision for children with hearing loss: sources of information and influence.

PubMed

Decker, Kalli B; Vallotton, Claire D; Johnson, Harold A

2012-01-01

Choosing a method of communication for a child with hearing loss is a complex process that must occur early to prevent developmental consequences. Research shows that parents' decisions are influenced by professionals; parental attitudes and knowledge also may be influential. The present study investigated additional influences on parents' choices; data were collected via an online survey (N = 36). Results indicated no effects of parents' knowledge of development on their communication choices, but did indicate an effect of parents' values and priorities for their children. Further, parents who chose speech only received information from education or speech/audiology professionals more often. However, there were no group differences in sources parents cited as influential; all parents relied on their own judgment. Results suggest that parents internalize the opinions of professionals. Thus, accurate information from professionals is necessary for parents to make informed decisions about their children's communication.

Speech perception in noise in the elderly: interactions between cognitive performance, depressive symptoms, and education.

PubMed

de Carvalho, Laura Maria Araújo; Gonsalez, Elisiane Crestani de Miranda; Iorio, Maria Cecília Martineli

The difficulty the elderly experience in understanding speech may be related to several factors including cognitive and perceptual performance. To evaluate the influence of cognitive performance, depressive symptoms, and education on speech perception in noise of elderly hearing aids users. The sample consisted of 25 elderly hearing aids users in bilateral adaptation, both sexes, mean age 69.7 years. Subjects underwent cognitive assessment using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive and depressive symptoms evaluation using the Geriatric Depression Scale. The assessment of speech perception in noise (S/N ratio) was performed in free field using the Portuguese Sentence List test. Statistical analysis included the Spearman correlation calculation and multiple linear regression model, with 95% confidence level and 0.05 significance level. In the study of speech perception in noise (S/N ratio), there was statistically significant correlation between education scores (p=0.018), as well as with the Mini-Mental State Examination (p=0.002), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive (p=0.003), and Geriatric Depression Scale (p=0.022) scores. We found that for a one-unit increase in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive score, the S/N ratio increased on average 0.15dB, and for an increase of one year in education, the S/N ratio decreased on average 0.40dB. Level of education, cognitive performance, and depressive symptoms influence the speech perception in noise of elderly hearing aids users. The better the cognitive level and the higher the education, the better is the elderly communicative performance in noise. Copyright © 2016 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Autism: A Comparison of the Picture Exchange Communication System and Speech-Output Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boesch, Miriam Chacon

2011-01-01

The purpose of this comparative efficacy study was to investigate the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and a speech-generating device (SGD) in developing requesting skills, social-communicative behavior, and speech for three elementary-age children with severe autism and little to no functional speech. Requesting was selected as the…

Communication attitude and speech in 10-year-old children with cleft (lip and) palate: an ICF perspective.

PubMed

Havstam, Christina; Sandberg, Annika Dahlgren; Lohmander, Anette

2011-04-01

Many children born with cleft palate have impaired speech during their pre-school years, but usually the speech difficulties are transient and resolved by later childhood. This study investigated communication attitude with the Swedish version of the Communication Attitude Test (CAT-S) in 54 10-year-olds with cleft (lip and) palate. In addition, environmental factors were assessed via parent questionnaire. These data were compared to speech assessments by experienced listeners, who rated the children's velopharyngeal function, articulation, intelligibility, and general impression of speech at ages 5, 7, and 10 years. The children with clefts scored significantly higher on the CAT-S compared to reference data, indicating a more negative communication attitude on group level but with large individual variation. All speech variables, except velopharyngeal function at earlier ages, as well as the parent questionnaire scores, correlated significantly with the CAT-S scores. Although there was a relationship between speech and communication attitude, not all children with impaired speech developed negative communication attitudes. The assessment of communication attitude can make an important contribution to our understanding of the communicative situation for children with cleft (lip and) palate and give important indications for intervention.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Populations.

PubMed

Hancock, Adrienne; Haskin, Gregory

2015-05-01

The cultures and service needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) minority groups are relevant to speech-language pathologists (SLPs). In particular, transgender individuals seeking communication services from SLPs in order to improve quality of life require culturally and clinically competent clinicians. Knowledge and attitudes regarding a population are foundational stages toward cultural competency (Turner, Wilson, & Shirah, 2006). The purpose of this research is to assess LGBTQ knowledge and attitudes among aspiring and practicing SLPs. An online survey was completed by 279 SLPs from 4 countries. Mean accuracy scores on LGBTQ culture questions were near 50%. Self-ratings indicated more comfort than knowledge, with generally positive feelings toward LGBTQ subgroups. Transgender communication is within SLPs' scope of practice, yet 47% indicated such services were not addressed in their master's curriculum, and 51% did not know how to describe transgender communication therapy. When respondents were asked to indicate priority of 10 LGBTQ topics for a continuing education seminar, communication masculinization/feminization best practice and case examples had the highest mean priority scores. There is a need to promote LGBTQ cultural competence within speech-language pathology. This study provides direction for improving LGBTQ cultural competence among SLPs.

Language-learning disabilities: Paradigms for the nineties.

PubMed

Wiig, E H

1991-01-01

We are beginning a decade, during which many traditional paradigms in education, special education, and speech-language pathology will undergo change. Among paradigms considered promising for speech-language pathology in the schools are collaborative language intervention and strategy training for language and communication. This presentation introduces management models for developing a collaborative language intervention process, among them the Deming Management Method for Total Quality (TQ) (Deming 1986). Implementation models for language assessment and IEP planning and multicultural issues are also introduced (Damico and Nye 1990; Secord and Wiig in press). While attention to processes involved in developing and implementing collaborative language intervention is paramount, content should not be neglected. To this end, strategy training for language and communication is introduced as a viable paradigm. Macro- and micro-level process models for strategy training are featured and general issues are discussed (Ellis, Deshler, and Schumaker 1989; Swanson 1989; Wiig 1989).

Speech therapy for children with dysarthria acquired before three years of age.

PubMed

Pennington, Lindsay; Parker, Naomi K; Kelly, Helen; Miller, Nick

2016-07-18

Children with motor impairments often have the motor speech disorder dysarthria, a condition which effects the tone, strength and co-ordination of any or all of the muscles used for speech. Resulting speech difficulties can range from mild, with slightly slurred articulation and breathy voice, to profound, with an inability to produce any recognisable words. Children with dysarthria are often prescribed communication aids to supplement their natural forms of communication. However, there is variation in practice regarding the provision of therapy focusing on voice and speech production. Descriptive studies have suggested that therapy may improve speech, but its effectiveness has not been evaluated. To assess whether any speech and language therapy intervention aimed at improving the speech of children with dysarthria is more effective in increasing children's speech intelligibility or communicative participation than no intervention at all , and to compare the efficacy of individual types of speech language therapy in improving the speech intelligibility or communicative participation of children with dysarthria. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2015 , Issue 7 ), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL , LLBA, ERIC, PsychInfo, Web of Science, Scopus, UK National Research Register and Dissertation Abstracts up to July 2015, handsearched relevant journals published between 1980 and July 2015, and searched proceedings of relevant conferences between 1996 to 2015. We placed no restrictions on the language or setting of the studies. A previous version of this review considered studies published up to April 2009. In this update we searched for studies published from April 2009 to July 2015. We considered randomised controlled trials and studies using quasi-experimental designs in which children were allocated to groups using non-random methods. One author (LP) conducted searches of all databases, journals and conference reports. All searches included a reliability check in which a second review author independently checked a random sample comprising 15% of all identified reports. We planned that two review authors would independently assess the quality and extract data from eligible studies. No randomised controlled trials or group studies were identified. This review found no evidence from randomised trials of the effectiveness of speech and language therapy interventions to improve the speech of children with early acquired dysarthria. Rigorous, fully powered randomised controlled trials are needed to investigate if the positive changes in children's speech observed in phase I and phase II studies are generalisable to the population of children with early acquired dysarthria served by speech and language therapy services. Research should examine change in children's speech production and intelligibility. It must also investigate children's participation in social and educational activities, and their quality of life, as well as the cost and acceptability of interventions.

Twelve-month-old infants recognize that speech can communicate unobservable intentions.

PubMed

Vouloumanos, Athena; Onishi, Kristine H; Pogue, Amanda

2012-08-07

Much of our knowledge is acquired not from direct experience but through the speech of others. Speech allows rapid and efficient transfer of information that is otherwise not directly observable. Do infants recognize that speech, even if unfamiliar, can communicate about an important aspect of the world that cannot be directly observed: a person's intentions? Twelve-month-olds saw a person (the Communicator) attempt but fail to achieve a target action (stacking a ring on a funnel). The Communicator subsequently directed either speech or a nonspeech vocalization to another person (the Recipient) who had not observed the attempts. The Recipient either successfully stacked the ring (Intended outcome), attempted but failed to stack the ring (Observable outcome), or performed a different stacking action (Related outcome). Infants recognized that speech could communicate about unobservable intentions, looking longer at Observable and Related outcomes than the Intended outcome when the Communicator used speech. However, when the Communicator used nonspeech, infants looked equally at the three outcomes. Thus, for 12-month-olds, speech can transfer information about unobservable aspects of the world such as internal mental states, which provides preverbal infants with a tool for acquiring information beyond their immediate experience.

Twelve-month-old infants recognize that speech can communicate unobservable intentions

PubMed Central

Vouloumanos, Athena; Onishi, Kristine H.; Pogue, Amanda

2012-01-01

Much of our knowledge is acquired not from direct experience but through the speech of others. Speech allows rapid and efficient transfer of information that is otherwise not directly observable. Do infants recognize that speech, even if unfamiliar, can communicate about an important aspect of the world that cannot be directly observed: a person’s intentions? Twelve-month-olds saw a person (the Communicator) attempt but fail to achieve a target action (stacking a ring on a funnel). The Communicator subsequently directed either speech or a nonspeech vocalization to another person (the Recipient) who had not observed the attempts. The Recipient either successfully stacked the ring (Intended outcome), attempted but failed to stack the ring (Observable outcome), or performed a different stacking action (Related outcome). Infants recognized that speech could communicate about unobservable intentions, looking longer at Observable and Related outcomes than the Intended outcome when the Communicator used speech. However, when the Communicator used nonspeech, infants looked equally at the three outcomes. Thus, for 12-month-olds, speech can transfer information about unobservable aspects of the world such as internal mental states, which provides preverbal infants with a tool for acquiring information beyond their immediate experience. PMID:22826217

Establishing a Korean Language Programme in a European Higher Education Context: Rationale, Curriculum and Assessment Procedures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, Lorna; Do, Eunjee

2013-01-01

A growth in interest in Korean contemporary culture in Europe has benefitted Korean language studies in Higher Education. This article describes an innovative Korean language programme in the School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Since its establishment as a pilot project in 2010, the Korean…

Speech and Communication Changes Reported by People with Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Schalling, Ellika; Johansson, Kerstin; Hartelius, Lena

2017-01-01

Changes in communicative functions are common in Parkinson's disease (PD), but there are only limited data provided by individuals with PD on how these changes are perceived, what their consequences are, and what type of intervention is provided. To present self-reported information about speech and communication, the impact on communicative participation, and the amount and type of speech-language pathology services received by people with PD. Respondents with PD recruited via the Swedish Parkinson's Disease Society filled out a questionnaire accessed via a Web link or provided in a paper version. Of 188 respondents, 92.5% reported at least one symptom related to communication; the most common symptoms were weak voice, word-finding difficulties, imprecise articulation, and getting off topic in conversation. The speech and communication problems resulted in restricted communicative participation for between a quarter and a third of the respondents, and their speech caused embarrassment sometimes or more often to more than half. Forty-five percent of the respondents had received speech-language pathology services. Most respondents reported both speech and language symptoms, and many experienced restricted communicative participation. Access to speech-language pathology services is still inadequate. Services should also address cognitive/linguistic aspects to meet the needs of people with PD. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The prevalence of speech disorder in primary school students in Yazd-Iran.

PubMed

Karbasi, Sedighah Akhavan; Fallah, Razieh; Golestan, Motaharah

2011-01-01

Communication disorder is a widespread disabling problems and associated with adverse, long term outcome that impact on individuals, families and academic achievement of children in the school years and affect vocational choices later in adulthood. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence of speech disorders specifically stuttering, voice, and speech-sound disorders in primary school students in Iran-Yazd. In a descriptive study, 7881 primary school students in Yazd evaluated in view from of speech disorders with use of direct and face to face assessment technique in 2005. The prevalence of total speech disorders was 14.8% among whom 13.8% had speech-sound disorder, 1.2% stuttering and 0.47% voice disorder. The prevalence of speech disorders was higher than in males (16.7%) as compared to females (12.7%). Pattern of prevalence of the three speech disorders was significantly different according to gender, parental education and by number of family member. There was no significant difference across speech disorders and birth order, religion and paternal consanguinity. These prevalence figures are higher than more studies that using parent or teacher reports.

The confidence of speech-language pathology students regarding communicating with people with aphasia

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Aphasia is an acquired language disorder that can present a significant barrier to patient involvement in healthcare decisions. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are viewed as experts in the field of communication. However, many SLP students do not receive practical training in techniques to communicate with people with aphasia (PWA) until they encounter PWA during clinical education placements. Methods This study investigated the confidence and knowledge of SLP students in communicating with PWA prior to clinical placements using a customised questionnaire. Confidence in communicating with people with aphasia was assessed using a 100-point visual analogue scale. Linear, and logistic, regressions were used to examine the association between confidence and age, as well as confidence and course type (graduate-entry masters or undergraduate), respectively. Knowledge of strategies to assist communication with PWA was examined by asking respondents to list specific strategies that could assist communication with PWA. Results SLP students were not confident with the prospect of communicating with PWA; reporting a median 29-points (inter-quartile range 17–47) on the visual analogue confidence scale. Only, four (8.2%) of respondents rated their confidence greater than 55 (out of 100). Regression analyses indicated no relationship existed between confidence and students‘ age (p = 0.31, r-squared = 0.02), or confidence and course type (p = 0.22, pseudo r-squared = 0.03). Students displayed limited knowledge about communication strategies. Thematic analysis of strategies revealed four overarching themes; Physical, Verbal Communication, Visual Information and Environmental Changes. While most students identified potential use of resources (such as images and written information), fewer students identified strategies to alter their verbal communication (such as reduced speech rate). Conclusions SLP students who had received aphasia related theoretical coursework, but not commenced clinical placements with PWA, were not confident in their ability to communicate with PWA. Students may benefit from an educational intervention or curriculum modification to incorporate practical training in effective strategies to communicate with PWA, before they encounter PWA in clinical settings. Ensuring students have confidence and knowledge of potential communication strategies to assist communication with PWA may allow them to focus their learning experiences in more specific clinical domains, such as clinical reasoning, rather than building foundation interpersonal communication skills. PMID:23806028

The confidence of speech-language pathology students regarding communicating with people with aphasia.

PubMed

Finch, Emma; Fleming, Jennifer; Brown, Kyla; Lethlean, Jennifer; Cameron, Ashley; McPhail, Steven M

2013-06-27

Aphasia is an acquired language disorder that can present a significant barrier to patient involvement in healthcare decisions. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are viewed as experts in the field of communication. However, many SLP students do not receive practical training in techniques to communicate with people with aphasia (PWA) until they encounter PWA during clinical education placements. This study investigated the confidence and knowledge of SLP students in communicating with PWA prior to clinical placements using a customised questionnaire. Confidence in communicating with people with aphasia was assessed using a 100-point visual analogue scale. Linear, and logistic, regressions were used to examine the association between confidence and age, as well as confidence and course type (graduate-entry masters or undergraduate), respectively. Knowledge of strategies to assist communication with PWA was examined by asking respondents to list specific strategies that could assist communication with PWA. SLP students were not confident with the prospect of communicating with PWA; reporting a median 29-points (inter-quartile range 17-47) on the visual analogue confidence scale. Only, four (8.2%) of respondents rated their confidence greater than 55 (out of 100). Regression analyses indicated no relationship existed between confidence and students' age (p = 0.31, r-squared = 0.02), or confidence and course type (p = 0.22, pseudo r-squared = 0.03). Students displayed limited knowledge about communication strategies. Thematic analysis of strategies revealed four overarching themes; Physical, Verbal Communication, Visual Information and Environmental Changes. While most students identified potential use of resources (such as images and written information), fewer students identified strategies to alter their verbal communication (such as reduced speech rate). SLP students who had received aphasia related theoretical coursework, but not commenced clinical placements with PWA, were not confident in their ability to communicate with PWA. Students may benefit from an educational intervention or curriculum modification to incorporate practical training in effective strategies to communicate with PWA, before they encounter PWA in clinical settings. Ensuring students have confidence and knowledge of potential communication strategies to assist communication with PWA may allow them to focus their learning experiences in more specific clinical domains, such as clinical reasoning, rather than building foundation interpersonal communication skills.

Comparative efficacy of the picture exchange communication system (PECS) versus a speech-generating device: effects on social-communicative skills and speech development.

PubMed

Boesch, Miriam C; Wendt, Oliver; Subramanian, Anu; Hsu, Ning

2013-09-01

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and a speech-generating device (SGD) were compared in a study with a multiple baseline, alternating treatment design. The effectiveness of these methods in increasing social-communicative behavior and natural speech production were assessed with three elementary school-aged children with severe autism who demonstrated extremely limited functional communication skills. Results for social-communicative behavior were mixed for all participants in both treatment conditions. Relatively little difference was observed between PECS and SGD conditions. Although findings were inconclusive, data patterns suggest that Phase II of the PECS training protocol is conducive to encouraging social-communicative behavior. Data for speech outcomes did not reveal any increases across participants, and no differences between treatment conditions were observed.

Developmental profile of speech-language and communicative functions in an individual with the Preserved Speech Variant of Rett syndrome

PubMed Central

Marschik, Peter B.; Vollmann, Ralf; Bartl-Pokorny, Katrin D.; Green, Vanessa A.; van der Meer, Larah; Wolin, Thomas; Einspieler, Christa

2018-01-01

Objective We assessed various aspects of speech-language and communicative functions of an individual with the preserved speech variant (PSV) of Rett syndrome (RTT) to describe her developmental profile over a period of 11 years. Methods For this study we incorporated the following data resources and methods to assess speech-language and communicative functions during pre-, peri- and post-regressional development: retrospective video analyses, medical history data, parental checklists and diaries, standardized tests on vocabulary and grammar, spontaneous speech samples, and picture stories to elicit narrative competences. Results Despite achieving speech-language milestones, atypical behaviours were present at all times. We observed a unique developmental speech-language trajectory (including the RTT typical regression) affecting all linguistic and socio-communicative sub-domains in the receptive as well as the expressive modality. Conclusion Future research should take into consideration a potentially considerable discordance between formal and functional language use by interpreting communicative acts on a more cautionary note. PMID:23870013

Developmental profile of speech-language and communicative functions in an individual with the preserved speech variant of Rett syndrome.

PubMed

Marschik, Peter B; Vollmann, Ralf; Bartl-Pokorny, Katrin D; Green, Vanessa A; van der Meer, Larah; Wolin, Thomas; Einspieler, Christa

2014-08-01

We assessed various aspects of speech-language and communicative functions of an individual with the preserved speech variant of Rett syndrome (RTT) to describe her developmental profile over a period of 11 years. For this study, we incorporated the following data resources and methods to assess speech-language and communicative functions during pre-, peri- and post-regressional development: retrospective video analyses, medical history data, parental checklists and diaries, standardized tests on vocabulary and grammar, spontaneous speech samples and picture stories to elicit narrative competences. Despite achieving speech-language milestones, atypical behaviours were present at all times. We observed a unique developmental speech-language trajectory (including the RTT typical regression) affecting all linguistic and socio-communicative sub-domains in the receptive as well as the expressive modality. Future research should take into consideration a potentially considerable discordance between formal and functional language use by interpreting communicative acts on a more cautionary note.

Sperry Univac speech communications technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Medress, Mark F.

1977-01-01

Technology and systems for effective verbal communication with computers were developed. A continuous speech recognition system for verbal input, a word spotting system to locate key words in conversational speech, prosodic tools to aid speech analysis, and a prerecorded voice response system for speech output are described.

A Survey of Practices and Strategies for Marketing Communication Majors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Philip A.; Wilson, Gerald L.

Fifty college speech departments responded to a survey intended to discover some of the common practices and strategies for marketing undergraduate speech communication majors. The results indicated that the most frequent name for the departments responding was "Communication" rather than "Speech Communication," completely the opposite of what was…

Understanding the Abstract Role of Speech in Communication at 12 Months

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Alia; Onishi, Kristine H.; Vouloumanos, Athena

2012-01-01

Adult humans recognize that even unfamiliar speech can communicate information between third parties, demonstrating an ability to separate communicative function from linguistic content. We examined whether 12-month-old infants understand that speech can communicate before they understand the meanings of specific words. Specifically, we test the…

Collaboration between Teachers and Speech and Language Therapists: Services for Primary School Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glover, Anna; McCormack, Jane; Smith-Tamaray, Michelle

2015-01-01

Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are prevalent among primary school-aged children. Collaboration between speech and language therapists (SLTs) and teachers is beneficial for supporting children's communication skills. The aim of this study was to investigate the needs of both professional groups and their preferences for service…

Examination of Sign Language Education According to the Opinions of Members from a Basic Sign Language Certification Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akmese, Pelin Pistav

2016-01-01

Being hearing impaired limits one's ability to communicate in that it affects all areas of development, particularly speech. One of the methods the hearing impaired use to communicate is sign language. This study, a descriptive study, intends to examine the opinions of individuals who had enrolled in a sign language certification program by using…

Expert Perspectives on Using Mainstream Mobile Technology for School-Age Children Who Require Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC): A Policy Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Vinh-An

2017-01-01

Despite legislation in the U.S.A requiring the use of assistive technology in special education, there remains an underutilization of technology-based speech intervention for young students who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The purpose of this Policy Delphi study was to address three guiding research questions that…

Speech Communication Education and Classroom Instruction: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," July through December 1982 (Vol. 43 Nos. 1 through 6).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The eight titles deal with the following topics: (1) the effects of self-instructional and discrimination communication training on the development of confrontation skills in prepracticum counseling trainees, (2) cross-cultural…

Increased pain intensity is associated with greater verbal communication difficulty and increased production of speech and co-speech gestures.

PubMed

Rowbotham, Samantha; Wardy, April J; Lloyd, Donna M; Wearden, Alison; Holler, Judith

2014-01-01

Effective pain communication is essential if adequate treatment and support are to be provided. Pain communication is often multimodal, with sufferers utilising speech, nonverbal behaviours (such as facial expressions), and co-speech gestures (bodily movements, primarily of the hands and arms that accompany speech and can convey semantic information) to communicate their experience. Research suggests that the production of nonverbal pain behaviours is positively associated with pain intensity, but it is not known whether this is also the case for speech and co-speech gestures. The present study explored whether increased pain intensity is associated with greater speech and gesture production during face-to-face communication about acute, experimental pain. Participants (N = 26) were exposed to experimentally elicited pressure pain to the fingernail bed at high and low intensities and took part in video-recorded semi-structured interviews. Despite rating more intense pain as more difficult to communicate (t(25)  = 2.21, p =  .037), participants produced significantly longer verbal pain descriptions and more co-speech gestures in the high intensity pain condition (Words: t(25)  = 3.57, p  = .001; Gestures: t(25)  = 3.66, p =  .001). This suggests that spoken and gestural communication about pain is enhanced when pain is more intense. Thus, in addition to conveying detailed semantic information about pain, speech and co-speech gestures may provide a cue to pain intensity, with implications for the treatment and support received by pain sufferers. Future work should consider whether these findings are applicable within the context of clinical interactions about pain.

Freedom of Speech Newsletter, September, 1975.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Winfred G., Jr., Ed.

The Freedom of Speech Newsletter is the communication medium for the Freedom of Speech Interest Group of the Western Speech Communication Association. The newsletter contains such features as a statement of concern by the National Ad Hoc Committee Against Censorship; Reticence and Free Speech, an article by James F. Vickrey discussing the subtle…

Speech Acts across Cultures: Challenges to Communication in a Second Language. Studies on Language Acquisition, 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gass, Susan M., Ed.; Neu, Joyce, Ed.

Articles on speech acts and intercultural communication include: "Investigating the Production of Speech Act Sets" (Andrew Cohen); "Non-Native Refusals: A Methodological Perspective" (Noel Houck, Susan M. Gass); "Natural Speech Act Data versus Written Questionnaire Data: How Data Collection Method Affects Speech Act…

The "Checkers" Speech and Televised Political Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flaningam, Carl

Richard Nixon's 1952 "Checkers" speech was an innovative use of television for political communication. Like television news itself, the campaign fund crisis behind the speech can be thought of in the same terms as other television melodrama, with the speech serving as its climactic episode. The speech adapted well to television because…

The Contributions of Speech Communication Scholarship to the Study of Terrorism: Review and Preview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowling, Ralph E.

Based on the premise that existing research into terrorism shows great promise, this paper notes that, despite widespread recognition of terrorism's communicative dimensions, few studies have been done from within the discipline of speech communication. The paper defines the discipline of speech communication and rhetorical studies, reviews the…

General Systems Theory: Application To The Design Of Speech Communication Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Raymond K.

1971-01-01

General systems theory can be applied to problems in the teaching of speech communication courses. The author describes general systems theory as it is applied to the designing, conducting and evaluation of speech communication courses. (Author/MS)

Auditory development in early amplified children: factors influencing auditory-based communication outcomes in children with hearing loss.

PubMed

Sininger, Yvonne S; Grimes, Alison; Christensen, Elizabeth

2010-04-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of selected predictive factors, primarily age at fitting of amplification and degree of hearing loss, on auditory-based outcomes in young children with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Forty-four infants and toddlers, first identified with mild to profound bilateral hearing loss, who were being fitted with amplification were enrolled in the study and followed longitudinally. Subjects were otherwise typically developing with no evidence of cognitive, motor, or visual impairment. A variety of subject factors were measured or documented and used as predictor variables, including age at fitting of amplification, degree of hearing loss in the better hearing ear, cochlear implant status, intensity of oral education, parent-child interaction, and the number of languages spoken in the home. These factors were used in a linear multiple regression analysis to assess their contribution to auditory-based communication outcomes. Five outcome measures, evaluated at regular intervals in children starting at age 3, included measures of speech perception (Pediatric Speech Intelligibility and Online Imitative Test of Speech Pattern Contrast Perception), speech production (Arizona-3), and spoken language (Reynell Expressive and Receptive Language). The age at fitting of amplification ranged from 1 to 72 mo, and the degree of hearing loss ranged from mild to profound. Age at fitting of amplification showed the largest influence and was a significant factor in all outcome models. The degree of hearing loss was an important factor in the modeling of speech production and spoken language outcomes. Cochlear implant use was the other factor that contributed significantly to speech perception, speech production, and language outcomes. Other factors contributed sparsely to the models. Prospective longitudinal studies of children are important to establish relationships between subject factors and outcomes. This study clearly demonstrated the importance of early amplification on communication outcomes. This demonstration required a participant pool that included children who have been fit at very early ages and who represent all degrees of hearing loss. Limitations of longitudinal studies include selection biases. Families who enroll tend to have high levels of education and rate highly on cooperation and compliance measures. Although valuable information can be extracted from prospective studies, not all factors can be evaluated because of enrollment constraints.

Utah State University: Cross-Discipline Training through the Graduate Studies Program in Auditory Learning & Spoken Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houston, K. Todd

2010-01-01

Since 1946, Utah State University (USU) has offered specialized coursework in audiology and speech-language pathology, awarding the first graduate degrees in 1948. In 1965, the teacher training program in deaf education was launched. Over the years, the Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education (COMD-DE) has developed a rich history…

Native Hawaiian Hearing and Speech Project. Counteracting the Negative Educational Effects of Otitis Media in Native Hawaiian Preschoolers. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamehameha Schools/Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, Honolulu, HI.

This study aimed to produce a significant improvement in the educational achievement of Hawaiian preschool children in 2 years, through implementation of a communication program in five preschool classes serving approximately 100 children. The six components of the program were: (1) an enhanced hearing loss and middle-ear disorder and speech…

International students in speech-language pathology clinical education placements: Perceptions of experience and competency development.

PubMed

Attrill, Stacie; Lincoln, Michelle; McAllister, Sue

2015-06-01

This study aimed to describe perceptions of clinical placement experiences and competency development for international speech-language pathology students and to determine if these perceptions were different for domestic students. Domestic and international students at two Australian universities participated in nine focus group interviews. Thematic analysis led to the identification of two themes shared by international and domestic students and several separate themes. Shared themes identified the important influence of students' relationships with clinical educators, unique opportunities and learning that occurs on placement. International student themes included concerns about their communication skills and the impact of these skills on client progress. They also explored their adjustment to unfamiliar placement settings and relationships, preferring structured placements to assist this adjustment. Domestic student themes explored the critical nature of competency attainment and assessment on placement, valuing placements that enabled them to achieve their goals. The findings of this study suggest that international students experience additional communication, cultural and contextual demands on clinical placement, which may increase their learning requirements. Clinical education practices must be responsive to the learning needs of diverse student populations. Strategies are suggested to assist all students to adjust to the professional and learning expectations of clinical education placements.

The feasibility of miniaturizing the versatile portable speech prosthesis: A market survey of commercial products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walklet, T.

1981-01-01

The feasibility of a miniature versatile portable speech prosthesis (VPSP) was analyzed and information on its potential users and on other similar devices was collected. The VPSP is a device that incorporates speech synthesis technology. The objective is to provide sufficient information to decide whether there is valuable technology to contribute to the miniaturization of the VPSP. The needs of potential users are identified, the development status of technologies similar or related to those used in the VPSP are evaluated. The VPSP, a computer based speech synthesis system fits on a wheelchair. The purpose was to produce a device that provides communication assistance in educational, vocational, and social situations to speech impaired individuals. It is expected that the VPSP can be a valuable aid for persons who are also motor impaired, which explains the placement of the system on a wheelchair.

A review of standardized patients in clinical education: Implications for speech-language pathology programs.

PubMed

Hill, Anne E; Davidson, Bronwyn J; Theodoros, Deborah G

2010-06-01

The use of standardized patients has been reported as a viable addition to traditional models of professional practice education in medicine, nursing and allied health programs. Educational programs rely on the inclusion of work-integrated learning components in order to graduate competent practitioners. Allied health programs world-wide have reported increasing difficulty in attaining sufficient traditional placements for students within the workplace. In response to this, allied health professionals are challenged to be innovative and problem-solving in the development and maintenance of clinical education placements and to consider potential alternative learning opportunities for students. Whilst there is a bank of literature describing the use of standardized patients in medicine and nursing, reports of its use in speech-language pathology clinical education are limited. Therefore, this paper aims to (1) provide a review of literature reporting on the use of standardized patients within medical and allied health professions with particular reference to use in speech-language pathology, (2) discuss methodological and practical issues involved in establishing and maintaining a standardized patient program and (3) identify future directions for research and clinical programs using standardized patients to build foundation clinical skills such as communication, interpersonal interaction and interviewing.

Proceedings of the Speech Communication Association Summer Conference: Mini Courses in Speech Communication (7th, Chicago, July 8-10, 1971).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffrey, Robert C., Ed.

The Speech Communication Association's 1971 summer conference provided instruction in the application of basic research and innovative practices in communication. It was designed to assist elementary, secondary, and college teachers in the enrichment of content and procedures. The proceedings include syllabi, course units, and bibliographic…

Speech Communication Education and Classroom Interaction: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," January through June 1983 (Vol. 43 Nos. 7 through 12).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 10 titles deal with the following topics: (1) the development of an instrument to assess the communication needs of the community college; (2) the development of a kindergarten through twelfth grade interdisciplinary approach to…

Current Policies and New Directions for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants.

PubMed

Paul-Brown, Diane; Goldberg, Lynette R

2001-01-01

This article provides an overview of current American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) policies for the appropriate use and supervision of speech-language pathology assistants with an emphasis on the need to preserve the role of fully qualified speech-language pathologists in the service delivery system. Seven challenging issues surrounding the appropriate use of speech-language pathology assistants are considered. These include registering assistants and approving training programs; membership in ASHA; discrepancies between state requirements and ASHA policies; preparation for serving diverse multicultural, bilingual, and international populations; supervision considerations; funding and reimbursement for assistants; and perspectives on career-ladder/bachelor-level personnel. The formation of a National Leadership Council is proposed to develop a coordinated strategic plan for addressing these controversial and potentially divisive issues related to speech-language pathology assistants. This council would implement strategies for future development in the areas of professional education pertaining to assistant-level supervision, instruction of assistants, communication networks, policy development, research, and the dissemination/promotion of information regarding assistants.

Building an Interdepartmental Major in Speech Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litterst, Judith K.

This paper describes a popular and innovative major program of study in speech communication at St. Cloud University in Minnesota: the Speech Communication Interdepartmental Major. The paper provides background on the program, discusses overall program requirements, presents sample student options, identifies ingredients for program success,…

Who gets help for pre-school communication problems? Data from a prospective community study.

PubMed

Skeat, J; Wake, M; Ukoumunne, O C; Eadie, P; Bretherton, L; Reilly, S

2014-03-01

Pre-school communication problems are common, with implications for school readiness and educational achievement. Help is available from a variety of community healthcare providers. This study examined the extent to which help is received, and the predictors of service receipt. Prospective community study, in Melbourne, Victoria. At age 4 years, we assessed the speech, receptive and expressive language and fluency of 1607 children and gave feedback to their parents. At age 5 years, 983 families provided data on service use for communication problems between and 4 and 5 years. We compared service use between participants with and without impairment, and used logistic regression to estimate the strength of association between potential predictors (gender, socio-economic status, maternal education, English-speaking background status, family history of speech and language problems and parent concern) and service use (binary outcome). Data were available for both communication status and service use for 753 children. Only 44.9% of the 196 children with communication impairment received help from a professional. Furthermore, 7% of the 557 that did not meet criteria for communication impairment nevertheless received help from a professional. Parent concern was the strongest predictor of service use (adjusted odds ratio = 9.0; 95% CI: 5.6-14.8). Both over- and under-servicing for communication problems were evident. This study shows that accessing help for communication problems requires more than simply informing parents about the problem and having services available; there is a need for systematic support to get the right children to services. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Advancing the human rights of children with communication needs in school.

PubMed

Gallagher, Aoife L; Tancredi, Haley; Graham, Linda J

2018-02-01

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. However, due to difficulties in communicating, children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are at particular risk of not being heard. Although it is recommended that children with SLCN can and should be actively involved as equal partners in decision-making about their communication needs, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can lose sight of the importance of supporting communication as a tool for the child to shape and influence choices available to them in their lives. Building these skills is particularly important for SLPs working in mainstream educational contexts. In this commentary, the authors argue the need for a shift in emphasis in current practice to a rights-based approach and for SLPs to take more of an active role in supporting children with SLCN to develop agency and be heard. We also present some concepts and frameworks that might guide SLPs to work in a right-based way in schools with this population.

Deaf students and their classroom communication: an evaluation of higher order categorical interactions among school and background characteristics.

PubMed

Allen, Thomas E; Anderson, Melissa L

2010-01-01

This article investigated to what extent age, use of a cochlear implant, parental hearing status, and use of sign in the home determine language of instruction for profoundly deaf children. Categorical data from 8,325 profoundly deaf students from the 2008 Annual Survey of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children and Youth were analyzed using chi-square automated interaction detector, a stepwise analytic procedure that allows the assessment of higher order interactions among categorical variables. Results indicated that all characteristics were significantly related to classroom communication modality. Although younger and older students demonstrated a different distribution of communication modality, for both younger and older students, cochlear implantation had the greatest effect on differentiating students into communication modalities, yielding greater gains in the speech-only category for implanted students. For all subgroups defined by age and implantation status, the use of sign at home further segregated the sample into communication modality subgroups, reducing the likelihood of speech only and increasing the placement of students into signing classroom settings. Implications for future research in the field of deaf education are discussed.

Guiding principles and clinical applications for speech-language pathology practice in early intervention.

PubMed

Paul, Diane; Roth, Froma P

2011-07-01

This article describes guiding principles in early intervention (EI) and demonstrates how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can apply these principles to best serve infants and toddlers with communication and related problems and their families. Four principles guide the implementation of speech-language pathology services. EI services are services that are (a) family centered and culturally and linguistically responsive; (b) developmentally supportive, promoting children's participation in their natural environments; (c) comprehensive, coordinated, and team based; and (d) based on the highest quality evidence available. Actual clinical scenarios are presented to illustrate each principle. The four principles provide a framework for the wide range of roles and responsibilities assumed by SLPs in EI: (a) screening/evaluation/assessment, (b) goal setting and intervention, (c) consultation with and education for team members, (d) service coordination, (e) transition planning, and (f) advocacy. It is critical that families of infants and toddlers who are at risk for, or who have been diagnosed with, communication disorders receive all necessary services and supports. EI services should be tailored to the individual and the changing needs, preferences, and priorities of each family. The earlier services are provided, the more likely is the child's chance to develop effective communication.

Communicating by Language: The Speech Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

House, Arthur S., Ed.

This document reports on a conference focused on speech problems. The main objective of these discussions was to facilitate a deeper understanding of human communication through interaction of conference participants with colleagues in other disciplines. Topics discussed included speech production, feedback, speech perception, and development of…

The Effect of Noise on Relationships Between Speech Intelligibility and Self-Reported Communication Measures in Tracheoesophageal Speakers.

PubMed

Eadie, Tanya L; Otero, Devon Sawin; Bolt, Susan; Kapsner-Smith, Mara; Sullivan, Jessica R

2016-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how sentence intelligibility relates to self-reported communication in tracheoesophageal speakers when speech intelligibility is measured in quiet and noise. Twenty-four tracheoesophageal speakers who were at least 1 year postlaryngectomy provided audio recordings of 5 sentences from the Sentence Intelligibility Test. Speakers also completed self-reported measures of communication-the Voice Handicap Index-10 and the Communicative Participation Item Bank short form. Speech recordings were presented to 2 groups of inexperienced listeners who heard sentences in quiet or noise. Listeners transcribed the sentences to yield speech intelligibility scores. Very weak relationships were found between intelligibility in quiet and measures of voice handicap and communicative participation. Slightly stronger, but still weak and nonsignificant, relationships were observed between measures of intelligibility in noise and both self-reported measures. However, 12 speakers who were more than 65% intelligible in noise showed strong and statistically significant relationships with both self-reported measures (R2 = .76-.79). Speech intelligibility in quiet is a weak predictor of self-reported communication measures in tracheoesophageal speakers. Speech intelligibility in noise may be a better metric of self-reported communicative function for speakers who demonstrate higher speech intelligibility in noise.

Research and Information on Employment and Training: Local, State and Federal Communications, Results and Utilization. Proceedings of a symposium (Hershey, Pennsylvania, June 9-10, 1975).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franchak, Stephen J., Ed.

The document contains the proceedings of a conference on manpower research at the Federal, State, and local levels. Two papers from the opening general session focus on the interrelationship of economic, demographic, and educational changes based on its effects on occupational education. J. C. Pettinger's keynote speech presented issues regarding…

Washington University School of Medicine: A Distinctive Program in Deaf Education Studies at the Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences (PACS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Heather

2010-01-01

Developments in universal newborn hearing screening programs and assistive hearing technology have had considerable effects on the speech, language, and educational success of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Several recent research studies of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and who use spoken language as their primary method of…

Underwater speech communications with a modulated laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, B.; Sari, H.

2008-04-01

A novel speech communications system using a modulated laser beam has been developed for short-range applications in which high directionality is an exploitable feature. Although it was designed for certain underwater applications, such as speech communications between divers or between a diver and the surface, it may equally be used for air applications. With some modification it could be used for secure diver-to-diver communications in the situation where untethered divers are swimming close together and do not want their conversations monitored by intruders. Unlike underwater acoustic communications, where the transmitted speech may be received at ranges of hundreds of metres omnidirectionally, a laser communication link is very difficult to intercept and also obviates the need for cables that become snagged or broken. Further applications include the transmission of speech and data, including the short message service (SMS), from a fixed installation such as a sea-bed habitat; and data transmission to and from an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), particularly during docking manoeuvres. The performance of the system has been assessed subjectively by listening tests, which revealed that the speech was intelligible, although of poor quality due to the speech algorithm used.

Effectiveness of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on communication and speech for children with autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Flippin, Michelle; Reszka, Stephanie; Watson, Linda R

2010-05-01

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a popular communication-training program for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This meta-analysis reviews the current empirical evidence for PECS in affecting communication and speech outcomes for children with ASD. A systematic review of the literature on PECS written between 1994 and June 2009 was conducted. Quality of scientific rigor was assessed and used as an inclusion criterion in computation of effect sizes. Effect sizes were aggregated separately for single-subject and group studies for communication and speech outcomes. Eight single-subject experiments (18 participants) and 3 group studies (95 PECS participants, 65 in other intervention/control) were included. Results indicated that PECS is a promising but not yet established evidence-based intervention for facilitating communication in children with ASD ages 1-11 years. Small to moderate gains in communication were demonstrated following training. Gains in speech were small to negative. This meta-analysis synthesizes gains in communication and relative lack of gains made in speech across the PECS literature for children with ASD. Concerns about maintenance and generalization are identified. Emerging evidence of potential preintervention child characteristics is discussed. Phase IV was identified as a possibly influential program characteristic for speech outcomes.

Applications of Microcomputers in the Education of the Physically Disabled Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foulds, Richard A.

1982-01-01

Microcomputers can serve as expressive communication tools for severely physically disabled persons. Features such as single input devices, direct selection aids, and speech synthesis capabilities can be extremely useful. The trend toward portable battery-operated computers will make the technology even more accessible. (CL)

Hello World, It's Me: Bringing the Basic Speech Communication Course into the Digital Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkwood, Jessica; Gutgold, Nichola D.; Manley, Destiny

2011-01-01

During the past decade, instructors of speech communication have been adapting the introductory speech course to keep up with the television age. Learning units in speech textbooks now teach how to speak well on television, as well as how to interpret speeches in the media. This article argues that the computer age invites adaptation of the…

Oral motor functions, speech and communication before a definitive diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PubMed

Makkonen, Tanja; Korpijaakko-Huuhka, Anna-Maija; Ruottinen, Hanna; Puhto, Riitta; Hollo, Kirsi; Ylinen, Aarne; Palmio, Johanna

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the cranial nerve symptoms, speech disorders and communicative effectiveness of Finnish patients with diagnosed or possible amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at their first assessment by a speech-language pathologist. The group studied consisted of 30 participants who had clinical signs of bulbar deterioration at the beginning of the study. They underwent a thorough clinical speech and communication examination. The cranial nerve symptoms and ability to communicate were compared in 14 participants with probable or definitive ALS and in 16 participants with suspected or possible ALS. The initial type of ALS was also assessed. More deterioration in soft palate function was found in participants with possible ALS than with diagnosed ALS. Likewise, a slower speech rate combined with more severe dysarthria was observed in possible ALS. In both groups, there was some deterioration in communicative effectiveness. In the possible ALS group the diagnostic delay was longer and speech therapy intervention actualized later. The participants with ALS showed multidimensional decline in communication at their first visit to the speech-language pathologist, but impairments and activity limitations were more severe in suspected or possible ALS. The majority of persons with bulbar-onset ALS in this study were in the latter diagnostic group. This suggests that they are more susceptible to delayed diagnosis and delayed speech therapy assessment. It is important to start speech therapy intervention during the diagnostic processes particularly if the person already shows bulbar symptoms. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Career Development for Speech Communication Majors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Arlee W.

A change in the focus of the speech communication program at Oklahoma State University (OSU) resulted from recognition during the late 1960s that the only growth potential for the speech communication field was in preparing students for work in nonacademic settings. This paper presents the current status of the program at OSU and discusses the…

Gaze Aversion to Stuttered Speech: A Pilot Study Investigating Differential Visual Attention to Stuttered and Fluent Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Andrew L.; Crawcour, Stephen C.; Saltuklaroglu, Tim; Kalinowski, Joseph

2010-01-01

Background: People who stutter are often acutely aware that their speech disruptions, halted communication, and aberrant struggle behaviours evoke reactions in communication partners. Considering that eye gaze behaviours have emotional, cognitive, and pragmatic overtones for communicative interactions and that previous studies have indicated…

Political Science and Speech Communication--A Team Approach to Teaching Political Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blatt, Stephen J.; Fogel, Norman

This paper proposes making speech communication more interdisciplinary and, in particular, combining political science and speech in a team-taught course in election campaigning. The goals, materials, activities, and plan of such a course are discussed. The goals include: (1) gaining new insights into the process of contemporary campaigns and…

L'indirection: Procede d'expression et de persuasion en communication publique (Indirection: Process of Expression and Persuasion in Public Communication).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gauthier, Gilles

2001-01-01

Focuses on the indirection process presented in Searle's and Vanderveken's theory of speech acts: the performance of a primary speech act by means of the accomplishment of a secondary speech act. Discusses indirection mechanisms used in advertising and in political communication. (Author/VWL)

Re-Evaluation and the Core Curriculum: How Will Speech Communication Fare?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madson, Lynda P.; Myers, Russel M.

This paper discusses the effects of reestablished or redefined core curriculum requirements on college speech communication programs, based on the survey responses of speech communication faculty members at 104 four-year schools. The following conclusions and recommendations are presented as a result of the survey: Although many employers consider…

AAC and RTI: building classroom-based strategies for every child in the classroom.

PubMed

Grether, Sandra M; Sickman, Linda Sue

2008-05-01

Educators were previously encouraged to use IQ-achievement discrepancy to identify children with learning disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act promotes an alternative method, response to intervention, or RTI, not only to identify these children but also to provide early intervention to all children at risk for school failure. Children with complex communication needs who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are at risk for failure in the classroom and can benefit from the educational supports provided through RTI. This article discusses the levels of support provided by RTI, the speech-language pathologist's role in RTI, and strategies and supports for achieving academic success for children who use AAC.

Children's views of communication and speech-language pathology.

PubMed

Merrick, Rosalind; Roulstone, Sue

2011-08-01

Children have the right to express their views and influence decisions in matters that affect them. Yet decisions regarding speech-language pathology are often made on their behalf, and research into the perspectives of children who receive speech-language pathology intervention is currently limited. This paper reports a qualitative study which explored experiences of communication and of speech-language pathology from the perspectives of children with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN). The aim was to explore their perspectives of communication, communication impairment, and assistance. Eleven school-children participated in the study, aged between 7-10 years. They were recruited through a speech-language pathology service in south west England, to include a range of ages and severity of difficulties. The study used open-ended interviews within which non-verbal activities such as drawing, taking photographs, and compiling a scrapbook were used to create a context for supported conversations. Findings were analysed according to the principles of grounded theory. Three ways of talking about communication emerged. These were in terms of impairment, learning, and behaviour. Findings offer insight into dialogue between children with SLCN and adults; the way communication is talked about has implications for children's view of themselves, their skills, and their participation.

Use of social media in dental schools: pluses, perils, and pitfalls from a legal perspective.

PubMed

Parkinson, Joseph W; Turner, Sharon P

2014-11-01

One of the ways dental education is changing the way it is preparing the next generation of learners is through efficient utilization of interactive social media. Social media, which facilitates interaction and sharing of new ideas, is being utilized to educate students, residents, and faculty. Unfortunately, as with most improvements in technology, there are growing pains. Faculty, student, and patient interaction on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, can lead to inappropriate or embarrassing situations. Striking the appropriate balance between free speech rights of students and faculty and the need for colleges and universities to have efficient operations is often left to the judicial system. The concepts of free speech and contract law and how each is applied in educational settings should be understood by students, faculty, and administrators. This article provides a review of legal cases that led to current social media policies, as well as present-day cases that exemplify the application of these principles, to help dental educators gain a greater understanding of the boundaries of protected speech. It also provides a set of sample guidelines for communicating through these media.

Speech, communication and use of augmentative communication in young people with cerebral palsy: the SH&PE population study.

PubMed

Cockerill, H; Elbourne, D; Allen, E; Scrutton, D; Will, E; McNee, A; Fairhurst, C; Baird, G

2014-03-01

Communication is frequently impaired in young people (YP) with bilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Important factors include motoric speech problems (dysarthria) and intellectual disability. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) techniques are often employed. The aim was to describe the speech problems in bilateral CP, factors associated with speech problems, current AAC provision and use, and to explore the views of both the parent/carer and young person about communication. A total population of children with bilateral CP (n = 346) from four consecutive years of births (1989-1992 inclusive) with onset of CP before 15 months were reassessed at age 16-18 years. Motor skills and speech were directly assessed and both parent/carer and the young person asked about communication and satisfaction with it. Sixty had died, eight had other conditions, 243 consented and speech was assessed in 224 of whom 141 (63%) had impaired speech. Fifty-two (23% of total YP) were mainly intelligible to unfamiliar people, 22 (10%) were mostly unintelligible to unfamiliar people, 67 (30%) were mostly or wholly unintelligible even to familiar adults. However, 89% of parent/carers said that they could communicate 1:1 with their young person. Of the 128 YP who could independently complete the questions, 107 (83.6%) were happy with their communication, nine (7%) neither happy nor unhappy and 12 (9.4%) unhappy. A total of 72 of 224 (32%) were provided with one or more types of AAC but in a significant number (75% of 52 recorded) AAC was not used at home, only in school. Factors associated with speech impairment were severity of physical impairment, as measured by Gross Motor Function Scale level and manipulation in the best hand, intellectual disability and current epilepsy. In a population representative group of YP, aged 16-18 years, with bilateral CP, 63% had impaired speech of varying severity, most had been provided with AAC but few used it at home for communication. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Crosslinguistic application of English-centric rhythm descriptors in motor speech disorders.

PubMed

Liss, Julie M; Utianski, Rene; Lansford, Kaitlin

2013-01-01

Rhythmic disturbances are a hallmark of motor speech disorders, in which the motor control deficits interfere with the outward flow of speech and by extension speech understanding. As the functions of rhythm are language-specific, breakdowns in rhythm should have language-specific consequences for communication. The goals of this paper are to (i) provide a review of the cognitive-linguistic role of rhythm in speech perception in a general sense and crosslinguistically; (ii) present new results of lexical segmentation challenges posed by different types of dysarthria in American English, and (iii) offer a framework for crosslinguistic considerations for speech rhythm disturbances in the diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders associated with motor speech disorders. This review presents theoretical and empirical reasons for considering speech rhythm as a critical component of communication deficits in motor speech disorders, and addresses the need for crosslinguistic research to explore language-universal versus language-specific aspects of motor speech disorders. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Crosslinguistic Application of English-Centric Rhythm Descriptors in Motor Speech Disorders

PubMed Central

Liss, Julie M.; Utianski, Rene; Lansford, Kaitlin

2014-01-01

Background Rhythmic disturbances are a hallmark of motor speech disorders, in which the motor control deficits interfere with the outward flow of speech and by extension speech understanding. As the functions of rhythm are language-specific, breakdowns in rhythm should have language-specific consequences for communication. Objective The goals of this paper are to (i) provide a review of the cognitive- linguistic role of rhythm in speech perception in a general sense and crosslinguistically; (ii) present new results of lexical segmentation challenges posed by different types of dysarthria in American English, and (iii) offer a framework for crosslinguistic considerations for speech rhythm disturbances in the diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders associated with motor speech disorders. Summary This review presents theoretical and empirical reasons for considering speech rhythm as a critical component of communication deficits in motor speech disorders, and addresses the need for crosslinguistic research to explore language-universal versus language-specific aspects of motor speech disorders. PMID:24157596

Intercultural Dimensions of Teaching Speech Communication in Malaysia: Negotiating the Malays' Malaise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dick, Robert C.; Robinson, Brenda M.

A study examined a cooperative international education program established between Indiana University and the government of Malaysia entitled the Institut Teknologi MARA/Midwest University Consortium for International Activities (ITM/MUCIA). It further explored the issues to be addressed in turning over the program to Malaysian faculty and…

Academic Rigor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, James E.

2014-01-01

The field of K-12 deaf education today continues to be fractured by ideological camps. A newcomer to the field quickly learns that the controversies related to language, communication, and instructional approaches continue to rage after almost 200 years of contentious debate. Much attention is given to auditory and speech development as well as…

Impact of Managed Care in the Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Mary Ann; Huffman, Nancy P.

1998-01-01

Examines the integration of health care and education in the schools with the advent of managed care. Effects of these changes, such as schools billing health care third-party payors and the expansion of speech language services to areas such as dysphagia and alternative/augmentative communication, are discussed. (DB)

Clinical and Educational Perspectives on Language Intervention for Children with Autism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamhi, Alan G.; And Others

The paper examines aspects of effective language intervention with autistic children. An overview is presented about the nature of language, its perception and comprehension, and the production of speech-language. Assessment strategies are considered. The second part of the paper analyzes traditional and communications-based intervention programs.…

Speech Communication: 1986.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harwood, Kenneth

Professors of rhetoric are viewing with concern the prospect of 15 years of declining enrollment in higher education. It has been speculated that the decline in enrollment will be less severe in large, well-established, urban institutions with low tuition, a clear mission or well-defined public image, well-planned modest growth, established…

Prologue: Developing Evidence-based Practices and Research Collaborations in School Settings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apel, Kenn

2001-01-01

This introductory article discusses factors that have led to changes in speech-language pathology practices, including a better and broader understanding of the human communication process, revised federal guidelines and regulations for special education and related services, and a strong desire to encourage scientific pursuit through…

TongueToSpeech (TTS): Wearable wireless assistive device for augmented speech.

PubMed

Marjanovic, Nicholas; Piccinini, Giacomo; Kerr, Kevin; Esmailbeigi, Hananeh

2017-07-01

Speech is an important aspect of human communication; individuals with speech impairment are unable to communicate vocally in real time. Our team has developed the TongueToSpeech (TTS) device with the goal of augmenting speech communication for the vocally impaired. The proposed device is a wearable wireless assistive device that incorporates a capacitive touch keyboard interface embedded inside a discrete retainer. This device connects to a computer, tablet or a smartphone via Bluetooth connection. The developed TTS application converts text typed by the tongue into audible speech. Our studies have concluded that an 8-contact point configuration between the tongue and the TTS device would yield the best user precision and speed performance. On average using the TTS device inside the oral cavity takes 2.5 times longer than the pointer finger using a T9 (Text on 9 keys) keyboard configuration to type the same phrase. In conclusion, we have developed a discrete noninvasive wearable device that allows the vocally impaired individuals to communicate in real time.

New Orleans Revisited and Revised: Recommendations for the Field of Speech Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roever, James E.; And Others

This collection of four papers is the result of an action caucus held in association with the Speech Communication Association's 1972 convention, focusing on developments in the speech communication field since the 1968 USOE/SAA New Orleans conference (ED 028 164). In the first paper, "New Orleans Revisited but Briefly," James E. Roever summarizes…

Integrating Music Therapy Services and Speech-Language Therapy Services for Children with Severe Communication Impairments: A Co-Treatment Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geist, Kamile; McCarthy, John; Rodgers-Smith, Amy; Porter, Jessica

2008-01-01

Documenting how music therapy can be integrated with speech-language therapy services for children with communication delay is not evident in the literature. In this article, a collaborative model with procedures, experiences, and communication outcomes of integrating music therapy with the existing speech-language services is given. Using…

Speech Act Theory and Business Communication Conventions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewald, Helen Rothschild; Stine, Donna

1983-01-01

Applies speech act theory to business writing to determine why certain letters and memos succeed while others fail. Specifically, shows how speech act theorist H. P. Grice's rules or maxims illuminate the writing process in business communication. (PD)

Evidence-Based Occupational Hearing Screening I: Modeling the Effects of Real-World Noise Environments on the Likelihood of Effective Speech Communication.

PubMed

Soli, Sigfrid D; Giguère, Christian; Laroche, Chantal; Vaillancourt, Véronique; Dreschler, Wouter A; Rhebergen, Koenraad S; Harkins, Kevin; Ruckstuhl, Mark; Ramulu, Pradeep; Meyers, Lawrence S

The objectives of this study were to (1) identify essential hearing-critical job tasks for public safety and law enforcement personnel; (2) determine the locations and real-world noise environments where these tasks are performed; (3) characterize each noise environment in terms of its impact on the likelihood of effective speech communication, considering the effects of different levels of vocal effort, communication distances, and repetition; and (4) use this characterization to define an objective normative reference for evaluating the ability of individuals to perform essential hearing-critical job tasks in noisy real-world environments. Data from five occupational hearing studies performed over a 17-year period for various public safety agencies were analyzed. In each study, job task analyses by job content experts identified essential hearing-critical tasks and the real-world noise environments where these tasks are performed. These environments were visited, and calibrated recordings of each noise environment were made. The extended speech intelligibility index (ESII) was calculated for each 4-sec interval in each recording. These data, together with the estimated ESII value required for effective speech communication by individuals with normal hearing, allowed the likelihood of effective speech communication in each noise environment for different levels of vocal effort and communication distances to be determined. These likelihoods provide an objective norm-referenced and standardized means of characterizing the predicted impact of real-world noise on the ability to perform essential hearing-critical tasks. A total of 16 noise environments for law enforcement personnel and eight noise environments for corrections personnel were analyzed. Effective speech communication was essential to hearing-critical tasks performed in these environments. Average noise levels, ranged from approximately 70 to 87 dBA in law enforcement environments and 64 to 80 dBA in corrections environments. The likelihood of effective speech communication at communication distances of 0.5 and 1 m was often less than 0.50 for normal vocal effort. Likelihood values often increased to 0.80 or more when raised or loud vocal effort was used. Effective speech communication at and beyond 5 m was often unlikely, regardless of vocal effort. ESII modeling of nonstationary real-world noise environments may prove an objective means of characterizing their impact on the likelihood of effective speech communication. The normative reference provided by these measures predicts the extent to which hearing impairments that increase the ESII value required for effective speech communication also decrease the likelihood of effective speech communication. These predictions may provide an objective evidence-based link between the essential hearing-critical job task requirements of public safety and law enforcement personnel and ESII-based hearing assessment of individuals who seek to perform these jobs.

Our Communication Heritage: The Genetic Tie That Binds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborn, Michael

1979-01-01

Discusses the theme of the 1978 Southern Speech Communication Association Convention, "Many Interests, One Concern," in relation to the shared communication heritage of the divergent professional interests represented. The antiquity of human communication points up the importance of the concern with speech communication and suggests…

Describing Speech Usage in Daily Activities in Typical Adults.

PubMed

Anderson, Laine; Baylor, Carolyn R; Eadie, Tanya L; Yorkston, Kathryn M

2016-01-01

"Speech usage" refers to what people want or need to do with their speech to meet communication demands in life roles. The purpose of this study was to contribute to validation of the Levels of Speech Usage scale by providing descriptive data from a sample of adults without communication disorders, comparing this scale to a published Occupational Voice Demands scale and examining predictors of speech usage levels. This is a survey design. Adults aged ≥25 years without reported communication disorders were recruited nationally to complete an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Levels of Speech Usage scale, questions about relevant occupational and nonoccupational activities (eg, socializing, hobbies, childcare, and so forth), and demographic information. Participants were also categorized according to Koufman and Isaacson occupational voice demands scale. A total of 276 participants completed the questionnaires. People who worked for pay tended to report higher levels of speech usage than those who do not work for pay. Regression analyses showed employment to be the major contributor to speech usage; however, considerable variance left unaccounted for suggests that determinants of speech usage and the relationship between speech usage, employment, and other life activities are not yet fully defined. The Levels of Speech Usage may be a viable instrument to systematically rate speech usage because it captures both occupational and nonoccupational speech demands. These data from a sample of typical adults may provide a reference to help in interpreting the impact of communication disorders on speech usage patterns. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automatic speech recognition technology development at ITT Defense Communications Division

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, George M.

1977-01-01

An assessment of the applications of automatic speech recognition to defense communication systems is presented. Future research efforts include investigations into the following areas: (1) dynamic programming; (2) recognition of speech degraded by noise; (3) speaker independent recognition; (4) large vocabulary recognition; (5) word spotting and continuous speech recognition; and (6) isolated word recognition.

Speech Intelligibility in Persian Hearing Impaired Children with Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids.

PubMed

Rezaei, Mohammad; Emadi, Maryam; Zamani, Peyman; Farahani, Farhad; Lotfi, Gohar

2017-04-01

The aim of present study is to evaluate and compare speech intelligibility in hearing impaired children with cochlear implants (CI) and hearing aid (HA) users and children with normal hearing (NH). The sample consisted of 45 Persian-speaking children aged 3 to 5-years-old. They were divided into three groups, and each group had 15, children, children with CI and children using hearing aids in Hamadan. Participants was evaluated by the test of speech intelligibility level. Results of ANOVA on speech intelligibility test showed that NH children had significantly better reading performance than hearing impaired children with CI and HA. Post-hoc analysis, using Scheffe test, indicated that the mean score of speech intelligibility of normal children was higher than the HA and CI groups; but the difference was not significant between mean of speech intelligibility in children with hearing loss that use cochlear implant and those using HA. It is clear that even with remarkabkle advances in HA technology, many hearing impaired children continue to find speech production a challenging problem. Given that speech intelligibility is a key element in proper communication and social interaction, consequently, educational and rehabilitation programs are essential to improve speech intelligibility of children with hearing loss.

The profiles of students with significant cognitive disabilities and complex communication needs.

PubMed

Erickson, Karen A; Geist, Lori A

2016-09-01

Understanding the characteristics of students with complex communication needs and significant cognitive disabilities is an important first step toward creating the kinds of supports and services required to help them successfully access the general education curriculum, achieve grade-level standards, and improve overall communication competence. The First Contact Survey was designed to collect important information about students with significant cognitive disabilities who were eligible to take the Dynamic Learning Maps™ (DLM(®)) alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards. From November 2012-May 2013, the survey was used to gather information regarding more than 44,787 students. At that time, the goal was to use the data to inform the development of the DLM assessment. Although the survey includes a wealth of information regarding this large sample of students, the reanalysis of the data reported in the current study focused on the motor, sensory, language, reading, and writing skills of students with significant cognitive disabilities, based on their speech production abilities. Significant differences were identified across each of the domains between students who do and do not use speech with or without aided augmentative and alternative communication.

Design and development of an AAC app based on a speech-to-symbol technology.

PubMed

Radici, Elena; Bonacina, Stefano; De Leo, Gianluca

2016-08-01

The purpose of this paper is to present the design and the development of an Augmentative and Alternative Communication app that uses a speech to symbol technology to model language, i.e. to recognize the speech and display the text or the graphic content related to it. Our app is intended to be adopted by communication partners who want to engage in interventions focused on improving communication skills. Our app has the goal of translating simple speech sentences in a set of symbols that are understandable by children with complex communication needs. We moderated a focus group among six AAC communication partners. Then, we developed a prototype. We are currently starting testing our app in an AAC Centre in Milan, Italy.

Using the Communication Matrix to Assess Expressive Skills in Early Communicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowland, Charity

2011-01-01

Many children born with severe and multiple disabilities have complex communication needs and may use no speech or only minimal speech to communicate. Meaningful assessment of their expressive skills to identify communication strengths along a developmental trajectory is an essential first step toward appropriate intervention. This article…

The effects of speech output technology in the learning of graphic symbols.

PubMed Central

Schlosser, R W; Belfiore, P J; Nigam, R; Blischak, D; Hetzroni, O

1995-01-01

The effects of auditory stimuli in the form of synthetic speech output on the learning of graphic symbols were evaluated. Three adults with severe to profound mental retardation and communication impairments were taught to point to lexigrams when presented with words under two conditions. In the first condition, participants used a voice output communication aid to receive synthetic speech as antecedent and consequent stimuli. In the second condition, with a nonelectronic communications board, participants did not receive synthetic speech. A parallel treatments design was used to evaluate the effects of the synthetic speech output as an added component of the augmentative and alternative communication system. The 3 participants reached criterion when not provided with the auditory stimuli. Although 2 participants also reached criterion when not provided with the auditory stimuli, the addition of auditory stimuli resulted in more efficient learning and a decreased error rate. Maintenance results, however, indicated no differences between conditions. Finding suggest that auditory stimuli in the form of synthetic speech contribute to the efficient acquisition of graphic communication symbols. PMID:14743828

Using others' words: conversational use of reported speech by individuals with aphasia and their communication partners.

PubMed

Hengst, Julie A; Frame, Simone R; Neuman-Stritzel, Tiffany; Gannaway, Rachel

2005-02-01

Reported speech, wherein one quotes or paraphrases the speech of another, has been studied extensively as a set of linguistic and discourse practices. Researchers agree that reported speech is pervasive, found across languages, and used in diverse contexts. However, to date, there have been no studies of the use of reported speech among individuals with aphasia. Grounded in an interactional sociolinguistic perspective, the study presented here documents and analyzes the use of reported speech by 7 adults with mild to moderately severe aphasia and their routine communication partners. Each of the 7 pairs was videotaped in 4 everyday activities at home or around the community, yielding over 27 hr of conversational interaction for analysis. A coding scheme was developed that identified 5 types of explicitly marked reported speech: direct, indirect, projected, indexed, and undecided. Analysis of the data documented reported speech as a common discourse practice used successfully by the individuals with aphasia and their communication partners. All participants produced reported speech at least once, and across all observations the target pairs produced 400 reported speech episodes (RSEs), 149 by individuals with aphasia and 251 by their communication partners. For all participants, direct and indirect forms were the most prevalent (70% of RSEs). Situated discourse analysis of specific episodes of reported speech used by 3 of the pairs provides detailed portraits of the diverse interactional, referential, social, and discourse functions of reported speech and explores ways that the pairs used reported speech to successfully frame talk despite their ongoing management of aphasia.

Speech and communication in Parkinson’s disease: a cross-sectional exploratory study in the UK

PubMed Central

Barnish, Maxwell S; Horton, Simon M C; Butterfint, Zoe R; Clark, Allan B; Atkinson, Rachel A; Deane, Katherine H O

2017-01-01

Objective To assess associations between cognitive status, intelligibility, acoustics and functional communication in PD. Design Cross-sectional exploratory study of functional communication, including a within-participants experimental design for listener assessment. Setting A major academic medical centre in the East of England, UK. Participants Questionnaire data were assessed for 45 people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), who had self-reported speech or communication difficulties and did not have clinical dementia. Acoustic and listener analyses were conducted on read and conversational speech for 20 people with PD and 20 familiar conversation partner controls without speech, language or cognitive difficulties. Main outcome measures Functional communication assessed by the Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB) and Communicative Effectiveness Survey (CES). Results People with PD had lower intelligibility than controls for both the read (mean difference 13.7%, p=0.009) and conversational (mean difference 16.2%, p=0.04) sentences. Intensity and pause were statistically significant predictors of intelligibility in read sentences. Listeners were less accurate identifying the intended emotion in the speech of people with PD (14.8% point difference across conditions, p=0.02) and this was associated with worse speaker cognitive status (16.7% point difference, p=0.04). Cognitive status was a significant predictor of functional communication using CPIB (F=8.99, p=0.005, η2 = 0.15) but not CES. Intelligibility in conversation sentences was a statistically significant predictor of CPIB (F=4.96, p=0.04, η2 = 0.19) and CES (F=13.65, p=0.002, η2 = 0.43). Read sentence intelligibility was not a significant predictor of either outcome. Conclusions Cognitive status was an important predictor of functional communication—the role of intelligibility was modest and limited to conversational and not read speech. Our results highlight the importance of focusing on functional communication as well as physical speech impairment in speech and language therapy (SLT) for PD. Our results could inform future trials of SLT techniques for PD. PMID:28554918

The discrepancy in the perception of the public-political speech in Croatia.

PubMed

Tanta, Ivan; Lesinger, Gordana

2014-03-01

Key place in this paper takes the study of political speech in the Republic of Croatia and their impact on voters, or which keywords are in political speeches and public appearances of politicians in Croatia that their voting body wants to hear. Given listed below we will define the research topic in the form of a question - is there a discrepancy in the perception of the public-political speech in Croatia, and which keywords are specific to the two main regions in Croatia and that inhabitant these regions respond. Marcus Tullius Cicero, the most important Roman orator, he used a specific associative mnemonic technique that is called "technique room". He would talk expound on keywords and conceptual terms that he needed for the desired topic and join in these make them, according to the desired order, in a very creative and unique way, the premises of the house or palace, which he knew well. Then, while holding the speech intended to pass through rooms of the house or palace and then put keywords and concepts come to mind, again according to the desired order. Given that this is a specific kind of research political speech that is relatively recent in Croatia, it should be noted that there is still, this kind of political communication is not sufficiently explored. Particularly the emphasis on the impact and use of keywords specific to the Republic of Croatia, in everyday public and political communication. The paper will be analyzed the political, campaign speeches and promises several winning candidates, and now Croatian MEPs, specific keywords related to: economics, culture, science, education and health. The analysis is based on comparison of the survey results on the representation of key words in the speeches of politicians and qualitative analysis of the speeches of politicians on key words during the election campaign.

The Figures of Speech, "Ethos," and Aristotle: Notes toward a Rhetoric of Business Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallendorf, Craig; Kallendorf, Carol

1985-01-01

Demonstrates that business writers rely far more heavily than expected on classical figures of speech. Uses Aristotle's "Rhetoric" to show that figures of speech offer a powerful tool for the persuasive function of modern business communication. (PD)

Using the Pecha Kucha Speech to Analyze and Train Humor Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waisanen, Don

2018-01-01

Courses: Public speaking; communication courses requiring speeches. Objective: Students will learn how to apply humor principles to speeches through a slideshow method supportive of this goal, and to become more discerning about the possibilities and pitfalls of humorous communication.

Comparing the effect of auditory-only and auditory-visual modes in two groups of Persian children using cochlear implants: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Oryadi Zanjani, Mohammad Majid; Hasanzadeh, Saeid; Rahgozar, Mehdi; Shemshadi, Hashem; Purdy, Suzanne C; Mahmudi Bakhtiari, Behrooz; Vahab, Maryam

2013-09-01

Since the introduction of cochlear implantation, researchers have considered children's communication and educational success before and after implantation. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare auditory, speech, and language development scores following one-sided cochlear implantation between two groups of prelingual deaf children educated through either auditory-only (unisensory) or auditory-visual (bisensory) modes. A randomized controlled trial with a single-factor experimental design was used. The study was conducted in the Instruction and Rehabilitation Private Centre of Hearing Impaired Children and their Family, called Soroosh in Shiraz, Iran. We assessed 30 Persian deaf children for eligibility and 22 children qualified to enter the study. They were aged between 27 and 66 months old and had been implanted between the ages of 15 and 63 months. The sample of 22 children was randomly assigned to two groups: auditory-only mode and auditory-visual mode; 11 participants in each group were analyzed. In both groups, the development of auditory perception, receptive language, expressive language, speech, and speech intelligibility was assessed pre- and post-intervention by means of instruments which were validated and standardized in the Persian population. No significant differences were found between the two groups. The children with cochlear implants who had been instructed using either the auditory-only or auditory-visual modes acquired auditory, receptive language, expressive language, and speech skills at the same rate. Overall, spoken language significantly developed in both the unisensory group and the bisensory group. Thus, both the auditory-only mode and the auditory-visual mode were effective. Therefore, it is not essential to limit access to the visual modality and to rely solely on the auditory modality when instructing hearing, language, and speech in children with cochlear implants who are exposed to spoken language both at home and at school when communicating with their parents and educators prior to and after implantation. The trial has been registered at IRCT.ir, number IRCT201109267637N1. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metaphors in the Mirror: The Influence of Teaching Metaphors in a Medical Education Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canziani, Tatiana

2016-01-01

Medical students often face problems in using and understanding metaphors when communicating with a patient or reading a scientific paper. These figures of speech constitute an interpretative problem and students need key strategies to facilitate metaphor comprehension and disambiguation of meaning. This article examines how medical students'…

Issues Related to Assessing Listening Ability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mead, Nancy A.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the Speech Communication Association (SCA) initiated a pilot study to test the feasibility of assessing speaking and listening skills. A pool of 56 items was developed and then field tested at four sites which represented a variety of national regions, of size and type of cities, and of…

Exploring Inner Speech as a Psycho-Educational Resource for Language Learning Advisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Tanya M.

2018-01-01

The analysis of advising sessions has recognized common standards of the profession in areas such as advising skills employed and non-verbal communicative practices. There are however numerous variations in advisor behavior due to differences in cognitive processes. This study used a stimulated recall approach to identify the content of inner…

Young Children's Musical Activities in the Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackburn, Carolyn

2017-01-01

The association between human speech, language and communication (SLC) and participation in music is manifest in music education and psychology literature in a number of ways. Research studies into young children's SLC are numerous and policy focus on this area of children's learning and development and their later literacy has been intense. By…

Assessing Success: The Impacts of a Fundamentals of Speech Course on Decreasing Public Speaking Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Karla M.; Westwick, Joshua N.; Haleta, Laurie L.

2014-01-01

Despite assessment's prominence in higher education, many communication departments still find its implementation problematic. In this case study, we answer a call for heightened research pertaining to the best practices for assessment of large, multisection, standardized public speaking courses. We demonstrate the ease with which the basic course…

Cross-Cultural Communication through Course Linkage: Utilizing Experiential Learning in Speech 110 (Introduction to Speech/Communication) & ESL 009 (Oral Skills).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mackler, Tobi; Savard, Theresa

Taking advantage of the opportunity to heighten cultural awareness and create an intercultural exchange, this paper presents two articles that provide a summary of the rationale, methodology, and assignments used to teach the linked courses of an introductory speech communication course and an English-as-a-Second-Language Oral Skills course. The…

Speech Intelligibility of Aircrew Mask Communication Configurations in High-Noise Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-28

ARL-TR-8168 ● Sep 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Speech Intelligibility of Aircrew Mask Communication Configurations in High ...Laboratory Speech Intelligibility of Aircrew Mask Communication Configurations in High -Noise Environments by Kimberly A Pollard and Lamar Garrett...in High - Noise Environments 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Kimberly A Pollard and Lamar

The Impact of Interrupted Use of a Speech Generating Device on the Communication Acts of a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neeley, Richard A.; Pulliam, Mary Hannah; Catt, Merrill; McDaniel, D. Mike

2015-01-01

This case study examined the initial and renewed impact of speech generating devices on the expressive communication behaviors of a child with autism spectrum disorder. The study spanned six years of interrupted use of two speech generating devices. The child's communication behaviors were analyzed from video recordings and included communication…

Effects of noise on speech recognition: Challenges for communication by service members.

PubMed

Le Prell, Colleen G; Clavier, Odile H

2017-06-01

Speech communication often takes place in noisy environments; this is an urgent issue for military personnel who must communicate in high-noise environments. The effects of noise on speech recognition vary significantly according to the sources of noise, the number and types of talkers, and the listener's hearing ability. In this review, speech communication is first described as it relates to current standards of hearing assessment for military and civilian populations. The next section categorizes types of noise (also called maskers) according to their temporal characteristics (steady or fluctuating) and perceptive effects (energetic or informational masking). Next, speech recognition difficulties experienced by listeners with hearing loss and by older listeners are summarized, and questions on the possible causes of speech-in-noise difficulty are discussed, including recent suggestions of "hidden hearing loss". The final section describes tests used by military and civilian researchers, audiologists, and hearing technicians to assess performance of an individual in recognizing speech in background noise, as well as metrics that predict performance based on a listener and background noise profile. This article provides readers with an overview of the challenges associated with speech communication in noisy backgrounds, as well as its assessment and potential impact on functional performance, and provides guidance for important new research directions relevant not only to military personnel, but also to employees who work in high noise environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radio speech communication problems reported in a survey of military pilots.

PubMed

Lahtinen, Taija M M; Huttunen, Kerttu H; Kuronen, Pentti O; Sorri, Martti J; Leino, Tuomo K

2010-12-01

Despite technological advances in conveying information, speech communication is still a key safety factor in aviation. Effective radio communication is necessary, for example, in building and maintaining good team situation awareness. However, little has been reported concerning the prevalence and nature of radio communication problems in everyday working environments in military aviation. We surveyed Finnish Defense Forces pilots regarding the prevalence of radio speech communication problems. Of the 225 pilots contacted, 75% replied to our survey. Altogether 138 of the respondents were fixed-wing pilots and 31 were helicopter pilots. Problems in radio communication occurred, on average, during 14% of flight time. The most prevalent problems were multiple speakers on the same radio frequency band causing overlapping speech, missing acknowledgments, high background noise especially during helicopter operations, and technical problems. Of the respondents, 18% (31 pilots) reported having encountered at least one potentially dangerous event caused by problems in radio communication during their military aviation career. If the employer were to offer extra hearing protection, such as custom-made ear plugs, 93% of the pilots indicated that they would use it. Communication can be a flight safety factor especially during intense air combat exercises and other information-loaded flights. During these situations, communication should be clear and focused on the most essential information. So, training and technical improvements are necessary for better communication. High quality radio speech communication also improves operational effectiveness in military aviation.

Management of developmental speech and language disorders: Part 1.

PubMed

O'Hare, Anne; Bremner, Lynne

2016-03-01

The identification of developmental problems in a child's acquisition of speech, language and/or communication is a core activity in child surveillance. These are common difficulties with up to 15% of toddlers being 'late talkers' and 7% of children entering school with persisting impairments of their language development. These delays can confer disadvantages in the long term, adversely affecting language, cognition, academic attainment, behaviour and mental health. All children presenting with significant speech and language delay should be investigated with a comprehensive hearing assessment and be considered for speech and language therapy assessment. Socioeconomic adversity correlates with delayed language development. Clinical assessment should confirm that the presentation is definitely not acquired (see part 2) and will also guide whether the difficulty is primary, in which there are often familial patterns, or secondary, from a very wide range of aetiologies. Symptoms may be salient, such as the regression of communication in <3-year-olds which 'flags up' autism spectrum disorder. Further investigation will be informed from this clinical assessment, for example, genetic investigation for sex aneuploidies in enduring primary difficulties. Management of the speech and language difficulty itself is the realm of the speech and language therapist, who has an ever-increasing evidence-based choice of interventions. This should take place within a multidisciplinary team, particularly for children with more severe conditions who may benefit from individualised parental and educational supports. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Behavioral Signal Processing: Deriving Human Behavioral Informatics From Speech and Language: Computational techniques are presented to analyze and model expressed and perceived human behavior-variedly characterized as typical, atypical, distressed, and disordered-from speech and language cues and their applications in health, commerce, education, and beyond.

PubMed

Narayanan, Shrikanth; Georgiou, Panayiotis G

2013-02-07

The expression and experience of human behavior are complex and multimodal and characterized by individual and contextual heterogeneity and variability. Speech and spoken language communication cues offer an important means for measuring and modeling human behavior. Observational research and practice across a variety of domains from commerce to healthcare rely on speech- and language-based informatics for crucial assessment and diagnostic information and for planning and tracking response to an intervention. In this paper, we describe some of the opportunities as well as emerging methodologies and applications of human behavioral signal processing (BSP) technology and algorithms for quantitatively understanding and modeling typical, atypical, and distressed human behavior with a specific focus on speech- and language-based communicative, affective, and social behavior. We describe the three important BSP components of acquiring behavioral data in an ecologically valid manner across laboratory to real-world settings, extracting and analyzing behavioral cues from measured data, and developing models offering predictive and decision-making support. We highlight both the foundational speech and language processing building blocks as well as the novel processing and modeling opportunities. Using examples drawn from specific real-world applications ranging from literacy assessment and autism diagnostics to psychotherapy for addiction and marital well being, we illustrate behavioral informatics applications of these signal processing techniques that contribute to quantifying higher level, often subjectively described, human behavior in a domain-sensitive fashion.

A Coding System with Independent Annotations of Gesture Forms and Functions during Verbal Communication: Development of a Database of Speech and GEsture (DoSaGE)

PubMed Central

Kong, Anthony Pak-Hin; Law, Sam-Po; Kwan, Connie Ching-Yin; Lai, Christy; Lam, Vivian

2014-01-01

Gestures are commonly used together with spoken language in human communication. One major limitation of gesture investigations in the existing literature lies in the fact that the coding of forms and functions of gestures has not been clearly differentiated. This paper first described a recently developed Database of Speech and GEsture (DoSaGE) based on independent annotation of gesture forms and functions among 119 neurologically unimpaired right-handed native speakers of Cantonese (divided into three age and two education levels), and presented findings of an investigation examining how gesture use was related to age and linguistic performance. Consideration of these two factors, for which normative data are currently very limited or lacking in the literature, is relevant and necessary when one evaluates gesture employment among individuals with and without language impairment. Three speech tasks, including monologue of a personally important event, sequential description, and story-telling, were used for elicitation. The EUDICO Linguistic ANnotator (ELAN) software was used to independently annotate each participant’s linguistic information of the transcript, forms of gestures used, and the function for each gesture. About one-third of the subjects did not use any co-verbal gestures. While the majority of gestures were non-content-carrying, which functioned mainly for reinforcing speech intonation or controlling speech flow, the content-carrying ones were used to enhance speech content. Furthermore, individuals who are younger or linguistically more proficient tended to use fewer gestures, suggesting that normal speakers gesture differently as a function of age and linguistic performance. PMID:25667563

Communication Coaching for the Executive: A Process Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vielhaber, Mary E.; Shubert, J. Janelle

In the past, many communication consultants have been "speech coaches," who helped clients to organize messages, construct arguments, and deliver speeches. Today, however, the role of communication specialists as management consultants has broadened in scope. To accommodate the demands of this enlarged role, communication consultants…

Drama to promote social and personal well-being in six- and seven-year-olds with communication difficulties: the Speech Bubbles project.

PubMed

Barnes, Jonathan

2014-03-01

This paper focuses on an innovative intersection between education, health and arts. Taking a broad definition of health it examines some social and psychological well-being impacts of extended collaborations between a theatre company and children with communication difficulties. It seeks to test aspects of Fredrickson's(1) broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions in a primary school curriculum context. The researcher participated in a project called Speech Bubbles. The programme was devised by theatre practitioners and aimed at six- and seven-year-olds with difficulties in speech, language and communication. Sessions were observed, videoed and analysed for levels of child well-being using an established scale. In addition, responses regarding perceived improvements in speech, language and communication were gathered from school records and teachers, teaching assistants, practitioners and parents. Data were captured using still images and videos, children's recorded commentaries, conversations, written feedback and observation. Using grounded research methods, themes and categories arose directly from the collected data. Fluency, vocabulary, inventiveness and concentration were enhanced in the large majority of referred children. The research also found significant positive developments in motivation and confidence. Teachers and their assistants credited the drama intervention with notable improvements in attitude, behaviour and relationships over the year. Aspects of many children's psychological well-being also showed marked signs of progress when measured against original reasons for referral and normal expectations over a year. An unexpected outcome was evidence of heightened well-being of the teaching assistants involved. Findings compared well with expectations based upon Fredrickson's theory and also the theatre company's view that theatre-making promotes emotional awareness and empathy. Improvements in both children's well-being and communication were at least in part related to the sustained and playful emphases on the processes and practice of drama, clear values and an inclusive environment.

Neurobiology of Everyday Communication: What Have We Learned From Music?

PubMed

Kraus, Nina; White-Schwoch, Travis

2016-06-09

Sound is an invisible but powerful force that is central to everyday life. Studies in the neurobiology of everyday communication seek to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying sound processing, their stability, their plasticity, and their links to language abilities and disabilities. This sound processing lies at the nexus of cognitive, sensorimotor, and reward networks. Music provides a powerful experimental model to understand these biological foundations of communication, especially with regard to auditory learning. We review studies of music training that employ a biological approach to reveal the integrity of sound processing in the brain, the bearing these mechanisms have on everyday communication, and how these processes are shaped by experience. Together, these experiments illustrate that music works in synergistic partnerships with language skills and the ability to make sense of speech in complex, everyday listening environments. The active, repeated engagement with sound demanded by music making augments the neural processing of speech, eventually cascading to listening and language. This generalization from music to everyday communications illustrates both that these auditory brain mechanisms have a profound potential for plasticity and that sound processing is biologically intertwined with listening and language skills. A new wave of studies has pushed neuroscience beyond the traditional laboratory by revealing the effects of community music training in underserved populations. These community-based studies reinforce laboratory work highlight how the auditory system achieves a remarkable balance between stability and flexibility in processing speech. Moreover, these community studies have the potential to inform health care, education, and social policy by lending a neurobiological perspective to their efficacy. © The Author(s) 2016.

Teaching strategies in inclusive classrooms with deaf students.

PubMed

Cawthon, S W

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher speech and educational philosophies in inclusive classrooms with deaf and hearing students. Data were collected from language transcripts, classroom observations, and teacher interviews. Total speech output, Mean Length Utterance, proportion of questions to statements, and proportion of open to closed questions were calculated for each teacher. Teachers directed fewer utterances, on average, to deaf than to hearing students but showed different language patterns on the remaining measures. Inclusive philosophies focused on an individualized approach to teaching, attention to deaf culture, advocacy, smaller class sizes, and an openness to diversity in the classroom. The interpreters' role in the classroom included translating teacher speech, voicing student sign language, mediating communication between deaf students and their peers, and monitoring overall classroom behavior.

Perceptions of parents and speech and language therapists on the effects of paediatric cochlear implantation and habilitation and education following it.

PubMed

Huttunen, Kerttu; Välimaa, Taina

2012-01-01

During the process of implantation, parents may have rather heterogeneous expectations and concerns about their child's development and the functioning of habilitation and education services. Their views on habilitation and education are important for building family-centred practices. We explored the perceptions of parents and speech and language therapists (SLTs) on the effects of implantation on the child and the family and on the quality of services provided. Their views were also compared. Parents and SLTs of 18 children filled out questionnaires containing open- and closed-ended questions at 6 months and annually 1-5 years after activation of the implant. Their responses were analysed mainly using data-based inductive content analysis. Positive experiences outnumbered negative ones in the responses of both the parents and the SLTs surveyed. The parents were particularly satisfied with the improvement in communication and expanded social life in the family. These were the most prevalent themes also raised by the SLTs. The parents were also satisfied with the organization and content of habilitation. Most of the negative experiences were related to arrangement of hospital visits and the usability and maintenance of speech processor technology. Some children did not receive enough speech and language therapy, and some of the parents were dissatisfied with educational services. The habilitation process had generally required parental efforts at an expected level. However, parents with a child with at least one concomitant problem experienced habilitation as more stressful than did other parents. Parents and SLTs had more positive than negative experiences with implantation. As the usability and maintenance of speech processor technology were often compromised, we urge implant centres to ensure sufficient personnel for technical maintenance. It is also important to promote services by providing enough information and parental support. © 2011 Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists.

[Verbal and gestural communication in interpersonal interaction with Alzheimer's disease patients].

PubMed

Schiaratura, Loris Tamara; Di Pastena, Angela; Askevis-Leherpeux, Françoise; Clément, Sylvain

2015-03-01

Communication can be defined as a verbal and non verbal exchange of thoughts and emotions. While verbal communication deficit in Alzheimer's disease is well documented, very little is known about gestural communication, especially in interpersonal situations. This study examines the production of gestures and its relations with verbal aspects of communication. Three patients suffering from moderately severe Alzheimer's disease were compared to three healthy adults. Each one were given a series of pictures and asked to explain which one she preferred and why. The interpersonal interaction was video recorded. Analyses concerned verbal production (quantity and quality) and gestures. Gestures were either non representational (i.e., gestures of small amplitude punctuating speech or accentuating some parts of utterance) or representational (i.e., referring to the object of the speech). Representational gestures were coded as iconic (depicting of concrete aspects), metaphoric (depicting of abstract meaning) or deictic (pointing toward an object). In comparison with healthy participants, patients revealed a decrease in quantity and quality of speech. Nevertheless, their production of gestures was always present. This pattern is in line with the conception that gestures and speech depend on different communicational systems and look inconsistent with the assumption of a parallel dissolution of gesture and speech. Moreover, analyzing the articulation between verbal and gestural dimensions suggests that representational gestures may compensate for speech deficits. It underlines the importance for the role of gestures in maintaining interpersonal communication.

Measuring communicative participation using the FOCUS©1: Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six

PubMed Central

Thomas-Stonell, N; Washington, K; Oddson, B; Robertson, B; Rosenbaum, P

2013-01-01

Background The FOCUS© is a new outcome tool for use by both parents and clinicians that measures changes in the communicative participation skills of preschool children. Changes in communicative participation skills as measured by the FOCUS were compared across three groups of children: those with speech impairments only (SI), those with language impairments only (LI) and those with both speech and language impairments (S/LI). Methods Participating families (n = 112, 75 male children) were recruited through 13 Canadian organizations. Children ranged from 10 months to 6 years 0 months (mean = 2.11 years; SD = 1.18 years) and attended speech-language intervention. Parents completed the FOCUS at the start and end of treatment. There were 23 children in the SI group, 62 children in the LI group and 27 children in the S/LI group. The average amount of the children's therapy varied from 7 to 10 h. Results The FOCUS captures changes in communicative participation for children with a range of communication disorder types and severities. All three groups of children made clinically important improvements according to their FOCUS scores (MCID ≥ 16 points). The FOCUS captured improvements in intelligibility, independent communication, play and socialization. Conclusions The FOCUS measured positive changes in communicative participation skills for all three groups of children after 7–10 h of speech-language therapy. An outcome measure that targets only specific speech and language skills would miss many of the important social function changes associated with speech-language treatment. PMID:23763248

Female voice communications in high levels of aircraft cockpit noises--Part I: spectra, levels, and microphones.

PubMed

Nixon, C W; Morris, L J; McCavitt, A R; McKinley, R L; Anderson, T R; McDaniel, M P; Yeager, D G

1998-07-01

Female produced speech, although more intelligible than male speech in some noise spectra, may be more vulnerable to degradation by high levels of some military aircraft cockpit noises. The acoustic features of female speech are higher in frequency, lower in power, and appear more susceptible than male speech to masking by some of these military noises. Current military aircraft voice communication systems were optimized for the male voice and may not adequately accommodate the female voice in these high level noises. This applied study investigated the intelligibility of female and male speech produced in the noise spectra of four military aircraft cockpits at levels ranging from 95 dB to 115 dB. The experimental subjects used standard flight helmets and headsets, noise-canceling microphones, and military aircraft voice communications systems during the measurements. The intelligibility of female speech was lower than that of male speech for all experimental conditions; however, differences were small and insignificant except at the highest levels of the cockpit noises. Intelligibility for both genders varied with aircraft noise spectrum and level. Speech intelligibility of both genders was acceptable during normal cruise noises of all four aircraft, but improvements are required in the higher levels of noise created during aircraft maximum operating conditions. The intelligibility of female speech was unacceptable at the highest measured noise level of 115 dB and may constitute a problem for other military aviators. The intelligibility degradation due to the noise can be neutralized by use of an available, improved noise-canceling microphone, by the application of current active noise reduction technology to the personal communication equipment, and by the development of a voice communications system to accommodate the speech produced by both female and male aviators.

Alignment of classification paradigms for communication abilities in children with cerebral palsy

PubMed Central

Hustad, Katherine C.; Oakes, Ashley; McFadd, Emily; Allison, Kristen M.

2015-01-01

Aim We examined three communication ability classification paradigms for children with cerebral palsy (CP): the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), the Viking Speech Scale (VSS), and the Speech Language Profile Groups (SLPG). Questions addressed inter-judge reliability, whether the VSS and the CFCS captured impairments in speech and language, and whether there were differences in speech intelligibility among levels within each classification paradigm. Method 80 children (42 males) with a range of types and severity levels of CP participated (mean age, 60 months; SD 4.8 months). Two speech-language pathologists classified each child via parent-child interaction samples and previous experience with the children for the CFCS and VSS, and uisng quantitative speech and language assessment data for the SLPG. Intelligibility scores were obtained using standard clinical intelligibility measurement. Results Kappa values were .67 (95% CI [.55, .79]) for the CFCS, .82 (95% CI [.72, .92]), for the VSS, .95 (95% CI [.72, .92]) for the SLPG. Descriptively, reliability within levels of each paradigm varied, with the lowest agreement occurring within the CFCS at levels II (42%), III (40%), and IV (61%). Neither the CFCS nor the VSS were sensitive to language impairments captured by the SLPG. Significant differences in speech intelligibility were found among levels for all classification paradigms. Interpretation Multiple tools are necessary to understand speech, language, and communication profiles in children with CP. Characterization of abilities at all levels of the ICF will advance our understanding of the ways that speech, language, and communication abilities present in children with CP. PMID:26521844

Signal Processing Methods for Removing the Effects of Whole Body Vibration upon Speech

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bitner, Rachel M.; Begault, Durand R.

2014-01-01

Humans may be exposed to whole-body vibration in environments where clear speech communications are crucial, particularly during the launch phases of space flight and in high-performance aircraft. Prior research has shown that high levels of vibration cause a decrease in speech intelligibility. However, the effects of whole-body vibration upon speech are not well understood, and no attempt has been made to restore speech distorted by whole-body vibration. In this paper, a model for speech under whole-body vibration is proposed and a method to remove its effect is described. The method described reduces the perceptual effects of vibration, yields higher ASR accuracy scores, and may significantly improve intelligibility. Possible applications include incorporation within communication systems to improve radio-communication systems in environments such a spaceflight, aviation, or off-road vehicle operations.

Development of speech prostheses: current status and recent advances

PubMed Central

Brumberg, Jonathan S; Guenther, Frank H

2010-01-01

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) have been developed over the past decade to restore communication to persons with severe paralysis. In the most severe cases of paralysis, known as locked-in syndrome, patients retain cognition and sensation, but are capable of only slight voluntary eye movements. For these patients, no standard communication method is available, although some can use BCIs to communicate by selecting letters or words on a computer. Recent research has sought to improve on existing techniques by using BCIs to create a direct prediction of speech utterances rather than to simply control a spelling device. Such methods are the first steps towards speech prostheses as they are intended to entirely replace the vocal apparatus of paralyzed users. This article outlines many well known methods for restoration of communication by BCI and illustrates the difference between spelling devices and direct speech prediction or speech prosthesis. PMID:20822389

Deja Vu All Over Again.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dance, Frank E. X.

For over 40 years, there has been a sustained and persistent effort to remove any reference to speech or spoken language from the name of the Speech Communication Association. The term "speech" has received constant criticism, mainly on political grounds, and has given way to today's more prevalent term of "communication." By…

Perception of the Voicing Distinction in Speech Produced during Simultaneous Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKenzie, Douglas J.; Schiavetti, Nicholas; Whitehead, Robert L.; Metz, Dale Evan

2006-01-01

This study investigated the perception of voice onset time (VOT) in speech produced during simultaneous communication (SC). Four normally hearing, experienced sign language users were recorded under SC and speech alone (SA) conditions speaking stimulus words with voiced and voiceless initial consonants embedded in a sentence. Twelve…

Eye’m talking to you: speakers’ gaze direction modulates co-speech gesture processing in the right MTG

PubMed Central

Toni, Ivan; Hagoort, Peter; Kelly, Spencer D.; Özyürek, Aslı

2015-01-01

Recipients process information from speech and co-speech gestures, but it is currently unknown how this processing is influenced by the presence of other important social cues, especially gaze direction, a marker of communicative intent. Such cues may modulate neural activity in regions associated either with the processing of ostensive cues, such as eye gaze, or with the processing of semantic information, provided by speech and gesture. Participants were scanned (fMRI) while taking part in triadic communication involving two recipients and a speaker. The speaker uttered sentences that were and were not accompanied by complementary iconic gestures. Crucially, the speaker alternated her gaze direction, thus creating two recipient roles: addressed (direct gaze) vs unaddressed (averted gaze) recipient. The comprehension of Speech&Gesture relative to SpeechOnly utterances recruited middle occipital, middle temporal and inferior frontal gyri, bilaterally. The calcarine sulcus and posterior cingulate cortex were sensitive to differences between direct and averted gaze. Most importantly, Speech&Gesture utterances, but not SpeechOnly utterances, produced additional activity in the right middle temporal gyrus when participants were addressed. Marking communicative intent with gaze direction modulates the processing of speech–gesture utterances in cerebral areas typically associated with the semantic processing of multi-modal communicative acts. PMID:24652857

Verbal communication impacts quality of life in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PubMed

Felgoise, Stephanie H; Zaccheo, Vincenzo; Duff, Jason; Simmons, Zachary

2016-01-01

Global quality of life (QoL) in patients with ALS has been found to be independent of overall physical function. However, the relationship between verbal communication ability and QoL has not been explored. This was a retrospective study using data from a study validating the ALS-Specific QoL Questionnaire (ALSSQoL). Speech function was assessed using the first question on the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS), ranging from 4 (normal speech) to 0 (loss of useful speech). There were 338 participants for whom data were available for speech function and for all ALSSQoL subscales. Analysis of variance revealed that QoL varied among individuals with different functional abilities for speech (F (4,333) = 5.13, p = 0.001). Specifically, poorer QoL was related to initial impairments in verbal communication ability (p = 0.005). QoL also was poorer in those with no speech ability compared to those with normal speech (p = 0.008). In conclusion, the ability to communicate verbally, unlike overall physical function, is directly related to overall QoL in patients with ALS. The initial period of speech impairment appears to have a particularly strong impact on QoL, and may be an important time for intervention.

"The Communication Needs and Rights of Mankind", Group 1 Report of the Futuristic Priorities Division of the Speech Communication Association. "Future Communication Technologies; Hardware and Software"; Group 2 Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dance, Frank E. X.; And Others

This paper reports on the Futuristic Priorities Division members' recommendations and priorities concerning the impact of the future on communication and on the speech communication discipline. The recommendations and priorities are listed for two subgroups: The Communication Needs and Rights of Mankind; and Future Communication Technologies:…

Project HAPI (Handicapped Achievement Program Improvement): Assessment plus Intervention equal I.E.P. A Handbook on How To Write an Individualized Education Program for Severe Disorders of Language, Including Aphasia and Other Speech-Language Handicapped (Communication Disorders). Book One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Jean

The first of five handbooks developed by Project HAPI (Handicapped Achievement Program Improvement), a multimedia staff development program to help teachers and specialists write effective individualized education programs (IEPs), is in looseleaf workbook format and focuses on children with severe disorders of language, including aphasia and other…

The Carolinas Speech Communication Annual, 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinney, Bruce C.

1997-01-01

This 1997 issue of "The Carolinas Speech Communication Annual" contains the following articles: "'Bridges of Understanding': UNESCO's Creation of a Fantasy for the American Public" (Michael H. Eaves and Charles F. Beadle, Jr.); "Developing a Communication Cooperative: A Student, Faculty, and Organizational Learning…

Cambodian Basic Course; Volume One, Units 1-45.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noss, Richard B.; Proum, Im

This Basic Course attempts to provide samples of two different Cambodian dialects--Standard Cambodian, the approved speech style of public education and mass communication, and the dialect of Phnom Penh. The material is arranged in groups of five units with a common theme. The first four units of each sequence are based on Dialogs, usually in the…

Public Relations: A Comprehensive Bibliography; Articles and Books on Public Relations, Communication Theory, Public Opinion, and Propaganda, 1964-1972.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Robert L., Comp.

This bibliography lists and sometimes annotates approximately 4,000 books, articles, and speeches about or related to public relations. The book contains sections on such subjects as advertising, agriculture, automation, banking, books, business, chemical industry, computers, consumer and consumer relations, corporate image, ecology, education,…

Written Discourse as a Product of a Completed Level of Professionally-Oriented Foreign Language Speech Competence of University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dmitrievykh, Irina L.; Kuklina, Svetlana S.; Cheremisinova, Rimma A.; Ogorodnikova, Natalia V.

2017-01-01

Contemporary foreign-language education focuses on the development of multicultural language personality of the university graduate, who has necessary competencies to implement in professional activities. One of such competences is professionally-oriented foreign language communicative competence that is responsible for the capability of a future…

Integrating Family Capacity-Building and Child Outcomes to Support Social Communication Development in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Juliann J.; Brown, Jennifer A.

2011-01-01

The focus of this article is on the transactional relationship of research and practice for speech-language pathologists serving infants and toddlers with and at risk for autism spectrum disorder in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act supported early intervention. Specifically, information is provided on (a) the relationship between…

Classroom Acoustics. IssueTrak: A CEFPI Brief on Educational Facility Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdreich, John

This report examines the problem of acoustic inadequacy in the classroom, how it affects students and teachers, and possible solutions. It explains how to predict classroom adequacy for communication by assessing the level of speech in competition with other noise, and the level of that competing noise itself in terms of reverberation that allows…

Quality of communication in interpreted versus noninterpreted PICU family meetings.

PubMed

Van Cleave, Alisa C; Roosen-Runge, Megan U; Miller, Alison B; Milner, Lauren C; Karkazis, Katrina A; Magnus, David C

2014-06-01

To describe the quality of physician-family communication during interpreted and noninterpreted family meetings in the PICU. Prospective, exploratory, descriptive observational study of noninterpreted English family meetings and interpreted Spanish family meetings in the pediatric intensive care setting. A single, university-based, tertiary children's hospital. Participants in PICU family meetings, including medical staff, family members, ancillary staff, and interpreters. Thirty family meetings (21 English and nine Spanish) were audio-recorded, transcribed, de-identified, and analyzed using the qualitative method of directed content analysis. Quality of communication was analyzed in three ways: 1) presence of elements of shared decision-making, 2) balance between physician and family speech, and 3) complexity of physician speech. Of the 11 elements of shared decision-making, only four occurred in more than half of English meetings, and only three occurred in more than half of Spanish meetings. Physicians spoke for a mean of 20.7 minutes, while families spoke for 9.3 minutes during English meetings. During Spanish meetings, physicians spoke for a mean of 14.9 minutes versus just 3.7 minutes of family speech. Physician speech complexity received a mean grade level score of 8.2 in English meetings compared to 7.2 in Spanish meetings. The quality of physician-family communication during PICU family meetings is poor overall. Interpreted meetings had poorer communication quality as evidenced by fewer elements of shared decision-making and greater imbalance between physician and family speech. However, physician speech may be less complex during interpreted meetings. Our data suggest that physicians can improve communication in both interpreted and noninterpreted family meetings by increasing the use of elements of shared decision-making, improving the balance between physician and family speech, and decreasing the complexity of physician speech.

The Basic Course in Communication: A Performance Triad.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, V. A.

The key element to the survival of speech communication and its status in academe is the basic course, which tells the academic community what speech communication is and what it can produce in terms of observable student behavior. This basic course, upon which many communication departments depend, must produce students who are obviously trained…

Ace: Action-Communication-Expression. IMPACT II: Houston's Teacher-to-Teacher Network.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntyre, Margie

The Action-Communication-Expression program, an extension of a speech communication class in a Houston (Texas) high school, involves visual and concrete communication, such as photography, script writing, and filmmaking. Students in two speech classes work in small groups of four or five, independently of the teacher, after receiving initial…

Communication without Speech: A Guide for Parents and Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloomberg, Karen, Ed.; Johnson, Hilary, Ed.

This guide addresses issues facing the parents, teachers and caregivers of children who are unable to use normal speech as a means of communication. It focuses on people who are intellectually disabled or children who are starting to use augmentative communication. The guide includes the following topics: the nature of communication; an overview…

Effectiveness of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on Communication and Speech for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flippin, Michelle; Reszka, Stephanie; Watson, Linda R.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a popular communication-training program for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This meta-analysis reviews the current empirical evidence for PECS in affecting communication and speech outcomes for children with ASD. Method: A systematic review of the literature on PECS…

iPads, mobile technologies, and communication applications: a survey of family wants, needs, and preferences.

PubMed

Meder, Allison M; Wegner, Jane R

2015-03-01

Families of children with communication disabilities were surveyed to explore wants and preferences relative to mobile media technology, including iPads, as a form of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The families surveyed reported wanting information and support from professionals, including speech language pathologists (SLPs), who are knowledgeable about AAC. These families wanted devices to meet their children's individual needs and reported that ease of use and affordability were the most influential characteristics in the purchase of mobile media devices and communication applications. SLPs who understand family decision making can utilize collaborative clinical decision making that respects families' wants and needs, while also focusing on device feature matching and family education.

Randomized controlled trial of supplemental augmentative and alternative communication versus voice rest alone after phonomicrosurgery.

PubMed

Rousseau, Bernard; Gutmann, Michelle L; Mau, Theodore; Francis, David O; Johnson, Jeffrey P; Novaleski, Carolyn K; Vinson, Kimberly N; Garrett, C Gaelyn

2015-03-01

This randomized trial investigated voice rest and supplemental text-to-speech communication versus voice rest alone on visual analog scale measures of communication effectiveness and magnitude of voice use. Randomized clinical trial. Multicenter outpatient voice clinics. Thirty-seven patients undergoing phonomicrosurgery. Patients undergoing phonomicrosurgery were randomized to voice rest and supplemental text-to-speech communication or voice rest alone. The primary outcome measure was the impact of voice rest on ability to communicate effectively over a 7-day period. Pre- and postoperative magnitude of voice use was also measured as an observational outcome. Patients randomized to voice rest and supplemental text-to-speech communication reported higher median communication effectiveness on each postoperative day compared to those randomized to voice rest alone, with significantly higher median communication effectiveness on postoperative days 3 (P=.03) and 5 (P=.01). Magnitude of voice use did not differ on any preoperative (P>.05) or postoperative day (P>.05), nor did patients significantly decrease voice use as the surgery date approached (P>.05). However, there was a significant reduction in median voice use pre- to postoperatively across patients (P<.001) with median voice use ranging from 0 to 3 throughout the postoperative week. Supplemental text-to-speech communication increased patient-perceived communication effectiveness on postoperative days 3 and 5 over voice rest alone. With the prevalence of smartphones and the widespread use of text messaging, supplemental text-to-speech communication may provide an accessible and cost-effective communication option for patients on vocal restrictions. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2015.

Culturally/Linguistically Different Children: Report Writing Guidelines for Speech-Language Pathologists [and] Summary of Project Communicate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schloff, Rose-Laurie; Martinez, Silvia

Guidelines for writing assessments of the English language skills of minority, bilingual, preschool and elementary school children are presented for monolingual speech-language pathologists. In addition, a project (Project Communicate) providing direct client services and training of speech-language pathologists is briefly described. With regard…

Profile of Australian Preschool Children with Speech Sound Disorders at Risk for Literacy Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, Sharynne; Crowe, Kathryn; Masso, Sarah; Baker, Elise; McCormack, Jane; Wren, Yvonne; Roulstone, Susan; Howland, Charlotte

2017-01-01

Speech sound disorders are a common communication difficulty in preschool children. Teachers indicate difficulty identifying and supporting these children. The aim of this research was to describe speech and language characteristics of children identified by their parents and/or teachers as having possible communication concerns. 275 Australian 4-…

Electrophysiological and Kinematic Correlates of Communicative Intent in the Planning and Production of Pointing Gestures and Speech.

PubMed

Peeters, David; Chu, Mingyuan; Holler, Judith; Hagoort, Peter; Özyürek, Aslı

2015-12-01

In everyday human communication, we often express our communicative intentions by manually pointing out referents in the material world around us to an addressee, often in tight synchronization with referential speech. This study investigated whether and how the kinematic form of index finger pointing gestures is shaped by the gesturer's communicative intentions and how this is modulated by the presence of concurrently produced speech. Furthermore, we explored the neural mechanisms underpinning the planning of communicative pointing gestures and speech. Two experiments were carried out in which participants pointed at referents for an addressee while the informativeness of their gestures and speech was varied. Kinematic and electrophysiological data were recorded online. It was found that participants prolonged the duration of the stroke and poststroke hold phase of their gesture to be more communicative, in particular when the gesture was carrying the main informational burden in their multimodal utterance. Frontal and P300 effects in the ERPs suggested the importance of intentional and modality-independent attentional mechanisms during the planning phase of informative pointing gestures. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the complex interplay between action, attention, intention, and language in the production of pointing gestures, a communicative act core to human interaction.

Alignment of classification paradigms for communication abilities in children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Hustad, Katherine C; Oakes, Ashley; McFadd, Emily; Allison, Kristen M

2016-06-01

We examined three communication ability classification paradigms for children with cerebral palsy (CP): the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS), the Viking Speech Scale (VSS), and the Speech Language Profile Groups (SLPG). Questions addressed interjudge reliability, whether the VSS and the CFCS captured impairments in speech and language, and whether there were differences in speech intelligibility among levels within each classification paradigm. Eighty children (42 males, 38 females) with a range of types and severity levels of CP participated (mean age 60mo, range 50-72mo [SD 5mo]). Two speech-language pathologists classified each child via parent-child interaction samples and previous experience with the children for the CFCS and VSS, and using quantitative speech and language assessment data for the SLPG. Intelligibility scores were obtained using standard clinical intelligibility measurement. Kappa values were 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55-0.79) for the CFCS, 0.82 (95% CI 0.72-0.92) for the VSS, and 0.95 (95% CI 0.72-0.92) for the SLPG. Descriptively, reliability within levels of each paradigm varied, with the lowest agreement occurring within the CFCS at levels II (42%), III (40%), and IV (61%). Neither the CFCS nor the VSS were sensitive to language impairments captured by the SLPG. Significant differences in speech intelligibility were found among levels for all classification paradigms. Multiple tools are necessary to understand speech, language, and communication profiles in children with CP. Characterization of abilities at all levels of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health will advance our understanding of the ways that speech, language, and communication abilities present in children with CP. © 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Communicative signals support abstract rule learning by 7-month-old infants

PubMed Central

Ferguson, Brock; Lew-Williams, Casey

2016-01-01

The mechanisms underlying the discovery of abstract rules like those found in natural language may be evolutionarily tuned to speech, according to previous research. When infants hear speech sounds, they can learn rules that govern their combination, but when they hear non-speech sounds such as sine-wave tones, they fail to do so. Here we show that infants’ rule learning is not tied to speech per se, but is instead enhanced more broadly by communicative signals. In two experiments, infants succeeded in learning and generalizing rules from tones that were introduced as if they could be used to communicate. In two control experiments, infants failed to learn the very same rules when familiarized to tones outside of a communicative exchange. These results reveal that infants’ attention to social agents and communication catalyzes a fundamental achievement of human learning. PMID:27150270

Self-help and help-seeking for communication disability in Ghana: implications for the development of communication disability rehabilitation services.

PubMed

Wylie, Karen; McAllister, Lindy; Davidson, Bronwyn; Marshall, Julie; Amponsah, Clement; Bampoe, Josephine Ohenewa

2017-12-29

In low and middle-income countries, such as Ghana, communication disability is poorly recognised and rehabilitation services for people with communication disability are limited. As rehabilitation services for communication disability develop, and the profession of speech-language pathology grows, it is important to consider how services can most appropriately respond to the needs and preferences of the community. Understanding the ways in which people currently self-help and seek help for communication disability is central to developing services that build on existing local practices and are relevant to the community. A qualitative descriptive survey was used to explore likely self-help and help-seeking behaviours for communication disability, in Accra, Ghana. The survey required participants to describe responses to hypothetical scenarios related to communication disability. A mix of theoretical sampling and convenience sampling was used. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data and develop categories and subcategories of reported self-help behaviours and sources of help and advice for communication disability. One hundred and thirty-six participants completed the survey. Results indicated that community members would be likely to engage in a variety self-help strategies in response to communication disability. These included working directly with a person with a communication disability to attempt to remediate a communication impairment, altering physical and communication environments, changing attitudes or care practices, educating themselves about the communication disability, providing resources, and responding in spiritual ways. Participants indicated that they would seek help for communication disability across a range of sectors - including the Western healthcare, religious, and traditional sectors. Understanding existing community actions to self-help and help-seek may allow emerging communication rehabilitation services, including the profession of speech-language pathology, to build on existing community practices in resource-limited contexts such as Ghana.

The Speech multi features fusion perceptual hash algorithm based on tensor decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Y. B.; Fan, M. H.; Zhang, Q. Y.

2018-03-01

With constant progress in modern speech communication technologies, the speech data is prone to be attacked by the noise or maliciously tampered. In order to make the speech perception hash algorithm has strong robustness and high efficiency, this paper put forward a speech perception hash algorithm based on the tensor decomposition and multi features is proposed. This algorithm analyses the speech perception feature acquires each speech component wavelet packet decomposition. LPCC, LSP and ISP feature of each speech component are extracted to constitute the speech feature tensor. Speech authentication is done by generating the hash values through feature matrix quantification which use mid-value. Experimental results showing that the proposed algorithm is robust for content to maintain operations compared with similar algorithms. It is able to resist the attack of the common background noise. Also, the algorithm is highly efficiency in terms of arithmetic, and is able to meet the real-time requirements of speech communication and complete the speech authentication quickly.

Acoustic Differences between Humorous and Sincere Communicative Intentions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoicka, Elena; Gattis, Merideth

2012-01-01

Previous studies indicate that the acoustic features of speech discriminate between positive and negative communicative intentions, such as approval and prohibition. Two studies investigated whether acoustic features of speech can discriminate between two positive communicative intentions: humour and sweet-sincerity, where sweet-sincerity involved…

Applications for Subvocal Speech

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jorgensen, Charles; Betts, Bradley

2007-01-01

A research and development effort now underway is directed toward the use of subvocal speech for communication in settings in which (1) acoustic noise could interfere excessively with ordinary vocal communication and/or (2) acoustic silence or secrecy of communication is required. By "subvocal speech" is meant sub-audible electromyographic (EMG) signals, associated with speech, that are acquired from the surface of the larynx and lingual areas of the throat. Topics addressed in this effort include recognition of the sub-vocal EMG signals that represent specific original words or phrases; transformation (including encoding and/or enciphering) of the signals into forms that are less vulnerable to distortion, degradation, and/or interception; and reconstruction of the original words or phrases at the receiving end of a communication link. Potential applications include ordinary verbal communications among hazardous- material-cleanup workers in protective suits, workers in noisy environments, divers, and firefighters, and secret communications among law-enforcement officers and military personnel in combat and other confrontational situations.

My speech problem, your listening problem, and my frustration: the experience of living with childhood speech impairment.

PubMed

McCormack, Jane; McLeod, Sharynne; McAllister, Lindy; Harrison, Linda J

2010-10-01

The purpose of this article was to understand the experience of speech impairment (speech sound disorders) in everyday life as described by children with speech impairment and their communication partners. Interviews were undertaken with 13 preschool children with speech impairment (mild to severe) and 21 significant others (family members and teachers). A phenomenological analysis of the interview transcripts revealed 2 global themes regarding the experience of living with speech impairment for these children and their families. The first theme encompassed the problems experienced by participants, namely (a) the child's inability to "speak properly," (b) the communication partner's failure to "listen properly," and (c) frustration caused by the speaking and listening problems. The second theme described the solutions participants used to overcome the problems. Solutions included (a) strategies to improve the child's speech accuracy (e.g., home practice, speech-language pathology) and (b) strategies to improve the listener's understanding (e.g., using gestures, repetition). Both short- and long-term solutions were identified. Successful communication is dependent on the skills of speakers and listeners. Intervention with children who experience speech impairment needs to reflect this reciprocity by supporting both the speaker and the listener and by addressing the frustration they experience.

The Effects of Home-Based Literacy Activities on the Communication of Students with Severe Speech and Motor Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Amy Swartz; Clark, Denise M.; Skoning, Stacey N.; Wegner, Theresa M.; Muwana, Florence C.

2015-01-01

This study examined the effects of using sensory, augmentative, and alternative communication (AAC), and supportive communication strategies on the rate and type of communication used by three students with severe speech and motor impairments (SSMI). Using a multiple baseline across behaviour design with sensory and AAC intervention phases,…

Free Speech Yearbook: 1972.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tedford, Thomas L., Ed.

This book is a collection of essays on free speech issues and attitudes, compiled by the Commission on Freedom of Speech of the Speech Communication Association. Four articles focus on freedom of speech in classroom situations as follows: a philosophic view of teaching free speech, effects of a course on free speech on student attitudes,…

O-I-C: An Orality-Based Procedure for Teaching Interactive Communication in the Basic Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, W. Lance

In order to improve instruction in basic speech courses, a program was developed adapting creative problem solving to speech preparation and to interactive speech communication. The program, called O-I-C--Orientation, Incubation, and Composition--and based on Howell's five levels of competence and their implications, begins with a thorough study…

Selected Speeches on Obscenity by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Dean Burch, 1969-74.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartenberger, Karen Schmidt

This study is a descriptive/historical account focusing on the obscenity issue and the selected manuscript speeches of Dean Burch while he served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from October 1969 to March 1974. Research centers on the speaker and the specific manuscript speeches, considering the timeliness and…

Comparative Efficacy of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) versus a Speech-Generating Device: Effects on Requesting Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boesch, Miriam C.; Wendt, Oliver; Subramanian, Anu; Hsu, Ning

2013-01-01

An experimental, single-subject research study investigated the comparative efficacy of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) versus a speech-generating device (SGD) in developing requesting skills for three elementary-age children with severe autism and little to no functional speech. Results demonstrated increases in requesting…

An Empirical Investigation of Mode of Delivery, Ratings of Speech Characteristics, and Perceptions of Speaking Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vallin, Marlene Boyd

A study tested those theories upon which instruction and curriculum in speech and public communication are based. The study investigated the relationship of mode of delivery on ratings of individual speech characteristics as well as the relationship of these perceptions of effectiveness in a public communication setting. Twenty-four videotapes of…

Acoustics in human communication: evolving ideas about the nature of speech.

PubMed

Cooper, F S

1980-07-01

This paper discusses changes in attitude toward the nature of speech during the past half century. After reviewing early views on the subject, it considers the role of speech spectrograms, speech articulation, speech perception, messages and computers, and the nature of fluent speech.

Mode of Communication, Perceived Level of Understanding, and Perceived Quality of Life in Youth Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

PubMed Central

Kushalnagar, P.; Topolski, T. D.; Schick, B.; Edwards, T. C.; Skalicky, A. M.; Patrick, D. L.

2011-01-01

Given the important role of parent–youth communication in adolescent well-being and quality of life, we sought to examine the relationship between specific communication variables and youth perceived quality of life in general and as a deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) individual. A convenience sample of 230 youth (mean age = 14.1, standard deviation = 2.2; 24% used sign only, 40% speech only, and 36% sign + speech) was surveyed on communication-related issues, generic and DHH-specific quality of life, and depression symptoms. Higher youth perception of their ability to understand parents’ communication was significantly correlated with perceived quality of life as well as lower reported depressive symptoms and lower perceived stigma. Youth who use speech as their single mode of communication were more likely to report greater stigma associated with being DHH than youth who used both speech and sign. These findings demonstrate the importance of youths’ perceptions of communication with their parents on generic and DHH-specific youth quality of life. PMID:21536686

Communication Effectiveness of Individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Laura J.; Beukelman, David R.; Pattee, Gary L.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among speech intelligibility and communication effectiveness as rated by speakers and their listeners. Participants completed procedures to measure (a) speech intelligibility, (b) self-perceptions of communication effectiveness, and (c) listener (spouse or family member) perceptions of…

When silence is not golden: an integrated approach to selective mutism.

PubMed

McInnes, Alison; Manassis, Katharina

2005-08-01

Selective mutism (SM) is a rare disorder that is associated with both anxiety and communication impairments. Preliminary evidence suggests that educational attainment and development of social skills and self-esteem may be affected by SM in a significant proportion of cases. There is a critical need for cross-disciplinary research from the fields of speech-language pathology, psychiatry, and clinical psychology to develop protocols for assessing language and cognitive functioning in children with SM and developing interventions that address psychiatric, communicative, and social aspects of this disorder.

Walking the talk--speech activates the leg motor cortex.

PubMed

Liuzzi, Gianpiero; Ellger, Tanja; Flöel, Agnes; Breitenstein, Caterina; Jansen, Andreas; Knecht, Stefan

2008-09-01

Speech may have evolved from earlier modes of communication based on gestures. Consistent with such a motor theory of speech, cortical orofacial and hand motor areas are activated by both speech production and speech perception. However, the extent of speech-related activation of the motor cortex remains unclear. Therefore, we examined if reading and listening to continuous prose also activates non-brachiofacial motor representations like the leg motor cortex. We found corticospinal excitability of bilateral leg muscle representations to be enhanced by speech production and silent reading. Control experiments showed that speech production yielded stronger facilitation of the leg motor system than non-verbal tongue-mouth mobilization and silent reading more than a visuo-attentional task thus indicating speech-specificity of the effect. In the frame of the motor theory of speech this finding suggests that the system of gestural communication, from which speech may have evolved, is not confined to the hand but includes gestural movements of other body parts as well.

College Perspective '77: Confrontation or Collegiality. Proceedings, Annual International Institute on the Community College (8th, Lambton College, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, June 13-16, 1977).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delgrosso, George M., Ed.; And Others

Papers and addresses on aspects of confrontation affecting community college productivity and viability are presented. Keynote speeches include: "Learning to Live While Learning to Make a Living" by George J. Bullied; "Communication and Collegiality" by Charles M. Galloway; "Is Education the One Profession Immune to…

Social-Emotional Challenges Experienced by Students Who Function with Mild and Moderate Hearing Loss in Educational Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalton, C. J.

2011-01-01

Mild or moderate hearing loss (MMHL) is a communication disability that impacts speech and language development and academic performance. Students with MMHL also have threats to their social-emotional well-being and self-identity formation, and are at risk for psychosocial deficits related to cognitive fatigue, isolation, and bullying. While the…

Randomized Controlled Trial of Supplemental Augmentative and Alternative Communication versus Voice Rest Alone after Phonomicrosurgery

PubMed Central

Rousseau, Bernard; Gutmann, Michelle L.; Mau, I-fan Theodore; Francis, David O.; Johnson, Jeffrey P.; Novaleski, Carolyn K.; Vinson, Kimberly N.; Garrett, C. Gaelyn

2015-01-01

Objective This randomized trial investigated voice rest and supplemental text-to-speech communication versus voice rest alone on visual analog scale measures of communication effectiveness and magnitude of voice use. Study Design Randomized clinical trial. Setting Multicenter outpatient voice clinics. Subjects Thirty-seven patients undergoing phonomicrosurgery. Methods Patients undergoing phonomicrosurgery were randomized to voice rest and supplemental text-to-speech communication or voice rest alone. The primary outcome measure was the impact of voice rest on ability to communicate effectively over a seven-day period. Pre- and post-operative magnitude of voice use was also measured as an observational outcome. Results Patients randomized to voice rest and supplemental text-to-speech communication reported higher median communication effectiveness on each post-operative day compared to those randomized to voice rest alone, with significantly higher median communication effectiveness on post-operative day 3 (p = 0.03) and 5 (p = 0.01). Magnitude of voice use did not differ on any pre-operative (p > 0.05) or post-operative day (p > 0.05), nor did patients significantly decrease voice use as the surgery date approached (p > 0.05). However, there was a significant reduction in median voice use pre- to post-operatively across patients (p < 0.001) with median voice use ranging from 0–3 throughout the post-operative week. Conclusion Supplemental text-to-speech communication increased patient perceived communication effectiveness on post-operative days 3 and 5 over voice rest alone. With the prevalence of smartphones and the widespread use of text messaging, supplemental text-to-speech communication may provide an accessible and cost-effective communication option for patients on vocal restrictions. PMID:25605690

75 FR 5794 - Notice of Public Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-04

... Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities; IP Captioned Telephone..., the Commission released Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CC Docket No. 98-67, Declaratory Ruling, published at 68 FR...

Beyond Truth-Telling: The Credo and Public Speaking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tompkins, Paula S.

The communication discipline is ambivalent about public speaking. Even accomplished speakers experience ambivalence in the rush of adrenaline before presenting a speech--knowing its importance yet wondering if they have prepared a speech which is fitting for this audience and occasion. The communication discipline studies communication in a broad…

Cerebral Palsy and Communication--What Parents Can Do.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golbin, Arlene, Ed.

Intended for parents of cerebral palsied children, the manual discusses special communication problems that often accompany the condition, and describes various strategies for helping such children communicate. A chapter on positioning for speech diagrams 14 different positions to help facilitate better functioning in many areas, including speech.…

Speech Communication and Communication Processes: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," April and May 1978 (Vol. 38 Nos. 10 and 11).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 25 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: the nature of creativity in advertising communication; speech communication difficulties of international professors; rhetorical arguments regarding the…

STI: An objective measure for the performance of voice communication systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houtgast, T.; Steeneken, H. J. M.

1981-06-01

A measuring device was developed for determining the quality of speech communication systems. It comprises two parts, a signal source which replaces the talker, producing an artificial speech-like signal, and an analysis part which replaces the listener, by which the signal at the receiving end of the system under test is evaluated. Each single measurement results in an index (ranging from 0-100%) which indicates the effect of that communication system on speech intelligibility. The index is called STI (Speech Transmission Index). A careful design of the characteristics of the test signal and of the type of signal analysis makes the present approach widely applicable. It was verified experimentally that a given STI implies a given effect on speech intelligibility, irrespective of the nature of the actual disturbance (noise interference, band-pass limiting, peak clipping, etc.).

Visual Speech Fills in Both Discrimination and Identification of Non-Intact Auditory Speech in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jerger, Susan; Damian, Markus F.; McAlpine, Rachel P.; Abdi, Herve

2018-01-01

To communicate, children must discriminate and identify speech sounds. Because visual speech plays an important role in this process, we explored how visual speech influences phoneme discrimination and identification by children. Critical items had intact visual speech (e.g. baez) coupled to non-intact (excised onsets) auditory speech (signified…

A voice-input voice-output communication aid for people with severe speech impairment.

PubMed

Hawley, Mark S; Cunningham, Stuart P; Green, Phil D; Enderby, Pam; Palmer, Rebecca; Sehgal, Siddharth; O'Neill, Peter

2013-01-01

A new form of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device for people with severe speech impairment-the voice-input voice-output communication aid (VIVOCA)-is described. The VIVOCA recognizes the disordered speech of the user and builds messages, which are converted into synthetic speech. System development was carried out employing user-centered design and development methods, which identified and refined key requirements for the device. A novel methodology for building small vocabulary, speaker-dependent automatic speech recognizers with reduced amounts of training data, was applied. Experiments showed that this method is successful in generating good recognition performance (mean accuracy 96%) on highly disordered speech, even when recognition perplexity is increased. The selected message-building technique traded off various factors including speed of message construction and range of available message outputs. The VIVOCA was evaluated in a field trial by individuals with moderate to severe dysarthria and confirmed that they can make use of the device to produce intelligible speech output from disordered speech input. The trial highlighted some issues which limit the performance and usability of the device when applied in real usage situations, with mean recognition accuracy of 67% in these circumstances. These limitations will be addressed in future work.

Development of a Low-Cost, Noninvasive, Portable Visual Speech Recognition Program.

PubMed

Kohlberg, Gavriel D; Gal, Ya'akov Kobi; Lalwani, Anil K

2016-09-01

Loss of speech following tracheostomy and laryngectomy severely limits communication to simple gestures and facial expressions that are largely ineffective. To facilitate communication in these patients, we seek to develop a low-cost, noninvasive, portable, and simple visual speech recognition program (VSRP) to convert articulatory facial movements into speech. A Microsoft Kinect-based VSRP was developed to capture spatial coordinates of lip movements and translate them into speech. The articulatory speech movements associated with 12 sentences were used to train an artificial neural network classifier. The accuracy of the classifier was then evaluated on a separate, previously unseen set of articulatory speech movements. The VSRP was successfully implemented and tested in 5 subjects. It achieved an accuracy rate of 77.2% (65.0%-87.6% for the 5 speakers) on a 12-sentence data set. The mean time to classify an individual sentence was 2.03 milliseconds (1.91-2.16). We have demonstrated the feasibility of a low-cost, noninvasive, portable VSRP based on Kinect to accurately predict speech from articulation movements in clinically trivial time. This VSRP could be used as a novel communication device for aphonic patients. © The Author(s) 2016.

Profiling Early Socio-Communicative Development in Five Young Girls with the Preserved Speech Variant of Rett Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marschik, Peter B.; Kaufmann, Walter E.; Einspieler, Christa; Bartl-Pokorny, Katrin D.; Wolin, Thomas; Pini, Giorgio; Budimirovic, Dejan B.; Zappella, Michele; Sigafoos, Jeff

2012-01-01

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a developmental disorder characterized by regression of purposeful hand skills and spoken language, although some affected children retain some ability to speech. We assessed the communicative abilities of five young girls, who were later diagnosed with the preserved speech variant of RTT, during the pre-regression period…

Team Training through Communications Control

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

training * operational environment * team training research issues * training approach * team communications * models of operator beharior e...on the market soon, it certainly would be investigated carefully for its applicability to the team training problem. ce A text-to-speech voice...generation system. Votrax has recently marketed such a device, and others may soon follow suit. ’ d. A speech replay system designed to produce speech from

The Impact of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Intervention on the Speech Production of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: A Research Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millar, Diane C.; Light, Janice C.; Schlosser, Ralf W.

2006-01-01

Purpose: This article presents the results of a meta-analysis to determine the effect of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) on the speech production of individuals with developmental disabilities. Method: A comprehensive search of the literature published between 1975 and 2003, which included data on speech production before, during,…

Early speech development in Koolen de Vries syndrome limited by oral praxis and hypotonia.

PubMed

Morgan, Angela T; Haaften, Leenke van; van Hulst, Karen; Edley, Carol; Mei, Cristina; Tan, Tiong Yang; Amor, David; Fisher, Simon E; Koolen, David A

2018-01-01

Communication disorder is common in Koolen de Vries syndrome (KdVS), yet its specific symptomatology has not been examined, limiting prognostic counselling and application of targeted therapies. Here we examine the communication phenotype associated with KdVS. Twenty-nine participants (12 males, 4 with KANSL1 variants, 25 with 17q21.31 microdeletion), aged 1.0-27.0 years were assessed for oral-motor, speech, language, literacy, and social functioning. Early history included hypotonia and feeding difficulties. Speech and language development was delayed and atypical from onset of first words (2; 5-3; 5 years of age on average). Speech was characterised by apraxia (100%) and dysarthria (93%), with stuttering in some (17%). Speech therapy and multi-modal communication (e.g., sign-language) was critical in preschool. Receptive and expressive language abilities were typically commensurate (79%), both being severely affected relative to peers. Children were sociable with a desire to communicate, although some (36%) had pragmatic impairments in domains, where higher-level language was required. A common phenotype was identified, including an overriding 'double hit' of oral hypotonia and apraxia in infancy and preschool, associated with severely delayed speech development. Remarkably however, speech prognosis was positive; apraxia resolved, and although dysarthria persisted, children were intelligible by mid-to-late childhood. In contrast, language and literacy deficits persisted, and pragmatic deficits were apparent. Children with KdVS require early, intensive, speech motor and language therapy, with targeted literacy and social language interventions as developmentally appropriate. Greater understanding of the linguistic phenotype may help unravel the relevance of KANSL1 to child speech and language development.

Alternative Speech Communication System for Persons with Severe Speech Disorders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selouani, Sid-Ahmed; Sidi Yakoub, Mohammed; O'Shaughnessy, Douglas

2009-12-01

Assistive speech-enabled systems are proposed to help both French and English speaking persons with various speech disorders. The proposed assistive systems use automatic speech recognition (ASR) and speech synthesis in order to enhance the quality of communication. These systems aim at improving the intelligibility of pathologic speech making it as natural as possible and close to the original voice of the speaker. The resynthesized utterances use new basic units, a new concatenating algorithm and a grafting technique to correct the poorly pronounced phonemes. The ASR responses are uttered by the new speech synthesis system in order to convey an intelligible message to listeners. Experiments involving four American speakers with severe dysarthria and two Acadian French speakers with sound substitution disorders (SSDs) are carried out to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methods. An improvement of the Perceptual Evaluation of the Speech Quality (PESQ) value of 5% and more than 20% is achieved by the speech synthesis systems that deal with SSD and dysarthria, respectively.

Perceived Liveliness and Speech Comprehensibility in Aphasia: The Effects of Direct Speech in Auditory Narratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groenewold, Rimke; Bastiaanse, Roelien; Nickels, Lyndsey; Huiskes, Mike

2014-01-01

Background: Previous studies have shown that in semi-spontaneous speech, individuals with Broca's and anomic aphasia produce relatively many direct speech constructions. It has been claimed that in "healthy" communication direct speech constructions contribute to the liveliness, and indirectly to the comprehensibility, of speech.…

TEACHER'S GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

JENKINSON, EDWARD B., ED.

THIS GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH FOCUSES ON SPEECH AS ORAL COMPOSITION, STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEAR THINKING AND COMMUNICATION. THE PROPOSED 1-SEMESTER BASIC COURSE IN SPEECH ATTEMPTS TO IMPROVE THE STUDENT'S ABILITY TO COMPOSE AND DELIVER SPEECHES, TO THINK AND LISTEN CRITICALLY, AND TO UNDERSTAND THE SOCIAL FUNCTION OF SPEECH. IN ADDITION…

Teaching interprofessional collaboration: using online education across institutions.

PubMed

Myers, Christine Teeters; O'Brien, Shirley Peganoff

2015-04-01

Interdisciplinary courses among students in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology are important for addressing teamwork, communication, and understanding of professional roles, especially in pre-service training for early intervention and school-based practice where collaboration is essential. Although interprofessional education (IPE) as a part of higher education in the health sciences has been strongly encouraged, IPE courses are difficult to schedule and implement. This article discusses the challenges of developing and delivering two IPE courses in an online format, specifically the innovation that addresses logistics, time factors, and social presence for the IPE courses across two institutions.

Technological evaluation of gesture and speech interfaces for enabling dismounted soldier-robot dialogue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kattoju, Ravi Kiran; Barber, Daniel J.; Abich, Julian; Harris, Jonathan

2016-05-01

With increasing necessity for intuitive Soldier-robot communication in military operations and advancements in interactive technologies, autonomous robots have transitioned from assistance tools to functional and operational teammates able to service an array of military operations. Despite improvements in gesture and speech recognition technologies, their effectiveness in supporting Soldier-robot communication is still uncertain. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the performance of gesture and speech interface technologies to facilitate Soldier-robot communication during a spatial-navigation task with an autonomous robot. Gesture and speech semantically based spatial-navigation commands leveraged existing lexicons for visual and verbal communication from the U.S Army field manual for visual signaling and a previously established Squad Level Vocabulary (SLV). Speech commands were recorded by a Lapel microphone and Microsoft Kinect, and classified by commercial off-the-shelf automatic speech recognition (ASR) software. Visual signals were captured and classified using a custom wireless gesture glove and software. Participants in the experiment commanded a robot to complete a simulated ISR mission in a scaled down urban scenario by delivering a sequence of gesture and speech commands, both individually and simultaneously, to the robot. Performance and reliability of gesture and speech hardware interfaces and recognition tools were analyzed and reported. Analysis of experimental results demonstrated the employed gesture technology has significant potential for enabling bidirectional Soldier-robot team dialogue based on the high classification accuracy and minimal training required to perform gesture commands.

Is There a Right Ear Advantage in Congenital Aural Atresia?

PubMed

Reed, Robert; Hubbard, Matthew; Kesser, Bradley W

2016-12-01

To compare speech/language development and academic progress between children with right versus left congenital aural atresia (CAA). Case control survey and review of audiometric data. Tertiary care academic practice. Children with unilateral CAA. Demographic and audiometric data; rates of grade retention, use of any hearing or learning resource, and behavioral problems. No significant differences in grade retention rate, utilization of amplification, speech language therapy, use of an individualized education program, or frequency modulated system were found between children with right versus left CAA. Children with left CAA were significantly more likely to be enrolled in special education programs (p = 0.026). Differences in reported communication problems approached significance with more difficulty noted in the right ear group (p = 0.059). Left CAA patients were also more likely to have reported behavioral problems (p = 0.0039). Contrary to the hypothesis that a normal hearing right ear confers a language advantage in patients with unilateral hearing loss, children with left CAA (normal right ear) were statistically more likely to be enrolled in a special education program and have behavioral problems. Reported communication problems were more common in right CAA patients, but this did not reach statistical significance. No differences were found in use of amplification, frequency modulated system, individualized education program, or grade retention. Further investigation of both the clinical implications and underlying psychoacoustics of unilateral hearing loss and the identification and habilitation of "at risk" unilateral hearing loss children is warranted.

An overview of neural function and feedback control in human communication.

PubMed

Hood, L J

1998-01-01

The speech and hearing mechanisms depend on accurate sensory information and intact feedback mechanisms to facilitate communication. This article provides a brief overview of some components of the nervous system important for human communication and some electrophysiological methods used to measure cortical function in humans. An overview of automatic control and feedback mechanisms in general and as they pertain to the speech motor system and control of the hearing periphery is also presented, along with a discussion of how the speech and auditory systems interact.

Speech and Language Therapists' Approaches to Communication Intervention with Children and Adults with Profound and Multiple Learning Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldbart, Juliet; Chadwick, Darren; Buell, Susan

2014-01-01

Background: People with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PMLD) have communication impairments as one defining characteristic. Aims: To explore speech and language therapists' (SLTs) decision making in communication interventions for people with PMLD, in terms of the intervention approaches used, the factors informing the decisions…

The Status of Ethics Scholarship in Speech Communication Journals from 1915 to 1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnett, Ronald C.

To examine the theoretical status of ethics scholarship and to explore the historical and present directions of ethics in human communication research, this paper reviews more than 100 articles drawn from the speech communication literature. Following a brief introduction that sets forth the criteria for article selection, the paper discusses…

Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Speech-Generating Devices: Communication in Different Activities at Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thunberg, Gunilla; Ahlsen, Elisabeth; Sandberg, Annika Dahlgren

2007-01-01

The communication of four children with autistic spectrum disorder was investigated when they were supplied with a speech-generating device (SGD) in three different activities in their home environment: mealtime, story reading and "sharing experiences of the preschool day". An activity based communication analysis, in which collective and…

Hearing loss: terminology and classification. Joint Committee of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Council on Education of the Deaf.

PubMed

1998-01-01

The following position statement and technical report were developed by the Joint Committee of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) and approved as Association policy by the ASHA Legislative Council in November 1997 (LC 6-97). CED member organizations are reviewing the document for approval in 1998. Joint Committee members responsible for the development of this document include (from ASHA) Joan Marttila, chair 1996-97; Linda Seestedt-Stanford, chair 1994-95; Evelyn Cherow, ex official; Donald Goldberg; Dawna Lewis; Leslie Ann McMillian; Jane Seaton; Alicia Stewart; and Larry Higdon, vice president for professional practices in audiology and monitoring vice president; and (from CED) Kathee Christensen; Steve Nover; Marilyn Sass-Lehrer; and Patrick Stone. This document supersedes ASHA policy: Definitions of Communication Disorders and Variations: Hearing Disorders section.

The Levels of Speech Usage Rating Scale: Comparison of Client Self-Ratings with Speech Pathologist Ratings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Christina; Baylor, Carolyn; Eadie, Tanya; Kendall, Diane; Yorkston, Kathryn

2012-01-01

Background: The term "speech usage" refers to what people want or need to do with their speech to fulfil the communication demands in their life roles. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) need to know about clients' speech usage to plan appropriate interventions to meet their life participation goals. The Levels of Speech Usage is a…

Education of speech-language pathologists and audiologists in Brazil.

PubMed

Behlau, Mara; Gasparini, Gisele

2006-01-01

The field of speech-language pathology (SLP) in Brazil, named 'fonoaudiologia', comprises both a therapeutic approach to communication disorders and audiology and was officially recognized on December 9, 1981 (law No. 6965). University programs exist since the 1960s. The undergraduate level is a 4-year honors Bachelor of Science program and requires at least a 3,700 h of coursework. Since 1996 four areas of specialization were established: language, audiology, voice and oral myology, requiring a minimum of 500 h of course. Graduate programs in the narrower sense,master's degree and doctorate, exist since the 1970s. Brazil is a 180-million inhabitant country with approximately 25,000 speech-language pathologists, of which 2,700 are specialists, 800 masters and 210 doctors. There are almost 100 undergraduate programs and 70 specialization courses; however, for master's degree and doctorate purposes there are only 8. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Speech pathologists' experiences with stroke clinical practice guidelines and the barriers and facilitators influencing their use: a national descriptive study.

PubMed

Hadely, Kathleen A; Power, Emma; O'Halloran, Robyn

2014-03-06

Communication and swallowing disorders are a common consequence of stroke. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been created to assist health professionals to put research evidence into clinical practice and can improve stroke care outcomes. However, CPGs are often not successfully implemented in clinical practice and research is needed to explore the factors that influence speech pathologists' implementation of stroke CPGs. This study aimed to describe speech pathologists' experiences and current use of guidelines, and to identify what factors influence speech pathologists' implementation of stroke CPGs. Speech pathologists working in stroke rehabilitation who had used a stroke CPG were invited to complete a 39-item online survey. Content analysis and descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. 320 participants from all states and territories of Australia were surveyed. Almost all speech pathologists had used a stroke CPG and had found the guideline "somewhat useful" or "very useful". Factors that speech pathologists perceived influenced CPG implementation included the: (a) guideline itself, (b) work environment, (c) aspects related to the speech pathologist themselves, (d) patient characteristics, and (e) types of implementation strategies provided. There are many different factors that can influence speech pathologists' implementation of CPGs. The factors that influenced the implementation of CPGs can be understood in terms of knowledge creation and implementation frameworks. Speech pathologists should continue to adapt the stroke CPG to their local work environment and evaluate their use. To enhance guideline implementation, they may benefit from a combination of educational meetings and resources, outreach visits, support from senior colleagues, and audit and feedback strategies.

An Analysis of the Ethical Groundwork of Franklyn Haiman's "Speech and Law in a Free Society."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersen, Kenneth E.

A quick reading of Franklyn Haiman's writings on ethics and free speech would suggest many disparities in his early conception of the ethical communicator and in his conception of free speech and the activity it allows in a democracy. In the material on ethics, Haiman addresses the ideal of how people ought to communicate with others in an ethical…

School Leavers with Learning Disabilities Moving from Child to Adult Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Teams: SLTs' Views of Successful and Less Successful Transition Co-Working Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCartney, Elspeth; Muir, Margaret

2017-01-01

School-leaving for pupils with long-term speech, language, swallowing or communication difficulties requires careful management. Speech and language therapists (SLTs) support communication, secure assistive technology and manage swallowing difficulties post-school. UK SLTs are employed by health services, with child SLT teams based in schools.…

Age-Related Changes in Preschoolers' Ability to Communicate Using Iconic Gestures in the Absence of Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasc, Dermina; Miclea, Mircea

2018-01-01

Iconic gestures illustrate complex meanings and clarify and enrich the speech they accompany. Little is known, however, about how children use iconic gestures in the absence of speech. In this study, we used a cross-sectional design to investigate how 3-, 4- and 5-year-old children (N = 51) communicate using pantomime iconic gestures. Children…

"Brief report: increase in production of spoken words in some children with autism after PECS teaching to Phase III".

PubMed

Carr, Deborah; Felce, Janet

2007-04-01

The context for this work was an evaluation study [Carr, D., & Felce, J. A. (in press)] of the early phases of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) [Frost, L. A., & Bondy, A. S. (1994). The picture exchange communication system training manual. Cherry Hill, NJ: Pyramid Educational Consultants, Inc.; Frost, L. A., & Bondy, A. S. (2004). The picture exchange communication system training manual, 2nd edn. Newark, DE: Pyramid Educational Consultants, Inc.]. This paper reports that five of 24 children who received 15 h of PECS teaching towards Phase III over a period of 4-5 weeks, showed concomitant increases in speech production, either in initiating communication with staff or in responding, or both. No children in the PECS group demonstrated a decrease in spoken words after receiving PECS teaching. In the control group, only one of 17 children demonstrated a minimal increase and four of 17 children demonstrated a decrease in use of spoken words after a similar period without PECS teaching.

[Restoring of the speech functions in patients with aphasia in the early rehabilitation period of ischemic stroke].

PubMed

Kotov, S V; Belova, Yu A; Shcherbakova, M M; Chervinskaya, A D; Isakova, E V; Volchenkova, T V

To study the efficacy of combined therapy including daily sessions and two 10-day injections of the drug cellex in patients with aphasia in the early rehabilitation period of ischemic stroke (II). Forty patients in the early rehabilitation period of II in the basin of the left middle cerebral artery with moderate to severe aphasia were studied. Twenty patients received combined therapy, including daily sessions with a speech therapist-aphasiologist within 10 days using the improved method, then a self-study using educational materials and two 10-day injections of cellex. Other 20 patients received only speech therapy. To assess the efficacy of therapy, the automated "Program of examination of patients with aphasia", Goodglass-Kaplan scale, modified Rankin scale were used. There was a significant improvement of speech functions, communicative abilities and functional recovery (p<0.01) in patients of both groups. However, a significantly greater level of rehabilitation (p<0.05) was noted in patients treated with combined therapy included two courses of cellex. The results allow to recommend the inclusion of cellex in the complex rehabilitation of patients with post-stroke speech disorders.

"… Trial and error …": Speech-language pathologists' perspectives of working with Indigenous Australian adults with acquired communication disorders.

PubMed

Cochrane, Frances Clare; Brown, Louise; Siyambalapitiya, Samantha; Plant, Christopher

2016-10-01

This study explored speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) perspectives about factors that influence clinical management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults with acquired communication disorders (e.g. aphasia, motor speech disorders). Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, seven SLPs working in North Queensland, Australia with experience working with this population participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify categories and overarching themes within the data. Four categories, in relation to barriers and facilitators, were identified from participants' responses: (1) The Practice Context; (2) Working Together; (3) Client Factors; and (4) Speech-Language Pathologist Factors. Three overarching themes were also found to influence effective speech pathology services: (1) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Practices; (2) Information and Communication; and (3) Time. This study identified many complex and inter-related factors which influenced SLPs' effective clinical management of this caseload. The findings suggest that SLPs should employ a flexible, holistic and collaborative approach in order to facilitate effective clinical management with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with acquired communication disorders.

Exploratory investigation of communication management in residential-aged care: a comparison of staff knowledge, documentation and observed resident-staff communication.

PubMed

Bennett, Michelle K; Ward, Elizabeth C; Scarinci, Nerina A

2016-05-01

There is a high prevalence of communication difficulty among older people living in residential-aged care. Such functional deficits can have a negative impact on resident quality of life, staff workplace satisfaction and the provision of quality care. Systematic research investigating the nature of communication management in residential-aged care and factors impacting optimal communication management is lacking. To use data triangulation across multiple sources to describe resident-staff communication and communication management in residential-aged care. Participants included a sample of 14 residents and 29 staff directly involved in communication interactions with residents. Data were obtained from: (1) resident file review (n = 14), (2) observation of resident-staff communication (n = 14), (3) resident surveys (n = 14) and (4) staff surveys (n = 29). Data from each source were examined separately then triangulated. All residents had limited opportunity for meaningful communication with staff. Documentation of residents' communication needs and strategies to facilitate resident-staff communication was insufficient to provide individualized recommendations. Although staff were observed to use various strategies to facilitate communication with residents, staff agreement about the applicability of these strategies to individual residents was inconsistent. Differences in resident-staff communication for residents who experience nil/mild versus moderate/severe communication difficulty were also found. Resident-staff communication and communication management in residential-aged care is limited in scope and challenged in meeting residents' individual communication needs. Improvements in both documentation and staff knowledge of residents' communication needs are necessary. Strategies to facilitate communication with individual residents must be tailored, evidence based, documented in care plans and delivered to staff through ongoing education. Increased involvement of specialist providers such as speech pathologists to support better communication management in residential-aged care may provide one way of facilitating such change. © 2015 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (80th, Chicago, Illinois, July 30-August 2, 1997). Addenda I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

The 16 papers in the first section of the Addenda to this proceedings are: (1) "Shipboard News: Nineteenth Century Handwritten Periodicals at Sea" (Roy Alden Atwood); (2) "The International Institutional Press Association, 1966-1968" (Constance Ledoux Book); (3) "44 Liquormart--A Prescription for Commercial Speech: Return…

Campus Planning 1967. Selected Papers from the Annual Conference of the Society for College and University Planning (2nd, Ann Arbor, Michigan, August 20-22, 1967).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Frederick W., Ed.; Schmult, Carl V. Jr., Ed.

The annual conference encouraged communication among individuals and disciplines relating to long-range development of institutions of higher education. Ideas, comments, and major speeches were assembled and published. Major areas of interest following the introduction are--(1) college and university planning in Canada, (2) the educational…

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (77th, Atlanta, Georgia, August 10-13, 1994). Part IX: Magazines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

The Magazines section of this collection of conference presentations contains the following 15 papers: "'National Geographic Magazine' and the Vietnam War: Did We Just Get Pretty Pictures?" (John W. Williams); "Free Speech at All Costs: A Short History of 'The Masses'" (Chris Lamb); "Newspapers Locally Edited Magazines…

The development of co-speech gesture in the communication of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Sowden, Hannah; Clegg, Judy; Perkins, Michael

2013-12-01

Co-speech gestures have a close semantic relationship to speech in adult conversation. In typically developing children co-speech gestures which give additional information to speech facilitate the emergence of multi-word speech. A difficulty with integrating audio-visual information is known to exist for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which may affect development of the speech-gesture system. A longitudinal observational study was conducted with four children with ASD, aged 2;4 to 3;5 years. Participants were video-recorded for 20 min every 2 weeks during their attendance on an intervention programme. Recording continued for up to 8 months, thus affording a rich analysis of gestural practices from pre-verbal to multi-word speech across the group. All participants combined gesture with either speech or vocalisations. Co-speech gestures providing additional information to speech were observed to be either absent or rare. Findings suggest that children with ASD do not make use of the facilitating communicative effects of gesture in the same way as typically developing children.

76 FR 69737 - Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission for Extension...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-09

...: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities... Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities; Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, CC Docket No. 98-67, CG Docket No. 10-123, Second Report and Order, Order on...

76 FR 44326 - Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-25

... Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals With Hearing and Speech Disabilities; Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION...-minute video relay service (``VRS'') compensation rates, and adopts per-minute compensation rates for the...

78 FR 73859 - Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-09

...: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities... enable the Commission to collect waiver reports from Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) providers... Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration in Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to- Speech...

Beyond an Elevator Speech: Define Your Story to Find Success - 13581

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Drouhard, Rachael

Diversify or die has been a familiar industry chant, growing louder over the past five years. As companies seek opportunities in new markets, succinctly communicating who they are and what they do to people they've never met becomes common practice. Large and small, most companies lack a clear, concise story and communication tools to articulate what makes them unique amongst the competition. As a result business is lost with prospects and needs of current customers may never be identified. These, along with a common set of core challenges can be overcome by definition, standardization, on-going education and consistent / accuratemore » communication at the brand level. (author)« less

A Cross-Lingual Mobile Medical Communication System Prototype for Foreigners and Subjects with Speech, Hearing, and Mental Disabilities Based on Pictograms

PubMed Central

Wołk, Agnieszka; Glinkowski, Wojciech

2017-01-01

People with speech, hearing, or mental impairment require special communication assistance, especially for medical purposes. Automatic solutions for speech recognition and voice synthesis from text are poor fits for communication in the medical domain because they are dependent on error-prone statistical models. Systems dependent on manual text input are insufficient. Recently introduced systems for automatic sign language recognition are dependent on statistical models as well as on image and gesture quality. Such systems remain in early development and are based mostly on minimal hand gestures unsuitable for medical purposes. Furthermore, solutions that rely on the Internet cannot be used after disasters that require humanitarian aid. We propose a high-speed, intuitive, Internet-free, voice-free, and text-free tool suited for emergency medical communication. Our solution is a pictogram-based application that provides easy communication for individuals who have speech or hearing impairment or mental health issues that impair communication, as well as foreigners who do not speak the local language. It provides support and clarification in communication by using intuitive icons and interactive symbols that are easy to use on a mobile device. Such pictogram-based communication can be quite effective and ultimately make people's lives happier, easier, and safer. PMID:29230254

A Cross-Lingual Mobile Medical Communication System Prototype for Foreigners and Subjects with Speech, Hearing, and Mental Disabilities Based on Pictograms.

PubMed

Wołk, Krzysztof; Wołk, Agnieszka; Glinkowski, Wojciech

2017-01-01

People with speech, hearing, or mental impairment require special communication assistance, especially for medical purposes. Automatic solutions for speech recognition and voice synthesis from text are poor fits for communication in the medical domain because they are dependent on error-prone statistical models. Systems dependent on manual text input are insufficient. Recently introduced systems for automatic sign language recognition are dependent on statistical models as well as on image and gesture quality. Such systems remain in early development and are based mostly on minimal hand gestures unsuitable for medical purposes. Furthermore, solutions that rely on the Internet cannot be used after disasters that require humanitarian aid. We propose a high-speed, intuitive, Internet-free, voice-free, and text-free tool suited for emergency medical communication. Our solution is a pictogram-based application that provides easy communication for individuals who have speech or hearing impairment or mental health issues that impair communication, as well as foreigners who do not speak the local language. It provides support and clarification in communication by using intuitive icons and interactive symbols that are easy to use on a mobile device. Such pictogram-based communication can be quite effective and ultimately make people's lives happier, easier, and safer.

Coordination of Gaze and Speech in Communication between Children with Hearing Impairment and Normal-Hearing Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandgren, Olof; Andersson, Richard; van de Weijer, Joost; Hansson, Kristina; Sahlén, Birgitta

2014-01-01

Purpose: To investigate gaze behavior during communication between children with hearing impairment (HI) and normal-hearing (NH) peers. Method: Ten HI-NH and 10 NH-NH dyads performed a referential communication task requiring description of faces. During task performance, eye movements and speech were tracked. Using verbal event (questions,…

Assessing the treatment effects in apraxia of speech: introduction and evaluation of the Modified Diadochokinesis Test.

PubMed

Hurkmans, Joost; Jonkers, Roel; Boonstra, Anne M; Stewart, Roy E; Reinders-Messelink, Heleen A

2012-01-01

The number of reliable and valid instruments to measure the effects of therapy in apraxia of speech (AoS) is limited. To evaluate the newly developed Modified Diadochokinesis Test (MDT), which is a task to assess the effects of rate and rhythm therapies for AoS in a multiple baseline across behaviours design. The consistency, accuracy and fluency of speech of 24 adults with AoS and 12 unaffected speakers matched for age, gender and educational level were assessed using the MDT. The reliability and validity of the instrument were considered and outcomes compared with those obtained with existing tests. The results revealed that MDT had a strong internal consistency. Scores were influenced by syllable structure complexity, while distinctive features of articulation had no measurable effect. The test-retest and intra- and inter-rater reliabilities were shown to be adequate, and the discriminant validity was good. For convergent validity different outcomes were found: apart from one correlation, the scores on tests assessing functional communication and AoS correlated significantly with the MDT outcome measures. The spontaneous speech phonology measure of the Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT) correlated significantly with the MDT outcome measures, but no correlations were found for the repetition subtest and the spontaneous speech articulation/prosody measure of the AAT. The study shows that the MDT has adequate psychometric properties, implying that it can be used to measure changes in speech motor control during treatment for apraxia of speech. The results demonstrate the validity and utility of the instrument as a supplement to speech tasks in assessing speech improvement aimed at the level of planning and programming of speech. © 2012 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

The Oratorical Scientist: A Guide for Speechcraft and Presentation for Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau, G. E.

2015-12-01

Public speaking organizations are highly valuable for individuals seeking to improve their skills in speech development and delivery. The methodology of such groups usually focuses on repetitive, guided practice. Toastmasters International, for instance, uses a curriculum based on topical manuals that guide their members through some number of prepared speeches with specific goals for each speech. I have similarly developed a public speaking manual for scientists with the intention of guiding scientists through the development and presentation of speeches that will help them hone their abilities as public speakers. I call this guide The Oratorical Scientist. The Oratorical Scientist will be a free, digital publication that is meant to guide scientists through five specific types of speech that the scientist may be called upon to deliver during their career. These five speeches are: The Coffee Talk, The Educational Talk, Research Talks for General Science Audiences, Research Talks for Specific Subdiscipline Audiences, and Taking the Big Stage (talks for public engagement). Each section of the manual focuses on speech development, rehearsal, and presentation for each of these specific types of speech. The curriculum was developed primarily from my personal experiences in public engagement. Individuals who use the manual may deliver their prepared speeches to groups of their peers (e.g. within their research group) or through video sharing websites like Youtube and Vimeo. Speeches that are broadcast online can then be followed and shared through social media networks (e.g. #OratoricalScientist), allowing a larger audience to evaluate the speech and to provide criticism. I will present The Oratorical Scientist, a guide for scientists to become better public speakers. The process of guided repetitive practice of scientific talks will improve the speaking capabilities of scientists, in turn benefitting science communication and public engagement.

Tuning time-frequency methods for the detection of metered HF speech

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Douglas J.; Smith, Lawrence H.

2002-12-01

Speech is metered if the stresses occur at a nearly regular rate. Metered speech is common in poetry, and it can occur naturally in speech, if the speaker is spelling a word or reciting words or numbers from a list. In radio communications, the CQ request, call sign and other codes are frequently metered. In tactical communications and air traffic control, location, heading and identification codes may be metered. Moreover metering may be expected to survive even in HF communications, which are corrupted by noise, interference and mistuning. For this environment, speech recognition and conventional machine-based methods are not effective. We describe Time-Frequency methods which have been adapted successfully to the problem of mitigation of HF signal conditions and detection of metered speech. These methods are based on modeled time and frequency correlation properties of nearly harmonic functions. We derive these properties and demonstrate a performance gain over conventional correlation and spectral methods. Finally, in addressing the problem of HF single sideband (SSB) communications, the problems of carrier mistuning, interfering signals, such as manual Morse, and fast automatic gain control (AGC) must be addressed. We demonstrate simple methods which may be used to blindly mitigate mistuning and narrowband interference, and effectively invert the fast automatic gain function.

Speech-to-Speech Relay Service

MedlinePlus

... are specifically trained in understanding a variety of speech disorders, which enables them to repeat what the caller says in a manner that makes the caller’s words clear and understandable to the ... people with speech disabilities cannot communicate by telephone because the parties ...

Rhythm as a Coordinating Device: Entrainment With Disordered Speech

PubMed Central

Borrie, Stephanie A.; Liss, Julie M.

2014-01-01

Purpose The rhythmic entrainment (coordination) of behavior during human interaction is a powerful phenomenon, considered essential for successful communication, supporting social and emotional connection, and facilitating sense-making and information exchange. Disruption in entrainment likely occurs in conversations involving those with speech and language impairment, but its contribution to communication disorders has not been defined. As a first step to exploring this phenomenon in clinical populations, the present investigation examined the influence of disordered speech on the speech production properties of healthy interactants. Method Twenty-nine neurologically healthy interactants participated in a quasi-conversational paradigm, in which they read sentences (response) in response to hearing prerecorded sentences (exposure) from speakers with dysarthria (n = 4) and healthy controls (n = 4). Recordings of read sentences prior to the task were also collected (habitual). Results Findings revealed that interactants modified their speaking rate and pitch variation to align more closely with the disordered speech. Production shifts in these rhythmic properties, however, remained significantly different from corresponding properties in dysarthric speech. Conclusion Entrainment offers a new avenue for exploring speech and language impairment, addressing a communication process not currently explained by existing frameworks. This article offers direction for advancing this line of inquiry. PMID:24686410

Using robots in "Hands-on" academic activities: a case study examining speech-generating device use and required skills.

PubMed

Adams, Kim; Cook, Al

2016-01-01

A 12-year-old girl, Emily, with complex communication needs and severe physical limitations, controlled a Lego robot from a speech-generating device (SGD) to do various "hands-on" academic activities. Emily's teacher and assistive technology (AT) team thought that controlling a robot would motivate Emily to "use her SGD more". A descriptive case study was used because the integration of communication and manipulation technologies is not yet understood. Target activities and goals were chosen by Emily's teacher and AT team. Emily performed several manipulative math activities and engaged in an "acting" activity aimed at increasing her message length. The competency skills needed to control a robot from the SGD were examined, as well as stakeholder satisfaction with the robot system. Emily generated up to 0.4 communication events and 7 robot commands per minute in the activities. Her length of utterance was usually one-word long, but she generated two- and three-word utterances during some activities. Observations of Emily informed a framework to describe the competency skills needed to use SGDs to control robots. Emily and her teacher expressed satisfaction with robot use. Robot use could motivate students to build SGD operational skills and learn educational concepts. Implications for Rehabilitation Controlling a robot from a speech-generating device (SGD) could increase students' motivation, engagement and understanding in learning educational concepts, because of the hands-on enactive approach. The robot and SGD system was acceptable to the participant and teacher and elicited positive comments from classmates. Thus, it may provide a way for children with disabilities to link with the curriculum and with other students in the classroom. Controlling a robot via SGD presents opportunities to improve augmentative and alternative communication operational, linguistic, social and strategic skills. Careful choice of activities will ensure that the activity requirements focus on the desired target skill, e.g. drawing or playing board games could be helpful to build operational skills and acting out stories could be helpful for building linguistic skills.

Kristi and Her Talker.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Jeanne

1986-01-01

A 14-year-old girl, born with a form of brain damage which caused mental retardation and lack of normal speech, progressed from use of basic sign language and picture communication to use of an electronic speech-synthesized communicator for her expressive language needs. (CB)

A study on nonlinear characteristics of speech sound with reference to some languages of North East region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Rashmi

INTRODUCTION : Speech science is, in fact, a sub-discipline of the Nonlinear Dynamical System [2,104 ]. There are two different types of Dynamical System. A Continuous Dynamical System may be defined for the continuous time case, by the equation: x = F (x), where x is a vector of length d, defining a point in a d- dimensional space, F is some function (linear or nonlinear) operating on x, and x is the time derivative of x. This system is deterministic, in that it is possible to completely specify its evolution or flow of trajectories in the d- dimensional space, given the initial starting conditions. A Discrete Dynamical System can be defined as a map [by the process of literations]: Xn+1 = G ( Xn ), where Xn is again a d- length vector at time step n, and G is an operator function. Given an initial state, X0, it is possible to calculate the value of xn for any n > 0. Speech has evolved as a primary form of communication between humans, i.e. speech and hearing are the man's most used means of communication [104, 114]. Analysis of human speech has been a goal of Research during the last few decades [105, 108]. With the rapid development of information technology (IT), the human-machine communication, using natural speech, has received wide attention from both academic and business communities. One highly quantitative approach of characterizing the communications potential of speech is in terms of information theory ideas as introduced by Shannon [C.E. Shannon, "A Mathematical Theory of Communication," Bell System Tech journal, Vol 27, pp623- 656, October, 1968]. According to information theory, speech can be represented in terms of its message content, or information. An alternative way of characterizing speech is in terms of the signal carrying the message information, i.e., the acoustic waveform. Although information theoretic ideas have played a major role in sophisticated communications systems, it is the speech representation based on the waveform, or some parametric model, which has been most useful in practical applications. Developing a system that can understand natural language has been a continuing goal of speech researchers. Fully automatic high quality machine translation systems are extremely difficult to build. The difficulty arises from the following reasons: In any natural language text, only part of the information to be conveyed is explicitly expressed. It is the human mind which fills up and supplements the details using contextual.

Facial Speech Gestures: The Relation between Visual Speech Processing, Phonological Awareness, and Developmental Dyslexia in 10-Year-Olds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaadt, Gesa; Männel, Claudia; van der Meer, Elke; Pannekamp, Ann; Friederici, Angela D.

2016-01-01

Successful communication in everyday life crucially involves the processing of auditory and visual components of speech. Viewing our interlocutor and processing visual components of speech facilitates speech processing by triggering auditory processing. Auditory phoneme processing, analyzed by event-related brain potentials (ERP), has been shown…

Speech in the Junior High School. Michigan Speech Association Curriculum Guide Series, No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Deldee; Ratliffe, Sharon

Designed to provide the student with experience in oral communication, this curriculum guide presents a one-semester speech course for junior high school students with "normal" rather than defective speech. The eight units cover speech in social interaction; group discussion and business meetings; demonstrations and reports; creative dramatics;…

Visual and Auditory Input in Second-Language Speech Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardison, Debra M.

2010-01-01

The majority of studies in second-language (L2) speech processing have involved unimodal (i.e., auditory) input; however, in many instances, speech communication involves both visual and auditory sources of information. Some researchers have argued that multimodal speech is the primary mode of speech perception (e.g., Rosenblum 2005). Research on…

Speech Output Technologies in Interventions for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Schlosser, Ralf W; Koul, Rajinder K

2015-01-01

The purpose of this scoping review was to (a) map the research evidence on the effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions using speech output technologies (e.g., speech-generating devices, mobile technologies with AAC-specific applications, talking word processors) for individuals with autism spectrum disorders, (b) identify gaps in the existing literature, and (c) posit directions for future research. Outcomes related to speech, language, and communication were considered. A total of 48 studies (47 single case experimental designs and 1 randomized control trial) involving 187 individuals were included. Results were reviewed in terms of three study groupings: (a) studies that evaluated the effectiveness of treatment packages involving speech output, (b) studies comparing one treatment package with speech output to other AAC modalities, and (c) studies comparing the presence with the absence of speech output. The state of the evidence base is discussed and several directions for future research are posited.

Longitudinal development of communication in children with cerebral palsy between 24 and 53 months: Predicting speech outcomes.

PubMed

Hustad, Katherine C; Allison, Kristen M; Sakash, Ashley; McFadd, Emily; Broman, Aimee Teo; Rathouz, Paul J

2017-08-01

To determine whether communication at 2 years predicted communication at 4 years in children with cerebral palsy (CP); and whether the age a child first produces words imitatively predicts change in speech production. 30 children (15 males) with CP participated and were seen 5 times at 6-month intervals between 24 and 53 months (mean age at time 1 = 26.9 months (SD 1.9)). Variables were communication classification at 24 and 53 months, age that children were first able to produce words imitatively, single-word intelligibility, and longest utterance produced. Communication at 24 months was highly predictive of abilities at 53 months. Speaking earlier led to faster gains in intelligibility and length of utterance and better outcomes at 53 months than speaking later. Inability to speak at 24 months indicates greater speech and language difficulty at 53 months and a strong need for early communication intervention.

Only Behavioral But Not Self-Report Measures of Speech Perception Correlate with Cognitive Abilities.

PubMed

Heinrich, Antje; Henshaw, Helen; Ferguson, Melanie A

2016-01-01

Good speech perception and communication skills in everyday life are crucial for participation and well-being, and are therefore an overarching aim of auditory rehabilitation. Both behavioral and self-report measures can be used to assess these skills. However, correlations between behavioral and self-report speech perception measures are often low. One possible explanation is that there is a mismatch between the specific situations used in the assessment of these skills in each method, and a more careful matching across situations might improve consistency of results. The role that cognition plays in specific speech situations may also be important for understanding communication, as speech perception tests vary in their cognitive demands. In this study, the role of executive function, working memory (WM) and attention in behavioral and self-report measures of speech perception was investigated. Thirty existing hearing aid users with mild-to-moderate hearing loss aged between 50 and 74 years completed a behavioral test battery with speech perception tests ranging from phoneme discrimination in modulated noise (easy) to words in multi-talker babble (medium) and keyword perception in a carrier sentence against a distractor voice (difficult). In addition, a self-report measure of aided communication, residual disability from the Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile, was obtained. Correlations between speech perception tests and self-report measures were higher when specific speech situations across both were matched. Cognition correlated with behavioral speech perception test results but not with self-report. Only the most difficult speech perception test, keyword perception in a carrier sentence with a competing distractor voice, engaged executive functions in addition to WM. In conclusion, any relationship between behavioral and self-report speech perception is not mediated by a shared correlation with cognition.

Only Behavioral But Not Self-Report Measures of Speech Perception Correlate with Cognitive Abilities

PubMed Central

Heinrich, Antje; Henshaw, Helen; Ferguson, Melanie A.

2016-01-01

Good speech perception and communication skills in everyday life are crucial for participation and well-being, and are therefore an overarching aim of auditory rehabilitation. Both behavioral and self-report measures can be used to assess these skills. However, correlations between behavioral and self-report speech perception measures are often low. One possible explanation is that there is a mismatch between the specific situations used in the assessment of these skills in each method, and a more careful matching across situations might improve consistency of results. The role that cognition plays in specific speech situations may also be important for understanding communication, as speech perception tests vary in their cognitive demands. In this study, the role of executive function, working memory (WM) and attention in behavioral and self-report measures of speech perception was investigated. Thirty existing hearing aid users with mild-to-moderate hearing loss aged between 50 and 74 years completed a behavioral test battery with speech perception tests ranging from phoneme discrimination in modulated noise (easy) to words in multi-talker babble (medium) and keyword perception in a carrier sentence against a distractor voice (difficult). In addition, a self-report measure of aided communication, residual disability from the Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile, was obtained. Correlations between speech perception tests and self-report measures were higher when specific speech situations across both were matched. Cognition correlated with behavioral speech perception test results but not with self-report. Only the most difficult speech perception test, keyword perception in a carrier sentence with a competing distractor voice, engaged executive functions in addition to WM. In conclusion, any relationship between behavioral and self-report speech perception is not mediated by a shared correlation with cognition. PMID:27242564

Stroke patients communicating their healthcare needs in hospital: a study within the ICF framework.

PubMed

O'Halloran, Robyn; Worrall, Linda; Hickson, Louise

2012-01-01

Previous research has identified that many patients admitted into acute hospital stroke units have communication-related impairments such as hearing, vision, speech, language and/or cognitive communicative impairment. However, no research has identified how many patients in acute hospital stroke units have difficulty actually communicating their healthcare needs. The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) conceptualizes difficulty communicating about healthcare needs as a type of activity limitation, within the Activity and Participation component. The ICF proposes that activity limitation can be measured in four different ways. The first aim of this research was to measure a patient's difficulty communicating his or her healthcare needs, that is, activity limitation, in two of the four ways suggested by the ICF when interacting with healthcare providers. The second aim was to investigate whether communication-related impairments in hearing, vision, speech, language and/or cognitive communicative impairment predict difficulty communicating healthcare needs, measured in these ways. A total of 65 patients consecutively admitted into two acute hospital stroke units in Melbourne, Australia, who consented to this research participated in this study. Early in their admission participants were screened for hearing, vision, speech, language and cognitive communicative impairment. Participants were also assessed for difficulty communicating about healthcare needs in two ways proposed by the ICF: 'capacity with assistance' and 'performance'. Relationships between communication-related impairment and both capacity with assistance and performance were explored through Spearman's correlations and binary logistic regression. A total of 87% of patients had one or more communication-related impairments. Half of the patients (51%) had difficulty communicating their healthcare needs when assessed in terms of capacity with assistance. Slightly more patients (55%) were observed to have difficulty communicating their healthcare needs when assessed in terms of performance. More severe vision, speech, language and cognitive communicative impairment were significantly associated with more severe difficulty communicating healthcare needs. About half of the stroke patients admitted into acute hospital stroke units had difficulty communicating their healthcare needs. Patients with more severe communication-related impairments had more severe difficulty communicating their healthcare needs. Future research is needed to understand the other factors that influence communication between people with communication disabilities and their healthcare providers in acute hospital settings. © 2012 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs: Their Perceptions of Their Quality of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markham, Chris; van Laar, Darren; Gibbard, Deborah; Dean, Taraneh

2009-01-01

Background: This study is part of a programme of research aiming to develop a quantitative measure of quality of life for children with communication needs. It builds on the preliminary findings of Markham and Dean (2006), which described some of the perception's parents and carers of children with speech language and communication needs had…

Effects of a computer-based intervention program on the communicative functions of children with autism.

PubMed

Hetzroni, Orit E; Tannous, Juman

2004-04-01

This study investigated the use of computer-based intervention for enhancing communication functions of children with autism. The software program was developed based on daily life activities in the areas of play, food, and hygiene. The following variables were investigated: delayed echolalia, immediate echolalia, irrelevant speech, relevant speech, and communicative initiations. Multiple-baseline design across settings was used to examine the effects of the exposure of five children with autism to activities in a structured and controlled simulated environment on the communication manifested in their natural environment. Results indicated that after exposure to the simulations, all children produced fewer sentences with delayed and irrelevant speech. Most of the children engaged in fewer sentences involving immediate echolalia and increased the number of communication intentions and the amount of relevant speech they produced. Results indicated that after practicing in a controlled and structured setting that provided the children with opportunities to interact in play, food, and hygiene activities, the children were able to transfer their knowledge to the natural classroom environment. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Communication as a human right: Citizenship, politics and the role of the speech-language pathologist.

PubMed

Murphy, Declan; Lyons, Rena; Carroll, Clare; Caulfield, Mari; De Paor, Gráinne

2018-02-01

According to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." The purpose of this paper is to elucidate communication as a human right in the life of a young man called Declan who has Down syndrome. This commentary paper is co-written by Declan, his sister who is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) with an advocacy role, his SLP, and academics. Declan discusses, in his own words, what makes communication hard, what helps communication, his experiences of speech-language pathology, and what he knows about human rights. He also discusses his passion for politics, his right to be an active citizen and participate in the political process. This paper also focuses on the role of speech-language pathology in supporting and partnering with people with communication disabilities to have their voices heard and exercise their human rights.

Multicultural Perspectives in Communication Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Screen, Robert Martin; Anderson, Noma Bennett

This text provides information about the impact of multiculturalism on services for individuals with communication disorders. It examines the involvement of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and multicultural speech, language, and hearing organizations as they respond to the challenges created by multiculturalism. An…

The Army Communicator and Mass Communication Law: An Analysis of Organizational and Personal Liability

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

iv Chapter I. INTRODUCTION.....................1 II. MILITARY PERSONNEL AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH . . . 7 III. ACCESS TO MILITARY INFORMATION...U.S. Army, Washington, DC, 26 January 1988. 6 CHAPTER II MILITARY PERSONNEL AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states...34Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech , or of the press .... ,6 On initial examination, it would seem the Founding Fathers

Speech and Communication Disorders

MedlinePlus

... to being completely unable to speak or understand speech. Causes include Hearing disorders and deafness Voice problems, ... or those caused by cleft lip or palate Speech problems like stuttering Developmental disabilities Learning disorders Autism ...

A method for determining internal noise criteria based on practical speech communication applied to helicopters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sternfeld, H., Jr.; Doyle, L. B.

1978-01-01

The relationship between the internal noise environment of helicopters and the ability of personnel to understand commands and instructions was studied. A test program was conducted to relate speech intelligibility to a standard measurement called Articulation Index. An acoustical simulator was used to provide noise environments typical of Army helicopters. Speech material (command sentences and phonetically balanced word lists) were presented at several voice levels in each helicopter environment. Recommended helicopter internal noise criteria, based on speech communication, were derived and the effectiveness of hearing protection devices were evaluated.

Cognitive Spare Capacity and Speech Communication: A Narrative Overview

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background noise can make speech communication tiring and cognitively taxing, especially for individuals with hearing impairment. It is now well established that better working memory capacity is associated with better ability to understand speech under adverse conditions as well as better ability to benefit from the advanced signal processing in modern hearing aids. Recent work has shown that although such processing cannot overcome hearing handicap, it can increase cognitive spare capacity, that is, the ability to engage in higher level processing of speech. This paper surveys recent work on cognitive spare capacity and suggests new avenues of investigation. PMID:24971355

Speech Enhancement of Mobile Devices Based on the Integration of a Dual Microphone Array and a Background Noise Elimination Algorithm.

PubMed

Chen, Yung-Yue

2018-05-08

Mobile devices are often used in our daily lives for the purposes of speech and communication. The speech quality of mobile devices is always degraded due to the environmental noises surrounding mobile device users. Regretfully, an effective background noise reduction solution cannot easily be developed for this speech enhancement problem. Due to these depicted reasons, a methodology is systematically proposed to eliminate the effects of background noises for the speech communication of mobile devices. This methodology integrates a dual microphone array with a background noise elimination algorithm. The proposed background noise elimination algorithm includes a whitening process, a speech modelling method and an H ₂ estimator. Due to the adoption of the dual microphone array, a low-cost design can be obtained for the speech enhancement of mobile devices. Practical tests have proven that this proposed method is immune to random background noises, and noiseless speech can be obtained after executing this denoise process.

Speech pathologists’ experiences with stroke clinical practice guidelines and the barriers and facilitators influencing their use: a national descriptive study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Communication and swallowing disorders are a common consequence of stroke. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been created to assist health professionals to put research evidence into clinical practice and can improve stroke care outcomes. However, CPGs are often not successfully implemented in clinical practice and research is needed to explore the factors that influence speech pathologists’ implementation of stroke CPGs. This study aimed to describe speech pathologists’ experiences and current use of guidelines, and to identify what factors influence speech pathologists’ implementation of stroke CPGs. Methods Speech pathologists working in stroke rehabilitation who had used a stroke CPG were invited to complete a 39-item online survey. Content analysis and descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Results 320 participants from all states and territories of Australia were surveyed. Almost all speech pathologists had used a stroke CPG and had found the guideline “somewhat useful” or “very useful”. Factors that speech pathologists perceived influenced CPG implementation included the: (a) guideline itself, (b) work environment, (c) aspects related to the speech pathologist themselves, (d) patient characteristics, and (e) types of implementation strategies provided. Conclusions There are many different factors that can influence speech pathologists’ implementation of CPGs. The factors that influenced the implementation of CPGs can be understood in terms of knowledge creation and implementation frameworks. Speech pathologists should continue to adapt the stroke CPG to their local work environment and evaluate their use. To enhance guideline implementation, they may benefit from a combination of educational meetings and resources, outreach visits, support from senior colleagues, and audit and feedback strategies. PMID:24602148

Inter-Cultural Communication: Teaching Strategies, Resources and Materials for Teaching ESL or How to Change "Sabah Al-Khair" into Good Morning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohan, Robert C.

Speech instructors who teach English as a second language to international students are trying to help those students acquire a basic minimal command of English for success or survival in their education and do not require them to attain the fluency expected of native-born speakers of English. At one junior college where foreign student enrollment…

Speech Communication Education and Classroom Interaction: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in "Dissertation Abstracts International," January through June 1981 (Vol. 41 Nos. 7 through 12).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills, Urbana, IL.

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The ten titles deal with the following topics: (1) the effect of dramatic improvisation on the attitudes of high school teachers toward their students; (2) the effects of training teachers in interpersonal cognitive problem solving…

Processing of speech signals for physical and sensory disabilities.

PubMed Central

Levitt, H

1995-01-01

Assistive technology involving voice communication is used primarily by people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have speech and/or language disabilities. It is also used to a lesser extent by people with visual or motor disabilities. A very wide range of devices has been developed for people with hearing loss. These devices can be categorized not only by the modality of stimulation [i.e., auditory, visual, tactile, or direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve (auditory-neural)] but also in terms of the degree of speech processing that is used. At least four such categories can be distinguished: assistive devices (a) that are not designed specifically for speech, (b) that take the average characteristics of speech into account, (c) that process articulatory or phonetic characteristics of speech, and (d) that embody some degree of automatic speech recognition. Assistive devices for people with speech and/or language disabilities typically involve some form of speech synthesis or symbol generation for severe forms of language disability. Speech synthesis is also used in text-to-speech systems for sightless persons. Other applications of assistive technology involving voice communication include voice control of wheelchairs and other devices for people with mobility disabilities. Images Fig. 4 PMID:7479816

Processing of Speech Signals for Physical and Sensory Disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levitt, Harry

1995-10-01

Assistive technology involving voice communication is used primarily by people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have speech and/or language disabilities. It is also used to a lesser extent by people with visual or motor disabilities. A very wide range of devices has been developed for people with hearing loss. These devices can be categorized not only by the modality of stimulation [i.e., auditory, visual, tactile, or direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve (auditory-neural)] but also in terms of the degree of speech processing that is used. At least four such categories can be distinguished: assistive devices (a) that are not designed specifically for speech, (b) that take the average characteristics of speech into account, (c) that process articulatory or phonetic characteristics of speech, and (d) that embody some degree of automatic speech recognition. Assistive devices for people with speech and/or language disabilities typically involve some form of speech synthesis or symbol generation for severe forms of language disability. Speech synthesis is also used in text-to-speech systems for sightless persons. Other applications of assistive technology involving voice communication include voice control of wheelchairs and other devices for people with mobility disabilities.

The Speech Discipline in Crisis - - A Cause for Hope.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lanigan, Richard L.

Speech communication is a distinct discipline, but one in a healthy state of conflict between theory and practice. The crisis in the speech discipline (and in academic generally) exists because speech does not present itself as a consumable value; quality program decisions are not made; speech is often conceived as only one subject matter; general…

Language and Communication Development in Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Joanne E.; Price, Johanna; Malkin, Cheryl

2007-01-01

Although there is considerable variability, most individuals with Down syndrome have mental retardation and speech and language deficits, particularly in language production and syntax and poor speech intelligibility. This article describes research findings in the language and communication development of individuals with Down syndrome, first…

Large Vocabulary Audio-Visual Speech Recognition

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-06-12

www.is.cs.cmu.edu Email: waibel(a)cs.cmu~edu Inttractive Systenms Labs ttoctis Ssstms Labs Meeting Browser - -- Interpreting Human Communication "Why did...Speech Interacti Stams Labs t-cive Systms Focus of Attention Tracking Conclusion - Complete Model of Human Communication is Needed - Include all

Ethnography of Communication: Cultural Codes and Norms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carbaugh, Donal

The primary tasks of the ethnographic researcher are to discover, describe, and comparatively analyze different speech communities' ways of speaking. Two general abstractions occurring in ethnographic analyses are normative and cultural. Communicative norms are formulated in analyzing and explaining the "patterned use of speech."…

Does communication partner training improve the conversation skills of speech-language pathology students when interacting with people with aphasia?

PubMed

Finch, Emma; Cameron, Ashley; Fleming, Jennifer; Lethlean, Jennifer; Hudson, Kyla; McPhail, Steven

2017-07-01

Aphasia is a common consequence of stroke. Despite receiving specialised training in communication, speech-language pathology students may lack confidence when communicating with People with Aphasia (PWA). This paper reports data from secondary outcome measures from a randomised controlled trial. The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of communication partner training on the communication skills of speech-language pathology students during conversations with PWA. Thirty-eight speech-language pathology students were randomly allocated to trained and untrained groups. The first group received a lecture about communication strategies for communicating with PWA then participated in a conversation with PWA (Trained group), while the second group of students participated in a conversation with the PWA without receiving the lecture (Untrained group). The conversations between the groups were analysed according to the Measure of skill in Supported Conversation (MSC) scales, Measure of Participation in Conversation (MPC) scales, types of strategies used in conversation, and the occurrence and repair of conversation breakdowns. The trained group received significantly higher MSC Revealing Competence scores, used significantly more props, and introduced significantly more new ideas into the conversation than the untrained group. The trained group also used more gesture and writing to facilitate the conversation, however, the difference was not significant. There was no significant difference between the groups according to MSC Acknowledging Competence scores, MPC Interaction or Transaction scores, or in the number of interruptions, minor or major conversation breakdowns, or in the success of strategies initiated to repair the conversation breakdowns. Speech-language pathology students may benefit from participation in communication partner training programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Establishing a basic speech repertoire without using NSOME: means, motive, and opportunity.

PubMed

Davis, Barbara; Velleman, Shelley

2008-11-01

Children who are performing at a prelinguistic level of vocal communication present unique issues related to successful intervention relative to the general population of children with speech disorders. These children do not consistently use meaning-based vocalizations to communicate with those around them. General goals for this group of children include stimulating more mature vocalization types and connecting these vocalizations to meanings that can be used to communicate consistently with persons in their environment. We propose a means, motive, and opportunity conceptual framework for assessing and intervening with these children. This framework is centered on stimulation of meaningful vocalizations for functional communication. It is based on a broad body of literature describing the nature of early language development. In contrast, nonspeech oral motor exercise (NSOME) protocols require decontextualized practice of repetitive nonspeech movements that are not related to functional communication with respect to means, motive, or opportunity for communicating. Successful intervention with NSOME activities requires adoption of the concept that the child, operating at a prelinguistic communication level, will generalize from repetitive nonspeech movements that are not intended to communicate with anyone to speech-based movements that will be intelligible enough to allow responsiveness to the child's wants and needs from people in the environment. No evidence from the research literature on the course of speech and language acquisition suggests that this conceptualization is valid.

Speech Disfluency-dependent Amygdala Activity in Adults Who Stutter: Neuroimaging of Interpersonal Communication in MRI Scanner Environment.

PubMed

Toyomura, Akira; Fujii, Tetsunoshin; Yokosawa, Koichi; Kuriki, Shinya

2018-03-15

Affective states, such as anticipatory anxiety, critically influence speech communication behavior in adults who stutter. However, there is currently little evidence regarding the involvement of the limbic system in speech disfluency during interpersonal communication. We designed this neuroimaging study and experimental procedure to sample neural activity during interpersonal communication between human participants, and to investigate the relationship between the amygdala activity and speech disfluency. Participants were required to engage in live communication with a stranger of the opposite sex in the MRI scanner environment. In the gaze condition, the stranger gazed at the participant without speaking, while in the live conversation condition, the stranger asked questions that the participant was required to answer. The stranger continued to gaze silently at the participant while the participant answered. Adults who stutter reported significantly higher discomfort than fluent controls during the experiment. Activity in the right amygdala, a key anatomical region in the limbic system involved in emotion, was significantly correlated with stuttering occurrences in adults who stutter. Right amygdala activity from pooled data of all participants also showed a significant correlation with discomfort level during the experiment. Activity in the prefrontal cortex, which forms emotion regulation neural circuitry with the amygdala, was decreased in adults who stutter than in fluent controls. This is the first study to demonstrate that amygdala activity during interpersonal communication is involved in disfluent speech in adults who stutter. Copyright © 2018 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Legal decision-making by people with aphasia: critical incidents for speech pathologists.

PubMed

Ferguson, Alison; Duffield, Gemma; Worrall, Linda

2010-01-01

The assessment and management of a person with aphasia for whom decision-making capacity is queried represents a highly complex clinical issue. In addition, there are few published guidelines and even fewer published accounts of empirical research to assist. The research presented in this paper aimed to identify the main issues for speech pathologists when decision-making capacity for legal and related matters arose for their clients with aphasia, and to describe qualitatively the nature of these issues and the practices of the speech pathologists in these situations. The methodology was informed by the qualitative research paradigm and made use of the semi-structured interview methods developed for the Critical Incident Technique. Nine speech pathologists, with a range of clinical experience between three and 27 years, were interviewed by telephone, with verbatim notes being taken on-line by the interviewer. The speech pathologists described a total of 21 clients (15 male, six female) with acquired neurological communication disorders (including cerebral vascular accident, traumatic brain injury, and tumour) whose care had raised critical incidents for the speech pathologist in relation to legal and related matters. These verbatim notes were qualitatively analysed using NVivo qualitative analysis software. The main incidents related to legal decisions (for example, power of attorney, will-making), as well as decisions involving consent for medical treatment, discharge, accommodation, and business/financial decisions. In all but one of the incidents recounted, the issues centred on a situation of conflict between the person with aphasia and their family, friends or with the multidisciplinary team. The roles taken by the speech pathologists ranged from those expected within a speech pathology scope of practice, such as that of assessor and consultant, to those which arguably present dilemmas and conflict of interest, for example, interpreter, advocate. The assessment practices involved some standardized testing, but this was stressed by all participants to be of lesser importance than informal observations of function. Speech pathologists emphasized the importance of multiple observations, and multimodal means of communication. The findings indicate that speech pathologists are currently playing an active role when questions arise regarding capacity for legal and related decision-making by people with aphasia. At the same time, the findings support the need for further research to develop guidelines for practice and to build educational experiences for students and novice clinicians to assist them when they engage with the complex case management issues in this area. 2010 Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists.

Noise and communication: a three-year update.

PubMed

Brammer, Anthony J; Laroche, Chantal

2012-01-01

Noise is omnipresent and impacts us all in many aspects of daily living. Noise can interfere with communication not only in industrial workplaces, but also in other work settings (e.g. open-plan offices, construction, and mining) and within buildings (e.g. residences, arenas, and schools). The interference of noise with communication can have significant social consequences, especially for persons with hearing loss, and may compromise safety (e.g. failure to perceive auditory warning signals), influence worker productivity and learning in children, affect health (e.g. vocal pathology, noise-induced hearing loss), compromise speech privacy, and impact social participation by the elderly. For workers, attempts have been made to: 1) Better define the auditory performance needed to function effectively and to directly measure these abilities when assessing Auditory Fitness for Duty, 2) design hearing protection devices that can improve speech understanding while offering adequate protection against loud noises, and 3) improve speech privacy in open-plan offices. As the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the effects of noise, an understanding of the interplay between auditory, cognitive, and social factors and its effect on speech communication and social participation is also critical. Classroom acoustics and speech intelligibility in children have also gained renewed interest because of the importance of effective speech comprehension in noise on learning. Finally, substantial work has been made in developing models aimed at better predicting speech intelligibility. Despite progress in various fields, the design of alarm signals continues to lag behind advancements in knowledge. This summary of the last three years' research highlights some of the most recent issues for the workplace, for older adults, and for children, as well as the effectiveness of warning sounds and models for predicting speech intelligibility. Suggestions for future work are also discussed.

The Experimental Social Scientific Model in Speech Communication Research: Influences and Consequences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferris, Sharmila Pixy

A substantial number of published articles in speech communication research today is experimental/social scientific in nature. It is only in the past decade that scholars have begun to put the history of communication under the lens. Early advocates of the adoption of the method of social scientific inquiry were J. A. Winans, J. M. O'Neill, and C.…

A Graphic Symbol Tool for the Evaluation of Communication, Satisfaction and Priorities of Individuals with Intellectual Disability Who Use a Speech Generating Device

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valiquette, Christine; Sutton, Ann; Ska, Bernadette

2010-01-01

This article reports on the views of individuals with learning disability (LD) on their use of their speech generating devices (SGDs), their satisfaction about their communication, and their priorities. The development of an interview tool made of graphic symbols and entitled Communication, Satisfaction and Priorities of SGD Users (CSPU) is…

Research on the optoacoustic communication system for speech transmission by variable laser-pulse repetition rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Hongyan; Qiu, Hongbing; He, Ning; Liao, Xin

2018-06-01

For the optoacoustic communication from in-air platforms to submerged apparatus, a method based on speech recognition and variable laser-pulse repetition rates is proposed, which realizes character encoding and transmission for speech. Firstly, the theories and spectrum characteristics of the laser-generated underwater sound are analyzed; and moreover character conversion and encoding for speech as well as the pattern of codes for laser modulation is studied; lastly experiments to verify the system design are carried out. Results show that the optoacoustic system, where laser modulation is controlled by speech-to-character baseband codes, is beneficial to improve flexibility in receiving location for underwater targets as well as real-time performance in information transmission. In the overwater transmitter, a pulse laser is controlled to radiate by speech signals with several repetition rates randomly selected in the range of one to fifty Hz, and then in the underwater receiver laser pulse repetition rate and data can be acquired by the preamble and information codes of the corresponding laser-generated sound. When the energy of the laser pulse is appropriate, real-time transmission for speaker-independent speech can be realized in that way, which solves the problem of underwater bandwidth resource and provides a technical approach for the air-sea communication.

Understanding speech when wearing communication headsets and hearing protectors with subband processing.

PubMed

Brammer, Anthony J; Yu, Gongqiang; Bernstein, Eric R; Cherniack, Martin G; Peterson, Donald R; Tufts, Jennifer B

2014-08-01

An adaptive, delayless, subband feed-forward control structure is employed to improve the speech signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the communication channel of a circumaural headset/hearing protector (HPD) from 90 Hz to 11.3 kHz, and to provide active noise control (ANC) from 50 to 800 Hz to complement the passive attenuation of the HPD. The task involves optimizing the speech SNR for each communication channel subband, subject to limiting the maximum sound level at the ear, maintaining a speech SNR preferred by users, and reducing large inter-band gain differences to improve speech quality. The performance of a proof-of-concept device has been evaluated in a pseudo-diffuse sound field when worn by human subjects under conditions of environmental noise and speech that do not pose a risk to hearing, and by simulation for other conditions. For the environmental noises employed in this study, subband speech SNR control combined with subband ANC produced greater improvement in word scores than subband ANC alone, and improved the consistency of word scores across subjects. The simulation employed a subject-specific linear model, and predicted that word scores are maintained in excess of 90% for sound levels outside the HPD of up to ∼115 dBA.

Voice technology and BBN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolf, Jared J.

1977-01-01

The following research was discussed: (1) speech signal processing; (2) automatic speech recognition; (3) continuous speech understanding; (4) speaker recognition; (5) speech compression; (6) subjective and objective evaluation of speech communication system; (7) measurement of the intelligibility and quality of speech when degraded by noise or other masking stimuli; (8) speech synthesis; (9) instructional aids for second-language learning and for training of the deaf; and (10) investigation of speech correlates of psychological stress. Experimental psychology, control systems, and human factors engineering, which are often relevant to the proper design and operation of speech systems are described.

Discovering Communicative Competencies in a Nonspeaking Child with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stiegler, Lillian N.

2007-01-01

Purpose: This article is intended to demonstrate that adapted conversation analysis (CA) and speech act analysis (SAA) may be applied by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to (a) identify communicative competencies in nonspeaking children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially during particularly successful interactions, and (b) identify…

Adapting to the Job Market: Graduate Programs in Speech Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, David M.

The percentage of speech communication doctoral graduates employed full time and the percentage working in academic institutions have declined considerably since 1968. The glut of humanities doctorates appears to present three courses of action: increase undergraduate enrollments, decrease graduate enrollments, or increase nonacademic employment…

Auditory Training with Frequent Communication Partners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tye-Murray, Nancy; Spehar, Brent; Sommers, Mitchell; Barcroft, Joe

2016-01-01

Purpose: Individuals with hearing loss engage in auditory training to improve their speech recognition. They typically practice listening to utterances spoken by unfamiliar talkers but never to utterances spoken by their most frequent communication partner (FCP)--speech they most likely desire to recognize--under the assumption that familiarity…

A communication-based intervention for nonverbal children with autism: what changes? Who benefits?

PubMed

Gordon, Kate; Pasco, Greg; McElduff, Fiona; Wade, Angie; Howlin, Pat; Charman, Tony

2011-08-01

This article examines the form and function of spontaneous communication and outcome predictors in nonverbal children with autism following classroom-based intervention (Picture Exchange Communication System [PECS] training). 84 children from 15 schools participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of PECS (P. Howlin, R. K. Gordon, G. Pasco, A. Wade, & T. Charman, 2007). They were aged 4-10 years (73 boys). Primary outcome measure was naturalistic observation of communication in the classroom. Multilevel Poisson regression was used to test for intervention effects and outcome predictors. Spontaneous communication using picture cards, speech, or both increased significantly following training (rate ratio [RR] =1.90, 95% CI [1.46, 2.48], p < .001; RR = 1.77, 95% CI [1.35, 2.32], p < .001; RR = 3.74, 95% CI [2.19, 6.37], p < .001, respectively). Spontaneous communication to request objects significantly increased (RR = 2.17, 95% CI [1.75, 2.68], p < .001), but spontaneous requesting for social purposes did not (RR = 1.34, 95% CI [0.83, 2.18], p = .237). Only the effect on spontaneous speech persisted by follow-up (9 months later). Less severe baseline autism symptomatology (lower Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule [ADOS] score; C. Lord et al., 2000) was associated with greater increase in spontaneous speech (RR = 0.90, 95% CI [0.83, 0.98], p = .011) and less severe baseline expressive language impairment (lower ADOS item A1 score), with larger increases in spontaneous use of speech and pictures together (RR = 0.62, 95% CI [0.44, 0.88], p = .008). Overall, PECS appeared to enhance children's spontaneous communication for instrumental requesting using pictures, speech, or a combination of both. Some effects of training were moderated by baseline factors. For example, PECS appears to have increased spontaneous speech in children who could talk a little at baseline.

The impact of extrinsic demographic factors on Cantonese speech acquisition.

PubMed

To, Carol K S; Cheung, Pamela S P; McLeod, Sharynne

2013-05-01

This study modeled the associations between extrinsic demographic factors and children's speech acquisition in Hong Kong Cantonese. The speech of 937 Cantonese-speaking children aged 2;4 to 6;7 in Hong Kong was assessed using a standardized speech test. Demographic information regarding household income, paternal education, maternal education, presence of siblings and having a domestic helper as the main caregiver was collected via parent questionnaires. After controlling for age and sex, higher maternal education and higher household income were significantly associated with better speech skills; however, these variables explained a negligible amount of variance. Paternal education, number of siblings and having a foreign domestic helper did not associate with a child's speech acquisition. Extrinsic factors only exerted minimal influence on children's speech acquisition. A large amount of unexplained variance in speech ability still warrants further research.

77 FR 75432 - Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-20

...: 47 CFR 64.604--Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech- to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities; IP Captioned Telephone Service, Declaratory Ruling, CG Docket No. 03-123... Commission released the Declaratory Ruling, In the Matter of Telecommunication Relay Services and Speech-to...

Normal Aspects of Speech, Hearing, and Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minifie, Fred. D., Ed.; And Others

This book is written as a guide to the understanding of the processes involved in human speech communication. Ten authorities contributed material to provide an introduction to the physiological aspects of speech production and reception, the acoustical aspects of speech production and transmission, the psychophysics of sound reception, the nature…

Inferring Speaker Affect in Spoken Natural Language Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pon-Barry, Heather Roberta

2013-01-01

The field of spoken language processing is concerned with creating computer programs that can understand human speech and produce human-like speech. Regarding the problem of understanding human speech, there is currently growing interest in moving beyond speech recognition (the task of transcribing the words in an audio stream) and towards…

Speech and Language Therapy Intervention in Schizophrenia: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clegg, Judy; Brumfitt, Shelagh; Parks, Randolph W.; Woodruff, Peter W. R.

2007-01-01

Background: There is a significant body of evidence documenting the speech and language abnormalities found in adult psychiatric disorders. These speech and language impairments can create additional social barriers for the individual and may hinder effective communication in psychiatric treatment and management. However, the role of speech and…

Bibliography on Speech, Hearing and Language in Relation to Mental Retardation, 1900-1968.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peins, Maryann

The bibliography lists materials dealing with the communicative behavior (speech, hearing, language) of the mentally retarded. Each entry is classified according to one or more of the following categories: speech and language behavior; assessment of speech and language; hearing (assessment, problems, rehabilitation, research); habilitation…

Speech Development

MedlinePlus

... pay for speech therapy for children born with cleft lip and palate, though they may limit the number of therapy ... Hardin-Jones, Karnell (2000). Communicative Disorders Related to Cleft Lip and Palate . Bzoch (1997). Cleft Palate Speech Management: A Multidisciplinary ...

Toward extending the educational interpreter performance assessment to cued speech.

PubMed

Krause, Jean C; Kegl, Judy A; Schick, Brenda

2008-01-01

The Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) is as an important research tool for examining the quality of interpreters who use American Sign Language or a sign system in classroom settings, but it is not currently applicable to educational interpreters who use Cued Speech (CS). In order to determine the feasibility of extending the EIPA to include CS, a pilot EIPA test was developed and administered to 24 educational CS interpreters. Fifteen of the interpreters' performances were evaluated two to three times in order to assess reliability. Results show that the instrument has good construct validity and test-retest reliability. Although more interrater reliability data are needed, intrarater reliability was quite high (0.9), suggesting that the pilot test can be rated as reliably as signing versions of the EIPA. Notably, only 48% of interpreters who formally participated in pilot testing performed at a level that could be considered minimally acceptable. In light of similar performance levels previously reported for interpreters who sign (e.g., Schick, Williams, & Kupermintz, 2006), these results suggest that interpreting services for deaf and hard-of hearing students, regardless of the communication option used, are often inadequate and could seriously hinder access to the classroom environment.

Toward Extending the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment to Cued Speech

PubMed Central

Krause, Jean C.; Kegl, Judy A.; Schick, Brenda

2008-01-01

The Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) is as an important research tool for examining the quality of interpreters who use American Sign Language or a sign system in classroom settings, but it is not currently applicable to educational interpreters who use Cued Speech (CS). In order to determine the feasibility of extending the EIPA to include CS, a pilot EIPA test was developed and administered to 24 educational CS interpreters. Fifteen of the interpreters’ performances were evaluated two to three times in order to assess reliability. Results show that the instrument has good construct validity and test–retest reliability. Although more interrater reliability data are needed, intrarater reliability was quite high (0.9), suggesting that the pilot test can be rated as reliably as signing versions of the EIPA. Notably, only 48% of interpreters who formally participated in pilot testing performed at a level that could be considered minimally acceptable. In light of similar performance levels previously reported for interpreters who sign (e.g., Schick, Williams, & Kupermintz, 2006), these results suggest that interpreting services for deaf and hard-of hearing students, regardless of the communication option used, are often inadequate and could seriously hinder access to the classroom environment. PMID:18042791

Automated Discovery of Speech Act Categories in Educational Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rus, Vasile; Moldovan, Cristian; Niraula, Nobal; Graesser, Arthur C.

2012-01-01

In this paper we address the important task of automated discovery of speech act categories in dialogue-based, multi-party educational games. Speech acts are important in dialogue-based educational systems because they help infer the student speaker's intentions (the task of speech act classification) which in turn is crucial to providing adequate…

Using Others' Words: Conversational Use of Reported Speech by Individuals with Aphasia and Their Communication Partners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hengst, Julie A.; Frame, Simone R.; Neuman-Stritzel, Tiffany; Gannaway, Rachel

2005-01-01

Reported speech, wherein one quotes or paraphrases the speech of another, has been studied extensively as a set of linguistic and discourse practices. Researchers agree that reported speech is pervasive, found across languages, and used in diverse contexts. However, to date, there have been no studies of the use of reported speech among…

Is Birdsong More Like Speech or Music?

PubMed

Shannon, Robert V

2016-04-01

Music and speech share many acoustic cues but not all are equally important. For example, harmonic pitch is essential for music but not for speech. When birds communicate is their song more like speech or music? A new study contrasting pitch and spectral patterns shows that birds perceive their song more like humans perceive speech. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Frontal Brain Electrical Activity (EEG) and Heart Rate in Response to Affective Infant-Directed (ID) Speech in 9-Month-Old Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santesso, Diane L.; Schmidt, Louis A.; Trainor, Laurel J.

2007-01-01

Many studies have shown that infants prefer infant-directed (ID) speech to adult-directed (AD) speech. ID speech functions to aid language learning, obtain and/or maintain an infant's attention, and create emotional communication between the infant and caregiver. We examined psychophysiological responses to ID speech that varied in affective…

Neural dynamics of speech act comprehension: an MEG study of naming and requesting.

PubMed

Egorova, Natalia; Pulvermüller, Friedemann; Shtyrov, Yury

2014-05-01

The neurobiological basis and temporal dynamics of communicative language processing pose important yet unresolved questions. It has previously been suggested that comprehension of the communicative function of an utterance, i.e. the so-called speech act, is supported by an ensemble of neural networks, comprising lexico-semantic, action and mirror neuron as well as theory of mind circuits, all activated in concert. It has also been demonstrated that recognition of the speech act type occurs extremely rapidly. These findings however, were obtained in experiments with insufficient spatio-temporal resolution, thus possibly concealing important facets of the neural dynamics of the speech act comprehension process. Here, we used magnetoencephalography to investigate the comprehension of Naming and Request actions performed with utterances controlled for physical features, psycholinguistic properties and the probability of occurrence in variable contexts. The results show that different communicative actions are underpinned by a dynamic neural network, which differentiates between speech act types very early after the speech act onset. Within 50-90 ms, Requests engaged mirror-neuron action-comprehension systems in sensorimotor cortex, possibly for processing action knowledge and intentions. Still, within the first 200 ms of stimulus onset (100-150 ms), Naming activated brain areas involved in referential semantic retrieval. Subsequently (200-300 ms), theory of mind and mentalising circuits were activated in medial prefrontal and temporo-parietal areas, possibly indexing processing of intentions and assumptions of both communication partners. This cascade of stages of processing information about actions and intentions, referential semantics, and theory of mind may underlie dynamic and interactive speech act comprehension.

Multifaceted Communication Problems in Everyday Conversations Involving People with Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Saldert, Charlotta; Bauer, Malin

2017-01-01

It is known that Parkinson’s disease is often accompanied by a motor speech disorder, which results in impaired communication. However, people with Parkinson’s disease may also have impaired word retrieval (anomia) and other communicative problems, which have a negative impact on their ability to participate in conversations with family as well as healthcare staff. The aim of the present study was to explore effects of impaired speech and language on communication and how this is managed by people with Parkinson’s disease and their spouses. Using a qualitative method based on Conversation Analysis, in-depth analyses were performed on natural conversational interaction in five dyads including elderly men who were at different stages of Parkinson’s disease. The findings showed that the motor speech disorder in combination with word retrieval difficulties and adaptations, such as using communication strategies, may result in atypical utterances that are difficult for communication partners to understand. The coexistence of several communication problems compounds the difficulties faced in conversations and individuals with Parkinson’s disease are often dependent on cooperation with their communication partner to make themselves understood. PMID:28946714

Oral reading fluency analysis in patients with Alzheimer disease and asymptomatic control subjects.

PubMed

Martínez-Sánchez, F; Meilán, J J G; García-Sevilla, J; Carro, J; Arana, J M

2013-01-01

Many studies highlight that an impaired ability to communicate is one of the key clinical features of Alzheimer disease (AD). To study temporal organisation of speech in an oral reading task in patients with AD and in matched healthy controls using a semi-automatic method, and evaluate that method's ability to discriminate between the 2 groups. A test with an oral reading task was administered to 70 subjects, comprising 35 AD patients and 35 controls. Before speech samples were recorded, participants completed a battery of neuropsychological tests. There were no differences between groups with regard to age, sex, or educational level. All of the study variables showed impairment in the AD group. According to the results, AD patients' oral reading was marked by reduced speech and articulation rates, low effectiveness of phonation time, and increases in the number and proportion of pauses. Signal processing algorithms applied to reading fluency recordings were shown to be capable of differentiating between AD patients and controls with an accuracy of 80% (specificity 74.2%, sensitivity 77.1%) based on speech rate. Analysis of oral reading fluency may be useful as a tool for the objective study and quantification of speech deficits in AD. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Student diversity and implications for clinical competency development amongst domestic and international speech-language pathology students.

PubMed

Attrill, Stacie; Lincoln, Michelle; McAllister, Sue

2012-06-01

International students graduating from speech-language pathology university courses must achieve the same minimum competency standards as domestic students. This study aimed to collect descriptive information about the number, origin, and placement performance of international students as well as perceptions of the performance of international students on placement. University Clinical Education Coordinators (CECs), who manage clinical placements in eight undergraduate and six graduate entry programs across the 10 participating universities in Australia and New Zealand completed a survey about 3455 international and domestic speech-language pathology students. Survey responses were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively with non-parametric statistics and thematic analysis. Results indicated that international students came from a variety of countries, but with a regional focus on the countries of Central and Southern Asia. Although domestic students were noted to experience significantly less placement failure, fewer supplementary placements, and reduced additional placement support than international students, the effect size of these relationships was consistently small and therefore weak. CECs rated international students as more frequently experiencing difficulties with communication competencies on placement. However, CECs qualitative comments revealed that culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) students may experience more difficulties with speech-language pathology competency development than international students. Students' CALD status should be included in future investigations of factors influencing speech-language pathology competency development.

Performance of a low data rate speech codec for land-mobile satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gersho, Allen; Jedrey, Thomas C.

1990-01-01

In an effort to foster the development of new technologies for the emerging land mobile satellite communications services, JPL funded two development contracts in 1984: one to the Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara and the other to the Georgia Inst. of Technology, to develop algorithms and real time hardware for near toll quality speech compression at 4800 bits per second. Both universities have developed and delivered speech codecs to JPL, and the UCSB codec was extensively tested by JPL in a variety of experimental setups. The basic UCSB speech codec algorithms and the test results of the various experiments performed with this codec are presented.

Communication Methods for the Hearing Impaired.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Federation of the Deaf, Rome (Italy).

Communication methods for the hearing impaired are discussed in 12 conference papers. Papers from the United States are "Adjustment through Oralism" by G. Fellendorf, "Prospectus of Patterning" (a method of teaching speech to deaf children) by M.S. Buckler, and "Visual Monitoring of Speech by the Deaf" by W.…

A Review of Traditional Cloze Testing Methodology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heerman, Charles E.

To analyze the validity of W. L. Taylor's cloze testing methodology, this paper first examines three areas contributing to Taylor's thinking: communications theory, the psychology of speech and communication, and the theory of dispositional mechanisms--or nonessential words--in speech. It then evaluates Taylor's research to determine how he…

Improving Communication Outcomes for Young Offenders: A Proposed Response to Intervention Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snow, Pamela C.; Sanger, Dixie D.; Caire, Laura M.; Eadie, Patricia A.; Dinslage, Teagan

2015-01-01

Background: Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are strongly overrepresented in young offender populations, and there is growing commitment internationally to ensuring access to speech-language therapy services for such young people. However there is currently no framework in which such interventions might be conceptualized, delivered…

Speech Intelligibility of Profoundly Deaf Pediatric Hearing Aid Users.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svirsky, Mario A.; Chin, Steven B.; Miyamoto, Richard T.; Sloan, Robert B.; Caldwell, Matthew D.

2000-01-01

A study examined the speech intelligibility of children (ages 1-15) with deafness who use hearing aids. Data revealed a strong significant trend toward higher intelligibility for children with more residual hearing, and a significant trend toward higher intelligibility for users of oral communication than those using total communication. (Contains…

When Are High-Tech Communicators Effective in Parkinson's Disease?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferriero, Giorgio; Caligari, Marco; Ronconi, Gianpaolo; Franchignoni, Franco

2012-01-01

This report describes a 63-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease showing loss of intelligibility of speech and severely impaired handwriting, despite undergoing physical and speech therapies. As the patient had sufficient residual motor abilities and adequate cognitive function and motivation, a computer-based communication aid with a software…

Brief Report: Arrested Development of Audiovisual Speech Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevenson, Ryan A.; Siemann, Justin K.; Woynaroski, Tiffany G.; Schneider, Brittany C.; Eberly, Haley E.; Camarata, Stephen M.; Wallace, Mark T.

2014-01-01

Atypical communicative abilities are a core marker of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). A number of studies have shown that, in addition to auditory comprehension differences, individuals with autism frequently show atypical responses to audiovisual speech, suggesting a multisensory contribution to these communicative differences from their…

Learning Resources for the Secondary Speech Communication Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolvin, Andrew D.

1974-01-01

New print and nonprint resources for secondary level classroom use are available in the field of speech communication, which has become process oriented with continual interaction between speaker and listener. Of five specific books, three provide valuable resource material for teachers, focusing on practical teaching suggestions and the necessity…

DIAGNOSIS AND APPRAISAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS. PRENTICE-HALL FOUNDATIONS OF SPEECH PATHOLOGY SERIES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DARLEY, FREDERIC L.

THIS TEXT GIVES THE STUDENT AN OUTLINE OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY WHICH UNDERLIE EVALUATIVE WORK IN SPEECH DISORDERS. RATIONALE AND ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES ARE GIVEN FOR EXAMINATION OF THE BASIC COMMUNICATION PROCESSES OF SYMBOLIZATION, RESPIRATION, PHONATION, ARTICULATION-RESONANCE, PROSODY, ASSOCIATED SENSORY AND PERCEPTUAL…

Speech Intelligibility and Marital Communication in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joubert, Karin; Bornman, Juan; Alant, Erna

2011-01-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a rapidly progressive neuromuscular disease, has a devastating impact not only on individuals diagnosed with ALS but also their spouses. Speech intelligibility, often compromised as a result of dysarthria, affects the couple's ability to maintain effective, intimate communication. The purpose of this…

Giving speech a hand: gesture modulates activity in auditory cortex during speech perception.

PubMed

Hubbard, Amy L; Wilson, Stephen M; Callan, Daniel E; Dapretto, Mirella

2009-03-01

Viewing hand gestures during face-to-face communication affects speech perception and comprehension. Despite the visible role played by gesture in social interactions, relatively little is known about how the brain integrates hand gestures with co-occurring speech. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and an ecologically valid paradigm to investigate how beat gesture-a fundamental type of hand gesture that marks speech prosody-might impact speech perception at the neural level. Subjects underwent fMRI while listening to spontaneously-produced speech accompanied by beat gesture, nonsense hand movement, or a still body; as additional control conditions, subjects also viewed beat gesture, nonsense hand movement, or a still body all presented without speech. Validating behavioral evidence that gesture affects speech perception, bilateral nonprimary auditory cortex showed greater activity when speech was accompanied by beat gesture than when speech was presented alone. Further, the left superior temporal gyrus/sulcus showed stronger activity when speech was accompanied by beat gesture than when speech was accompanied by nonsense hand movement. Finally, the right planum temporale was identified as a putative multisensory integration site for beat gesture and speech (i.e., here activity in response to speech accompanied by beat gesture was greater than the summed responses to speech alone and beat gesture alone), indicating that this area may be pivotally involved in synthesizing the rhythmic aspects of both speech and gesture. Taken together, these findings suggest a common neural substrate for processing speech and gesture, likely reflecting their joint communicative role in social interactions.

Giving Speech a Hand: Gesture Modulates Activity in Auditory Cortex During Speech Perception

PubMed Central

Hubbard, Amy L.; Wilson, Stephen M.; Callan, Daniel E.; Dapretto, Mirella

2008-01-01

Viewing hand gestures during face-to-face communication affects speech perception and comprehension. Despite the visible role played by gesture in social interactions, relatively little is known about how the brain integrates hand gestures with co-occurring speech. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and an ecologically valid paradigm to investigate how beat gesture – a fundamental type of hand gesture that marks speech prosody – might impact speech perception at the neural level. Subjects underwent fMRI while listening to spontaneously-produced speech accompanied by beat gesture, nonsense hand movement, or a still body; as additional control conditions, subjects also viewed beat gesture, nonsense hand movement, or a still body all presented without speech. Validating behavioral evidence that gesture affects speech perception, bilateral nonprimary auditory cortex showed greater activity when speech was accompanied by beat gesture than when speech was presented alone. Further, the left superior temporal gyrus/sulcus showed stronger activity when speech was accompanied by beat gesture than when speech was accompanied by nonsense hand movement. Finally, the right planum temporale was identified as a putative multisensory integration site for beat gesture and speech (i.e., here activity in response to speech accompanied by beat gesture was greater than the summed responses to speech alone and beat gesture alone), indicating that this area may be pivotally involved in synthesizing the rhythmic aspects of both speech and gesture. Taken together, these findings suggest a common neural substrate for processing speech and gesture, likely reflecting their joint communicative role in social interactions. PMID:18412134

A Hypertext-Based Computer Architecture for Management of the Joint Command, Control and Communications Curriculum

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

Boards) Security, Privacy, and Freedom of Speech Issues 4.1.2 Understand the relationships between information processing and collection and...to-many (Mailing and discussion Lists) ... Many-to-Many (Bulletin Boards) Security, Privacy, and Freedom of Speech Issues 69 4.1.3 Understand the...Communication one-to-one (e-mail) °o° one-to-many (Mailing and discussion Lists) ... Many-to-Many (Bulletin Boards) oo Security, Privacy, and Freedom of Speech Issues

Child speech, language and communication need re-examined in a public health context: a new direction for the speech and language therapy profession.

PubMed

Law, James; Reilly, Sheena; Snow, Pamela C

2013-01-01

Historically speech and language therapy services for children have been framed within a rehabilitative framework with explicit assumptions made about providing therapy to individuals. While this is clearly important in many cases, we argue that this model needs revisiting for a number of reasons. First, our understanding of the nature of disability, and therefore communication disabilities, has changed over the past century. Second, there is an increasing understanding of the impact that the social gradient has on early communication difficulties. Finally, understanding how these factors interact with one other and have an impact across the life course remains poorly understood. To describe the public health paradigm and explore its implications for speech and language therapy with children. We test the application of public health methodologies to speech and language therapy services by looking at four dimensions of service delivery: (1) the uptake of services and whether those children who need services receive them; (2) the development of universal prevention services in relation to social disadvantage; (3) the risk of over-interpreting co-morbidity from clinical samples; and (4) the overlap between communicative competence and mental health. It is concluded that there is a strong case for speech and language therapy services to be reconceptualized to respond to the needs of the whole population and according to socially determined needs, focusing on primary prevention. This is not to disregard individual need, but to highlight the needs of the population as a whole. Although the socio-political context is different between countries, we maintain that this is relevant wherever speech and language therapists have a responsibility for covering whole populations. Finally, we recommend that speech and language therapy services be conceptualized within the framework laid down in The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. © 2013 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

How Does First-Week Intro Class Support Free Speech?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinson, David L.

1979-01-01

An exercise requiring students in an introductory mass communications course to comment on issues in a freedom of speech case revealed that students may be more supportive of freedom of speech than is sometimes thought. (RL)

Communicative performance of adolescents with severe speech impairment: influence of context.

PubMed

Dalton, B M; Bedrosian, J L

1989-08-01

The communicative performance of 4 preoperational-level adolescents, using limited speech, gestures, and communication board techniques, was examined in a two-part investigation. In Part 1, each subject participated in an academic interaction with a teacher in a therapy room. Data were transcribed and coded for communication mode, function, and role. Two subjects were found to predominantly use the speech mode, while the remaining 2 predominantly used board and one other mode. The majority of productions consisted of responses to requests, and the initiator role was infrequently occupied. These findings were similar to those reported in previous investigations conducted in classroom settings. In Part 2, another examination of the communicative performance of these subjects was conducted in spontaneous interactions involving speaking and nonspeaking peers in a therapy room. Using the same data analysis procedures, gesture and speech modes predominated for 3 of the subjects in the nonspeaking peer interactions. The remaining subject exhibited minimal interaction. No consistent pattern of mode usage was exhibited across the speaking peer interactions. In the nonspeaking peer interactions, request predominated. In contrast, a variety of communication functions was exhibited in the speaking peer interactions. Both the initiator and the maintainer roles were occupied in the majority of interactions. Pertinent variables and clinical implications are discussed.

How should a speech recognizer work?

PubMed

Scharenborg, Odette; Norris, Dennis; Bosch, Louis; McQueen, James M

2005-11-12

Although researchers studying human speech recognition (HSR) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) share a common interest in how information processing systems (human or machine) recognize spoken language, there is little communication between the two disciplines. We suggest that this lack of communication follows largely from the fact that research in these related fields has focused on the mechanics of how speech can be recognized. In Marr's (1982) terms, emphasis has been on the algorithmic and implementational levels rather than on the computational level. In this article, we provide a computational-level analysis of the task of speech recognition, which reveals the close parallels between research concerned with HSR and ASR. We illustrate this relation by presenting a new computational model of human spoken-word recognition, built using techniques from the field of ASR that, in contrast to current existing models of HSR, recognizes words from real speech input. 2005 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Dual Key Speech Encryption Algorithm Based Underdetermined BSS

PubMed Central

Zhao, Huan; Chen, Zuo; Zhang, Xixiang

2014-01-01

When the number of the mixed signals is less than that of the source signals, the underdetermined blind source separation (BSS) is a significant difficult problem. Due to the fact that the great amount data of speech communications and real-time communication has been required, we utilize the intractability of the underdetermined BSS problem to present a dual key speech encryption method. The original speech is mixed with dual key signals which consist of random key signals (one-time pad) generated by secret seed and chaotic signals generated from chaotic system. In the decryption process, approximate calculation is used to recover the original speech signals. The proposed algorithm for speech signals encryption can resist traditional attacks against the encryption system, and owing to approximate calculation, decryption becomes faster and more accurate. It is demonstrated that the proposed method has high level of security and can recover the original signals quickly and efficiently yet maintaining excellent audio quality. PMID:24955430

Effects of social cognitive impairment on speech disorder in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Docherty, Nancy M; McCleery, Amanda; Divilbiss, Marielle; Schumann, Emily B; Moe, Aubrey; Shakeel, Mohammed K

2013-05-01

Disordered speech in schizophrenia impairs social functioning because it impedes communication with others. Treatment approaches targeting this symptom have been limited by an incomplete understanding of its causes. This study examined the process underpinnings of speech disorder, assessed in terms of communication failure. Contributions of impairments in 2 social cognitive abilities, emotion perception and theory of mind (ToM), to speech disorder were assessed in 63 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 21 nonpsychiatric participants, after controlling for the effects of verbal intelligence and impairments in basic language-related neurocognitive abilities. After removal of the effects of the neurocognitive variables, impairments in emotion perception and ToM each explained additional variance in speech disorder in the patients but not the controls. The neurocognitive and social cognitive variables, taken together, explained 51% of the variance in speech disorder in the patients. Schizophrenic disordered speech may be less a concomitant of "positive" psychotic process than of illness-related limitations in neurocognitive and social cognitive functioning.

Equality marker in the language of bali

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wajdi, Majid; Subiyanto, Paulus

2018-01-01

The language of Bali could be grouped into one of the most elaborate languages of the world since the existence of its speech levels, low and high speech levels, as the language of Java has. Low and high speech levels of the language of Bali are language codes that could be used to show and express social relationship between or among its speakers. This paper focuses on describing, analyzing, and interpreting the use of the low code of the language of Bali in daily communication in the speech community of Pegayaman, Bali. Observational and documentation methods were applied to provide the data for the research. Recoding and field note techniques were executed to provide the data. Recorded in spoken language and the study of novel of Balinese were transcribed into written form to ease the process of analysis. Symmetric use of low code expresses social equality between or among the participants involves in the communication. It also implies social intimacy between or among the speakers of the language of Bali. Regular and patterned use of the low code of the language of Bali is not merely communication strategy, but it is a kind of communication agreement or communication contract between the participants. By using low code during their social and communication activities, the participants shared and express their social equality and intimacy between or among the participants involve in social and communication activities.

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (80th, Chicago, Illinois, July 30-August 2, 1997). Addenda II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

The 16 papers in the second part of the Addenda to this proceedings are: (1) "Catching a Glimpse of Hegemony: The Covers of 'Life' Magazine during the Gulf War" (Brian B. Feeney); (2) "'Cohen v. San Bernardino Valley College': Employee Speech or Academic Freedom" (Nancy Whitmore); (3) "'New York Times'' Use of Symbolism in…

Using the picture exchange communication system (PECS) with children with autism: assessment of PECS acquisition, speech, social-communicative behavior, and problem behavior.

PubMed Central

Charlop-Christy, Marjorie H; Carpenter, Michael; Le, Loc; LeBlanc, Linda A; Kellet, Kristen

2002-01-01

The picture exchange communication system (PECS) is an augmentative communication system frequently used with children with autism (Bondy & Frost, 1994; Siegel, 2000; Yamall, 2000). Despite its common clinical use, no well-controlled empirical investigations have been conducted to test the effectiveness of PECS. Using a multiple baseline design, the present study examined the acquisition of PECS with 3 children with autism. In addition, the study examined the effects of PECS training on the emergence of speech in play and academic settings. Ancillary measures of social-communicative behaviors and problem behaviors were recorded. Results indicated that all 3 children met the learning criterion for PECS and showed concomitant increases in verbal speech. Ancillary gains were associated with increases in social-communicative behaviors and decreases in problem behaviors. The results are discussed in terms of the provision of empirical support for PECS as well as the concomitant positive side effects of its use. PMID:12365736

Using the picture exchange communication system (PECS) with children with autism: assessment of PECS acquisition, speech, social-communicative behavior, and problem behavior.

PubMed

Charlop-Christy, Marjorie H; Carpenter, Michael; Le, Loc; LeBlanc, Linda A; Kellet, Kristen

2002-01-01

The picture exchange communication system (PECS) is an augmentative communication system frequently used with children with autism (Bondy & Frost, 1994; Siegel, 2000; Yamall, 2000). Despite its common clinical use, no well-controlled empirical investigations have been conducted to test the effectiveness of PECS. Using a multiple baseline design, the present study examined the acquisition of PECS with 3 children with autism. In addition, the study examined the effects of PECS training on the emergence of speech in play and academic settings. Ancillary measures of social-communicative behaviors and problem behaviors were recorded. Results indicated that all 3 children met the learning criterion for PECS and showed concomitant increases in verbal speech. Ancillary gains were associated with increases in social-communicative behaviors and decreases in problem behaviors. The results are discussed in terms of the provision of empirical support for PECS as well as the concomitant positive side effects of its use.

Validation and norming of the Intelligibility in Context Scale in Northern Viet Nam.

PubMed

Phạm, Ben; McLeod, Sharynne; Harrison, Linda J

2017-01-01

Vietnamese is one of the 20 most commonly spoken languages in the world; however, there are no standardised tools to assess Vietnamese children's speech. This study aimed to validate and norm the Vietnamese version of the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS-VN). Data were collected from parents of 181 children (aged 2;0-5;11) living in Ha Noi, Northern Viet Nam. The mean ICS-VN score was 4.43 (out of a maximum of 5), indicating that children were 'usually' to 'always' intelligible; however, item-level scores demonstrated significant differences between communication partners. Children with parental concerns about speech and language had significantly lower mean scores than children without parental concerns. Scores also differed by children's age, parents' occupation and mothers' education level but not by sex of child or fathers' education level. The ICS-VN had good psychometric properties indicating it to be a valid tool for use with Vietnamese-speaking children in Northern Viet Nam.

The Segmentation Problem in the Study of Impromptu Speech.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loman, Bengt

A fundamental problem in the study of spontaneous speech is how to segment it for analysis. The segments should be relevant for the study of linguistic structures, speech planning, speech production, or communication strategies. Operational rules for segmentation should consider a wide variety of criteria and be hierarchically ordered. This is…

76 FR 3887 - Notice of Public Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-21

.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Control Number: 3060-1043. Title: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, CG Docket No. 03-123, FCC 04-137...], Telecommunications Services for Hearing-Impaired and Speech-Impaired Individuals; The Americans with Disabilities Act...

The Utterance as Speech Genre in Mikhail Bakhtin's Philosophy of Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCord, Michael A.

This paper focuses on one of the central concepts of Mikhail Bakhtin's philosophy of language: his theory of the utterance as speech genre. Before exploring speech genres, the paper discusses Bakhtin's ideas concerning language--both language as a general system, and the use of language as particular speech communication. The paper considers…

75 FR 29914 - Telecommunications Relay Services, Speech-to-Speech Services, E911 Requirements for IP-Enabled...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-28

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket No. 03-123; WC Docket No. 05-196; FCC 08-275] Telecommunications Relay Services, Speech-to-Speech Services, E911 Requirements for IP... Requirements for IP-Enabled Service Providers, Report Order and Order on Reconsideration (Second Report and...

Temporal Resolution Needed for Auditory Communication: Measurement With Mosaic Speech

PubMed Central

Nakajima, Yoshitaka; Matsuda, Mizuki; Ueda, Kazuo; Remijn, Gerard B.

2018-01-01

Temporal resolution needed for Japanese speech communication was measured. A new experimental paradigm that can reflect the spectro-temporal resolution necessary for healthy listeners to perceive speech is introduced. As a first step, we report listeners' intelligibility scores of Japanese speech with a systematically degraded temporal resolution, so-called “mosaic speech”: speech mosaicized in the coordinates of time and frequency. The results of two experiments show that mosaic speech cut into short static segments was almost perfectly intelligible with a temporal resolution of 40 ms or finer. Intelligibility dropped for a temporal resolution of 80 ms, but was still around 50%-correct level. The data are in line with previous results showing that speech signals separated into short temporal segments of <100 ms can be remarkably robust in terms of linguistic-content perception against drastic manipulations in each segment, such as partial signal omission or temporal reversal. The human perceptual system thus can extract meaning from unexpectedly rough temporal information in speech. The process resembles that of the visual system stringing together static movie frames of ~40 ms into vivid motion. PMID:29740295

The simulation method in learning interpersonal communication competence--experiences of masters' degree students of health sciences.

PubMed

Saaranen, Terhi; Vaajoki, Anne; Kellomäki, Marjaana; Hyvärinen, Marja-Leena

2015-02-01

This article describes the experiences of master students of nursing science in learning interpersonal communication competence through the simulation method. The exercises reflected challenging interactive situations in the field of health care. Few studies have been published on using the simulation method in the communication education of teachers, managers, and experts in this field. The aim of this study is to produce information which can be utilised in developing the simulation method to promote the interpersonal communication competence of master-level students of health sciences. This study used the qualitative, descriptive research method. At the Department of Nursing Science, the University of Eastern Finland, students major in nursing science specialise in nursing leadership and management, preventive nursing science, or nurse teacher education. Students from all three specialties taking the Challenging Situations in Speech Communication course participated (n=47). Essays on meaningful learning experiences collected using the critical incident technique, underwent content analysis. Planning of teaching, carrying out different stages of the simulation exercise, participant roles, and students' personal factors were central to learning interpersonal communication competence. Simulation is a valuable method in developing the interpersonal communication competence of students of health sciences at the masters' level. The methods used in the simulation teaching of emergency care are not necessarily applicable as such to communication education. The role of teacher is essential to supervising students' learning in simulation exercises. In the future, it is important to construct questions that help students to reflect specifically on communication. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Communication Supports Inventory-Children & Youth (CSI-CY), a new instrument based on the ICF-CY.

PubMed

Rowland, Charity; Fried-Oken, Melanie; Bowser, Gayl; Granlund, Mats; Lollar, Donald; Phelps, Randall; Simeonsson, Rune J; Steiner, Sandra A M

2016-09-01

Two studies are presented that evaluated the Communication Supports Inventory-Children & Youth (CSI-CY), an instrument designed to facilitate the development of communication-related educational goals for students with complex communication needs (CCN). The CSI-CY incorporates a code set based on the ICF-CY. The studies were designed to determine the effect of using the CSI-CY on IEP goals for students with CCN and to evaluate consumer satisfaction. In Study 1, sixty-one educators and speech-language pathologists were randomly assigned to either (a) provide a student's current IEP (control group) or (b) complete the CSI-CY prior to preparing a student's next IEP and to submit the new IEP (experimental group). Study 2 was a field test to generate consumer satisfaction data. Study 1 showed that IEP goals submitted by participants in the experimental group referenced CSI-CY-related content significantly more frequently than did those submitted by control participants. Study 2 revealed high satisfaction with the instrument. The code set basis of the CSI-CY extends the common language of the ICF-CY to practical educational use for children with CCN across diagnostic groups. The CSI-CY is well regarded as an instrument to inform the content of communication goals related to CCN. Implications for Rehabilitation The CSI-CY will guide rehabilitation professionals to develop goals for children with complex communication impairments. The CSI-CY is a new instrument that is based on the ICF-CY for documentation of communication goals.

[Effects of acaoustic adaptation of classrooms on the quality of verbal communication].

PubMed

Mikulski, Witold

2013-01-01

Voice organ disorders among teachers are caused by excessive voice strain. One of the measures to reduce this strain is to decrease background noise when teaching. Increasing the acoustic absorption of the room is a technical measure for achieving this aim. The absorption level also improves speech intelligibility rated by the following parameters: room reverberation time and speech transmission index (STI). This article presents the effects of acoustic adaptation of classrooms on the quality of verbal communication, aimed at getting the speech intelligibility at the good or excellent level. The article lists the criteria for evaluating classrooms in terms of the quality of verbal communication. The parameters were defined, using the measurement methods according to PN-EN ISO 3382-2:2010 and PN-EN 60268-16:2011. Acoustic adaptations were completed in two classrooms. After completing acoustic adaptations the reverberation time for the frequency of 1 kHz was reduced: in room no. 1 from 1.45 s to 0.44 s and in room no. 2 from 1.03 s to 0.37 s (maximum 0.65 s). At the same time, the speech transmission index increased: in room no. 1 from 0.55 (satisfactory speech intelligibility) to 0.75 (speech intelligibility close to excellent); in room no. 2 from 0.63 (good speech intelligibility) to 0.80 (excellent speech intelligibility). Therefore, it can be stated that prior to completing acoustic adaptations room no. 1 did not comply and room no. 2 barely complied with the criterion (speech transmission index of 0.62). After completing acoustic adaptations both rooms meet the requirements.

Mobile communication jacket for people with severe speech impairment.

PubMed

Lampe, Renée; Blumenstein, Tobias; Turova, Varvara; Alves-Pinto, Ana

2018-04-01

Cerebral palsy is a movement disorder caused by damage to motor control areas of the developing brain during early childhood. Motor disorders can also affect the ability to produce clear speech and to communicate. The aim of this study was to develop and to test a prototype of an assistive tool with an embedded mobile communication device to support patients with severe speech impairments. A prototype was developed by equipping a cycling jacket with a display, a small keyboard, a LED and an alarm system, all controlled by a microcontroller. Functionality of the prototype was tested in six participants (aged 7-20 years) with cerebral palsy and global developmental disorder and three healthy persons. A patient questionnaire consisting of seven items was used as an evaluation tool. A working prototype of the communication jacket was developed and tested. The questionnaire elicited positive responses from participants. Improvements to correct revealed weaknesses were proposed. Enhancements like voice output of pre-selected phrases and enlarged display were implemented. Integration in a jacket makes the system mobile and continuously available to the user. The communication jacket may be of great benefit to patients with motor and speech impairments. Implications for Rehabilitation The communication jacket developed can be easily used by people with movement and speech impairment. All technical components are integrated in a garment and do not have to be held with the hands or transported separately. The system is adaptable to individual use. Both expected and unexpected events can be dealt with, which contributes to the quality of life and self-fulfilment.

Evidence-based practice in speech-language pathology curricula: a scoping study.

PubMed

Togher, Leanne; Yiannoukas, Corina; Lincoln, Michelle; Power, Emma; Munro, Natalie; Mccabe, Patricia; Ghosh, Pratiti; Worrall, Linda; Ward, Elizabeth; Ferguson, Alison; Harrison, Elisabeth; Douglas, Jacinta

2011-12-01

This scoping study investigated how evidence-based practice (EBP) principles are taught in Australian speech-language pathology (SLP) teaching and learning contexts. It explored how Australian SLP university programs: (1) facilitate student learning about the principles of EBP in academic and clinical settings, and (2) self-evaluate their curricula in relation to EBP. The research involved two surveys. Survey 1 respondents were 131 academic staff, program coordinators, and on-campus and off-campus clinical educators. This survey gathered information about EBP teaching and learning in SLP programs as well as future EBP curriculum plans. Survey 2 investigated how clinical educators incorporated EBP into the way they taught clinical decision-making to students. Surveys responses from 85 clinical educators were analysed using descriptive and non-parametric statistics and thematic grouping of open-ended qualitative responses. Both surveys revealed strengths and gaps in integrating EBP into Australian SLP curricula. Perceived strengths were that respondents were positive about EBP, most had EBP training and access to EBP resources. The perceived gaps included the academic staff's perceptions of students' understanding and application of EBP, respondents' understanding of research methodologies, communication and collaboration between academic staff and clinical educators, and a lack of explicit discussion by clinical educators and students of EBP in relation to clients.

Content analysis of the professional journal of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, III: 1966-2015-into the 21st century.

PubMed

Armstrong, Linda; Stansfield, Jois; Bloch, Steven

2017-11-01

Following content analyses of the first 30 years of the UK speech and language therapy professional body's journal, this study was conducted to survey the published work of the speech (and language) therapy profession over the last 50 years and trace key changes and themes. To understand better the development of the UK speech and language therapy profession over the last 50 years. All volumes of the professional journal of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists published between 1966 and 2015 (British Journal of Communication Disorders, European Journal of Communication Disorders and International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders) were examined using content analysis. The content was compared with that of the same journal as it appeared from 1935 to 1965. The journal has shown a trend towards more multi-authored and international papers, and a formalization of research methodologies. The volume of papers has increased considerably. Topic areas have expanded, but retain many of the areas of study found in earlier issues of the journal. The journal and its articles reflect the growing complexity of conditions being researched by speech and language therapists and their professional colleagues and give an indication of the developing evidence base for intervention and the diverse routes which speech and language therapy practice has taken over the last 50 years. © 2017 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Situational therapy for Wernicke's aphasia.

PubMed

Altschuler, Eric Lewin; Multari, Alicia; Hirstein, William; Ramachandran, V S

2006-01-01

Patients with Wernicke's or expressive aphasia are able to produce fluent speech, however, this speech may be complete gibberish sounds and totally incomprehensible, or even when comprehensible to a degree is often laced with severe errors and abnormalities such as verbal and phonemic paraphasias and neologisms. Furthermore, patient's with Wernicke's aphasia have poor to no understanding of speech or language. There is no proven method for rehabilitation of Wernicke's aphasia, or even much guidance for physicians or speech therapists to treat Wernicke's aphasia patients. In contrast to their poor to non-existent communication skills using speech or other forms of language, it has long been appreciated informally and formally that Wernicke's aphasia patients are able to communicate well, even normally, using non-verbal means such as actions, movements, props, gestures, facials expressions, and affect. Furthermore, in non-language domains Wernicke's aphasia patients can show normal memory and learning abilities. Thus, we here suggest that the non-language communication channels of Wernicke's aphasia patients be channeled and utilized in their functional rehabilitation: Specifically, we suggest that therapy for Wernicke's aphasia patients should consist of placing patients in real or simulated important functional situations--e.g., buying food, taking transport--and let the patients train and learn to use and hone their non-language communication means and skills for improved practical functioning.

The Levels of Speech Usage rating scale: comparison of client self-ratings with speech pathologist ratings.

PubMed

Gray, Christina; Baylor, Carolyn; Eadie, Tanya; Kendall, Diane; Yorkston, Kathryn

2012-01-01

The term 'speech usage' refers to what people want or need to do with their speech to fulfil the communication demands in their life roles. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) need to know about clients' speech usage to plan appropriate interventions to meet their life participation goals. The Levels of Speech Usage is a categorical scale intended for client self-report of speech usage, but SLPs may want the option to use it as a proxy-report tool. The relationship between self-report and clinician ratings should be examined before the instrument is used in a proxy format. The primary purpose of this study was to compare client self-ratings with SLP ratings on the Levels of Speech Usage scale. The secondary purpose was to determine if the SLP ratings differed depending on whether or not the SLPs knew about the clients' medical condition. Self-ratings of adults with communication disorders on the Levels of Speech Usage scale were available from prior research. Vignettes about these individuals were created from existing data. Two sets of vignettes were created. One set contained information about demographic information, living situation, occupational status and hobbies or social activities. The second set was identical to the first with the addition of information about the clients' medical conditions and communication disorders. Various communication disorders were represented including dysarthria, voice disorders, laryngectomy, and mild cognitive and language disorders. Sixty SLPs were randomly divided into two groups with each group rating one set of vignettes. The task was completed online. While this does not replicate typical in-person clinical interactions, it was a feasible method for this study. For data analysis, the client self-ratings were considered fixed points and the percentage of SLP ratings in agreement with the self-ratings was calculated. The percentage of SLP ratings in exact agreement with client self-ratings was 44.9%. Agreement was lowest for the less-demanding speech usage categories and highest for the most demanding usage category. There was no significant difference between the two groups of SLPs based on knowledge of medical condition. SLPs often need to document the speech usage levels of clients. This study suggests the potential for SLPs to misjudge how clients see their own speech demands. Further research is needed to determine if similar results would be found in actual clinical interactions. Until then, SLPs should seek the input of their clients when using this instrument. © 2012 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

The Communication Function Classification System: cultural adaptation, validity, and reliability of the Farsi version for patients with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Soleymani, Zahra; Joveini, Ghodsiye; Baghestani, Ahmad Reza

2015-03-01

This study developed a Farsi language Communication Function Classification System and then tested its reliability and validity. Communication Function Classification System is designed to classify the communication functions of individuals with cerebral palsy. Up until now, there has been no instrument for assessment of this communication function in Iran. The English Communication Function Classification System was translated into Farsi and cross-culturally modified by a panel of experts. Professionals and parents then assessed the content validity of the modified version. A backtranslation of the Farsi version was confirmed by the developer of the English Communication Function Classification System. Face validity was assessed by therapists and parents of 10 patients. The Farsi Communication Function Classification System was administered to 152 individuals with cerebral palsy (age, 2 to 18 years; median age, 10 years; mean age, 9.9 years; standard deviation, 4.3 years). Inter-rater reliability was analyzed between parents, occupational therapists, and speech and language pathologists. The test-retest reliability was assessed for 75 patients with a 14 day interval between tests. The inter-rater reliability of the Communication Function Classification System was 0.81 between speech and language pathologists and occupational therapists, 0.74 between parents and occupational therapists, and 0.88 between parents and speech and language pathologists. The test-retest reliability was 0.96 for occupational therapists, 0.98 for speech and language pathologists, and 0.94 for parents. The findings suggest that the Farsi version of Communication Function Classification System is a reliable and valid measure that can be used in clinical settings to assess communication function in patients with cerebral palsy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Picture Exchange Communication System.

PubMed

Bondy, A; Frost, L

2001-10-01

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is an alternative/augmentative communication system that was developed to teach functional communication to children with limited speech. The approach is unique in that it teaches children to initiate communicative interactions within a social framework. This article describes the advantages to implementing PECS over traditional approaches. The PECS training protocol is described wherein children are taught to exchange a single picture for a desired item and eventually to construct picture-based sentences and use a variety of attributes in their requests. The relationship of PECS's implementation to the development of speech in previously nonvocal students is reviewed.

Study of environmental sound source identification based on hidden Markov model for robust speech recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishiura, Takanobu; Nakamura, Satoshi

2003-10-01

Humans communicate with each other through speech by focusing on the target speech among environmental sounds in real acoustic environments. We can easily identify the target sound from other environmental sounds. For hands-free speech recognition, the identification of the target speech from environmental sounds is imperative. This mechanism may also be important for a self-moving robot to sense the acoustic environments and communicate with humans. Therefore, this paper first proposes hidden Markov model (HMM)-based environmental sound source identification. Environmental sounds are modeled by three states of HMMs and evaluated using 92 kinds of environmental sounds. The identification accuracy was 95.4%. This paper also proposes a new HMM composition method that composes speech HMMs and an HMM of categorized environmental sounds for robust environmental sound-added speech recognition. As a result of the evaluation experiments, we confirmed that the proposed HMM composition outperforms the conventional HMM composition with speech HMMs and a noise (environmental sound) HMM trained using noise periods prior to the target speech in a captured signal. [Work supported by Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications of Japan.

Space station interior noise analysis program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stusnick, E.; Burn, M.

1987-01-01

Documentation is provided for a microcomputer program which was developed to evaluate the effect of the vibroacoustic environment on speech communication inside a space station. The program, entitled Space Station Interior Noise Analysis Program (SSINAP), combines a Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) prediction of sound and vibration levels within the space station with a speech intelligibility model based on the Modulation Transfer Function and the Speech Transmission Index (MTF/STI). The SEA model provides an effective analysis tool for predicting the acoustic environment based on proposed space station design. The MTF/STI model provides a method for evaluating speech communication in the relatively reverberant and potentially noisy environments that are likely to occur in space stations. The combinations of these two models provides a powerful analysis tool for optimizing the acoustic design of space stations from the point of view of speech communications. The mathematical algorithms used in SSINAP are presented to implement the SEA and MTF/STI models. An appendix provides an explanation of the operation of the program along with details of the program structure and code.

Military and Government Applications of Human-Machine Communication by Voice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinstein, Clifford J.

1995-10-01

This paper describes a range of opportunities for military and government applications of human-machine communication by voice, based on visits and contacts with numerous user organizations in the United States. The applications include some that appear to be feasible by careful integration of current state-of-the-art technology and others that will require a varying mix of advances in speech technology and in integration of the technology into applications environments. Applications that are described include (1) speech recognition and synthesis for mobile command and control; (2) speech processing for a portable multifunction soldier's computer; (3) speech- and language-based technology for naval combat team tactical training; (4) speech technology for command and control on a carrier flight deck; (5) control of auxiliary systems, and alert and warning generation, in fighter aircraft and helicopters; and (6) voice check-in, report entry, and communication for law enforcement agents or special forces. A phased approach for transfer of the technology into applications is advocated, where integration of applications systems is pursued in parallel with advanced research to meet future needs.

From speech to thought: the neuronal basis of cognitive units in non-experimental, real-life communication investigated using ECoG

PubMed Central

Derix, Johanna; Iljina, Olga; Weiske, Johanna; Schulze-Bonhage, Andreas; Aertsen, Ad; Ball, Tonio

2014-01-01

Exchange of thoughts by means of expressive speech is fundamental to human communication. However, the neuronal basis of real-life communication in general, and of verbal exchange of ideas in particular, has rarely been studied until now. Here, our aim was to establish an approach for exploring the neuronal processes related to cognitive “idea” units (IUs) in conditions of non-experimental speech production. We investigated whether such units corresponding to single, coherent chunks of speech with syntactically-defined borders, are useful to unravel the neuronal mechanisms underlying real-world human cognition. To this aim, we employed simultaneous electrocorticography (ECoG) and video recordings obtained in pre-neurosurgical diagnostics of epilepsy patients. We transcribed non-experimental, daily hospital conversations, identified IUs in transcriptions of the patients' speech, classified the obtained IUs according to a previously-proposed taxonomy focusing on memory content, and investigated the underlying neuronal activity. In each of our three subjects, we were able to collect a large number of IUs which could be assigned to different functional IU subclasses with a high inter-rater agreement. Robust IU-onset-related changes in spectral magnitude could be observed in high gamma frequencies (70–150 Hz) on the inferior lateral convexity and in the superior temporal cortex regardless of the IU content. A comparison of the topography of these responses with mouth motor and speech areas identified by electrocortical stimulation showed that IUs might be of use for extraoperative mapping of eloquent cortex (average sensitivity: 44.4%, average specificity: 91.1%). High gamma responses specific to memory-related IU subclasses were observed in the inferior parietal and prefrontal regions. IU-based analysis of ECoG recordings during non-experimental communication thus elicits topographically- and functionally-specific effects. We conclude that segmentation of spontaneous real-world speech in linguistically-motivated units is a promising strategy for elucidating the neuronal basis of mental processing during non-experimental communication. PMID:24982625

Implementing the World Report on Disability in Malaysia: a student-led service to promote knowledge and innovation.

PubMed

Van Dort, Sandra; Coyle, Julia; Wilson, Linda; Ibrahim, Hasherah Mohd

2013-02-01

The lead article by Wylie, McAllister, Davidson, and Marshall (2013) puts forward pertinent issues facing the speech-language pathology profession raised by the World Report on Disability. This paper continues the discussion by reporting on a capacity building action research study on the development, implementation, and evaluation of a new approach to early intervention speech-language pathology through clinical education in Malaysia. This research evaluated a student-led service in community-based rehabilitation that supplemented existing and more typical institution-based services. A Malaysian community-based rehabilitation project was chosen due to its emphasis on increasing the equitability and accessibility of services for people with disabilities which was a catalyst for this research. Also, expanding awareness-building, education, and training activities about communication disability was important. The intention was to provide students with experience of working in such settings, and facilitate their development as advocates for broadening the scope of practice of speech-language pathology services in Malaysia. This article focuses on the findings pertaining to the collaborative process and the learning experiences of the adult participants. Through reflection on the positive achievements, as well as some failures, it aims to provide deeper understanding of the use of such a model.

Acoustic differences between humorous and sincere communicative intentions.

PubMed

Hoicka, Elena; Gattis, Merideth

2012-11-01

Previous studies indicate that the acoustic features of speech discriminate between positive and negative communicative intentions, such as approval and prohibition. Two studies investigated whether acoustic features of speech can discriminate between two positive communicative intentions: humour and sweet-sincerity, where sweet-sincerity involved being sincere in a positive, warm-hearted way. In Study 1, 22 mothers read a book containing humorous, sweet-sincere, and neutral-sincere images to their 19- to 24-month-olds. In Study 2, 41 mothers read a book containing humorous or sweet-sincere sentences and images to their 18- to 24-month-olds. Mothers used a higher mean F0 to communicate visual humour as compared to visual sincerity. Mothers used greater F0 mean, range, and standard deviation; greater intensity mean, range, and standard deviation; and a slower speech rate to communicate verbal humour as compared to verbal sweet-sincerity. Mothers used a rising linear contour to communicate verbal humour, but used no specific contour to express verbal sweet-sincerity. We conclude that speakers provide acoustic cues enabling listeners to distinguish between positive communicative intentions. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Communication variations related to leader personality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.; Palmer, Mark T.; Veinott, Elizabeth S.

1991-01-01

While communication and captain personality type have been separately shown to relate to overall crew performance, this study attempts to establish a link between communication and personality among 12 crews whose captains represent three pre-selected personality profiles (IE+, I-, Ec-). Results from analyzing transcribed speech from one leg of a full-mission simulation study, so far indicate several discriminating patterns involving ratios of total initiating speech (captain to crew members); in particular commands, questions and observations.

The Communication of Public Speaking Anxiety: Perceptions of Asian and American Speakers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martini, Marianne; And Others

1992-01-01

Finds that U.S. audiences perceive Asian speakers to have more speech anxiety than U.S. speakers, even though Asian speakers do not self-report higher anxiety levels. Confirms that speech state anxiety is not communicated effectively between speakers and audiences for Asian or U.S. speakers. (SR)

Report of the Research Priorities Division of the Speech Communication Association.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitzer, Lloyd F.; And Others

A wide variety of topics are discussed in relation to research needs and classified in relation to problem areas, decision-making areas, and recommendations. Areas under discussion include an examination of the decision-making structure of the Speech Communication Association, criteria by which decisions can be evaluated, conceptualizing the…

"Tramites" and "Transportes": The Acquisition of Second Language Communicative Competence for One Speech Event in Puno, Peru.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hornberger, Nancy H.

1989-01-01

Analyzes ethnographic data regarding one prolonged speech event, the negotiation of a driver's license at the Ministry of Transportation in Puno, Peru, from the perspective of Hymes' redefinition of linguistic competence. Implications for the acquisition of second language communicative competence are also discussed. (Author/CB)

Cued American English: A Variety in the Visual Mode

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portolano, Marlana

2008-01-01

Cued American English (CAE) is a visual variety of English derived from a mode of communication called Cued Speech (CS). CS, or cueing, is a system of communication for use with the deaf, which consists of hand shapes, hand placements, and mouth shapes that signify the phonemic information conventionally conveyed through speech in spoken…

Criterion Referenced Measurement in Speech-Communication Classrooms: Panacea for Mediocrity. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buley, Jerry L.

The philosophical underpinnings of the typical testing practices of speech communication teachers in regard to norm-referenced measurement contain several assumptions which teachers may find untenable on closer inspection. Some of the consequences of these assumptions are a waste of human potential, inefficient use of instructional expertise,…

Teaching Speech Communication in a Black College: Does Technology Make a Difference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nwadike, Fellina O.; Ekeanyanwu, Nnamdi T.

2011-01-01

Teaching a speech communication course in typical HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) comes with many issues, because the application of technology in some minority institutions differs. The levels of acceptability as well as affordability are also core issues that affect application. Using technology in the classroom means many…

Morphophonological Practice: An Ethnographic Study of Grammar and Discourse in Four American English Stuttering Speech Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dumas, Nathaniel William

2010-01-01

Using the Practice Theory Approach to Language, this dissertation examines how social actors use communicative practices within activities to constitute a communicative context that I call the American English Stuttering Speech Community (AESSC). Building on previous linguistic research on stuttering and sociological research on collectives of…

Telephone Communication for the Deaf: Speech Indicator Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Ray L.

The instructional manual is designed to accompany the Speech Indicator, a small, portable, economical ($15) device for deaf persons for telephone communication (available from Leadership Training Program in the Area of the Deaf, San Fernando State College). The device indicates when the other party speaks, not what he says. A topic outline and…

Toward an Understanding of Successful Career Placement by Undergraduate Speech Communication Departments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahn, Dudley D.

Noting that placement of graduating speech communication students is an important measure of the success of career programs, and that faculty and department heads who are presently developing, recommending, or supervising career programs may be interested in useful career attitudes and placement activities, a study was conducted to determine what…

Mexican Immigrant Mothers' Perceptions of Their Children's Communication Disabilities, Emergent Literacy Development, and Speech-Language Therapy Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kummerer, Sharon E.; Lopez-Reyna, Norma A.; Hughes, Marie Tejero

2007-01-01

Purpose: This qualitative study explored mothers' perceptions of their children's communication disabilities, emergent literacy development, and speech-language therapy programs. Method: Participants were 14 Mexican immigrant mothers and their children (age 17-47 months) who were receiving center-based services from an early childhood intervention…

Ethnography of Communication: A Unique Contribution to Organizational Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabs, Lorelle

This paper argues that while organizational research includes a diverse array of naturalistic approaches, a gap exists in the organizational literature that can only be filled by the ethnography of communication (EC). The paper proposes that, instead of using speech to do qualitative research, speech itself should be studied as the topic of…

Directory of Graduate Programs in the Speech Communication Arts and Sciences 1975-1976.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Robert N., Ed.

The primary function of this directory is to serve prospective graduate students, teachers, administrators and counselors who desire current information about graduate programs in speech communication. A secondary function is to provide a comparative analysis of the information presented. Many of the fundamental questions that a student might ask…

Involving Parents in Teaching Social Communication Skills to Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Amy L.; Theadore, Geraldine

2011-01-01

This article focuses on why and how speech-language pathologists and other professionals can encourage the involvement of parents in teaching social communication skills to their young children. Four main topics are explored: (1) the evidence that many of the children with special needs served by speech-language pathologists and other…

Altered Gesture and Speech Production in ASD Detract from In-Person Communicative Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morett, Laura M.; O'Hearn, Kirsten; Luna, Beatriz; Ghuman, Avniel Singh

2016-01-01

This study disentangled the influences of language and social processing on communication in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by examining whether gesture and speech production differs as a function of social context. The results indicate that, unlike other adolescents, adolescents with ASD did not increase their coherency and engagement in the…

Business Communication Students Learn to Hear a Bad Speech Habit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Reginald L.; Liang-Bell, Lei Paula; Deselle, Bettye

2006-01-01

Students were trained to perceive filled pauses (FP) as a bad speech habit. In a series of classroom sensitivity training activities, followed by students being rewarded to observe twenty minutes of live television from the public media, no differences between male and female Business Communication students was revealed. The practice of teaching…

Captain's Log...The Speech Communication Oral Journal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strong, William F.

1983-01-01

The logic and the benefits of requiring college students in basic speech communication classes to tape-record oral journals are set forth along with a detailed description of the assignment. Instructions to the students explain the mechanics of the assignment as follows: (1) obtain and properly label a quality cassette tape; (2) make seven…

Practical Considerations When Supporting Transitions for Pupils with Speech, Language and Communication Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perfitt, Ruth

2013-01-01

This article investigates the impact of transitions upon pupils aged 11-14 with speech, language and communication needs, including specific language impairment and autism. The aim is to identify stress factors, examine whether these affect any subgroups in particular and suggest practical strategies to support pupils through transitions. Stress…

Iconic Gestures for Robot Avatars, Recognition and Integration with Speech.

PubMed

Bremner, Paul; Leonards, Ute

2016-01-01

Co-verbal gestures are an important part of human communication, improving its efficiency and efficacy for information conveyance. One possible means by which such multi-modal communication might be realized remotely is through the use of a tele-operated humanoid robot avatar. Such avatars have been previously shown to enhance social presence and operator salience. We present a motion tracking based tele-operation system for the NAO robot platform that allows direct transmission of speech and gestures produced by the operator. To assess the capabilities of this system for transmitting multi-modal communication, we have conducted a user study that investigated if robot-produced iconic gestures are comprehensible, and are integrated with speech. Robot performed gesture outcomes were compared directly to those for gestures produced by a human actor, using a within participant experimental design. We show that iconic gestures produced by a tele-operated robot are understood by participants when presented alone, almost as well as when produced by a human. More importantly, we show that gestures are integrated with speech when presented as part of a multi-modal communication equally well for human and robot performances.

Intensive speech and language therapy in patients with chronic aphasia after stroke: a randomised, open-label, blinded-endpoint, controlled trial in a health-care setting.

PubMed

Breitenstein, Caterina; Grewe, Tanja; Flöel, Agnes; Ziegler, Wolfram; Springer, Luise; Martus, Peter; Huber, Walter; Willmes, Klaus; Ringelstein, E Bernd; Haeusler, Karl Georg; Abel, Stefanie; Glindemann, Ralf; Domahs, Frank; Regenbrecht, Frank; Schlenck, Klaus-Jürgen; Thomas, Marion; Obrig, Hellmuth; de Langen, Ernst; Rocker, Roman; Wigbers, Franziska; Rühmkorf, Christina; Hempen, Indra; List, Jonathan; Baumgaertner, Annette

2017-04-15

Treatment guidelines for aphasia recommend intensive speech and language therapy for chronic (≥6 months) aphasia after stroke, but large-scale, class 1 randomised controlled trials on treatment effectiveness are scarce. We aimed to examine whether 3 weeks of intensive speech and language therapy under routine clinical conditions improved verbal communication in daily-life situations in people with chronic aphasia after stroke. In this multicentre, parallel group, superiority, open-label, blinded-endpoint, randomised controlled trial, patients aged 70 years or younger with aphasia after stroke lasting for 6 months or more were recruited from 19 inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation centres in Germany. An external biostatistician used a computer-generated permuted block randomisation method, stratified by treatment centre, to randomly assign participants to either 3 weeks or more of intensive speech and language therapy (≥10 h per week) or 3 weeks deferral of intensive speech and language therapy. The primary endpoint was between-group difference in the change in verbal communication effectiveness in everyday life scenarios (Amsterdam-Nijmegen Everyday Language Test A-scale) from baseline to immediately after 3 weeks of treatment or treatment deferral. All analyses were done using the modified intention-to-treat population (those who received 1 day or more of intensive treatment or treatment deferral). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01540383. We randomly assigned 158 patients between April 1, 2012, and May 31, 2014. The modified intention-to-treat population comprised 156 patients (78 per group). Verbal communication was significantly improved from baseline to after intensive speech and language treatment (mean difference 2·61 points [SD 4·94]; 95% CI 1·49 to 3·72), but not from baseline to after treatment deferral (-0·03 points [4·04]; -0·94 to 0·88; between-group difference Cohen's d 0·58; p=0·0004). Eight patients had adverse events during therapy or treatment deferral (one car accident [in the control group], two common cold [one patient per group], three gastrointestinal or cardiac symptoms [all intervention group], two recurrent stroke [one in intervention group before initiation of treatment, and one before group assignment had occurred]); all were unrelated to study participation. 3 weeks of intensive speech and language therapy significantly enhanced verbal communication in people aged 70 years or younger with chronic aphasia after stroke, providing an effective evidence-based treatment approach in this population. Future studies should examine the minimum treatment intensity required for meaningful treatment effects, and determine whether treatment effects cumulate over repeated intervention periods. German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the German Society for Aphasia Research and Treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Buried Messages, Hidden Meanings: Speech Mannerisms Revisited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Lewis B.

1988-01-01

Introduces counselors to 10 commonly used mannerisms of speech and the part that each mannerism plays in the communication process, especially in the counseling context. Offers suggestions on how to respond to these speech mannerisms in a straightforward and effective manner. (Author)

Symbolic Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Podgor, Ellen S.

1976-01-01

The concept of symbolic speech emanates from the 1967 case of United States v. O'Brien. These discussions of flag desecration, grooming and dress codes, nude entertainment, buttons and badges, and musical expression show that the courts place symbolic speech in different strata from verbal communication. (LBH)

Hearing and Speech Sciences in Educational Environment Mapping in Brazil: education, work and professional experience.

PubMed

Celeste, Letícia Corrêa; Zanoni, Graziela; Queiroga, Bianca; Alves, Luciana Mendonça

2017-03-09

To map the profile of Brazilian Speech Therapists who report acting in Educational Speech Therapy, with regard to aspects related to training, performance and professional experience. Retrospective study, based on secondary database analysis of the Federal Council of Hearing and Speech Sciences on the questionnaires reporting acting with Educational Environment. 312 questionnaires were completed, of which 93.3% by women aged 30-39 years. Most Speech Therapists continued the studies, opting mostly for specialization. Almost 50% of respondents, have worked for less than six years with the speciality, most significantly in the public service (especially municipal) and private area. The profile of the Speech Therapists active in the Educational area in Brazil is a professional predominantly female, who values to continue their studies after graduation, looking mostly for specialization in the following areas: Audiology and Orofacial Motor. The time experience of the majority is up to 10 years of work whose nature is divided mainly in public (municipal) and private schools. The performance of Speech Therapists in the Educational area concentrates in Elementary and Primary school, with varied workload.

Task-dependent modulation of the visual sensory thalamus assists visual-speech recognition.

PubMed

Díaz, Begoña; Blank, Helen; von Kriegstein, Katharina

2018-05-14

The cerebral cortex modulates early sensory processing via feed-back connections to sensory pathway nuclei. The functions of this top-down modulation for human behavior are poorly understood. Here, we show that top-down modulation of the visual sensory thalamus (the lateral geniculate body, LGN) is involved in visual-speech recognition. In two independent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, LGN response increased when participants processed fast-varying features of articulatory movements required for visual-speech recognition, as compared to temporally more stable features required for face identification with the same stimulus material. The LGN response during the visual-speech task correlated positively with the visual-speech recognition scores across participants. In addition, the task-dependent modulation was present for speech movements and did not occur for control conditions involving non-speech biological movements. In face-to-face communication, visual speech recognition is used to enhance or even enable understanding what is said. Speech recognition is commonly explained in frameworks focusing on cerebral cortex areas. Our findings suggest that task-dependent modulation at subcortical sensory stages has an important role for communication: Together with similar findings in the auditory modality the findings imply that task-dependent modulation of the sensory thalami is a general mechanism to optimize speech recognition. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Auditory-Perceptual Assessment of Fluency in Typical and Neurologically Disordered Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penttilä, Nelly; Korpijaakko-Huuhka, Anna-Maija; Kent, Ray D.

2018-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate how speech fluency in typical and atypical speech is perceptually assessed by speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Our research questions were as follows: (a) How do SLPs rate fluency in speakers with and without neurological communication disorders? (b) Do they differentiate the speaker groups? and…

What Is Needed to Prepare Speech Pathologists to Work in Adult Palliative Care?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pascoe, Ashleigh; Breen, Lauren J.; Cocks, Naomi

2018-01-01

Background: Speech pathologists have a pivotal role in palliative care, assisting patients with swallowing and communication disorders, yet very little is known about the preparedness of speech pathologists to work in this field. Aims: To investigate the preparedness of speech pathologists for working in palliative care. The term 'palliative care'…

78 FR 76096 - Request for Comment on Petition Filed by AT&T Services, Inc., Regarding the Provision of Muting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-16

...] Request for Comment on Petition Filed by AT&T Services, Inc., Regarding the Provision of Muting for Speech-to-Speech Telephone Services AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Petition of... requirement contained in the Commission's 2013 STS Order for providers to offer speech-to-speech (STS) users...

Five heads are better than one: preliminary results of team-based learning in a communication disorders graduate course.

PubMed

Epstein, Baila

2016-01-01

Clinical problem-solving is fundamental to the role of the speech-language pathologist in both the diagnostic and treatment processes. The problem-solving often involves collaboration with clients and their families, supervisors, and other professionals. Considering the importance of cooperative problem-solving in the profession, graduate education in speech-language pathology should provide experiences to foster the development of these skills. One evidence-based pedagogical approach that directly targets these abilities is team-based learning (TBL). TBL is a small-group instructional method that focuses on students' in-class application of conceptual knowledge in solving complex problems that they will likely encounter in their future clinical careers. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the educational outcomes and students' perceptions of TBL in a communication disorders graduate course on speech and language-based learning disabilities. Nineteen graduate students (mean age = 26 years, SD = 4.93), divided into three groups of five students and one group of four students, who were enrolled in a required graduate course, participated by fulfilling the key components of TBL: individual student preparation; individual and team readiness assurance tests (iRATs and tRATs) that assessed preparedness to apply course content; and application activities that challenged teams to solve complex and authentic clinical problems using course material. Performance on the tRATs was significantly higher than the individual students' scores on the iRATs (p < .001, Cohen's d = 4.08). Students generally reported favourable perceptions of TBL on an end-of-semester questionnaire. Qualitative analysis of responses to open-ended questions organized thematically indicated students' high satisfaction with application activities, discontent with the RATs, and recommendations for increased lecture in the TBL process. The outcomes of this pilot study suggest the effectiveness of TBL as an instructional method that provides student teams with opportunities to apply course content in problem-solving activities followed by immediate feedback. This research also addresses the dearth of empirical information on how graduate programmes in speech-language pathology bridge students' didactic learning and clinical practice. Future studies should examine the utility of this approach in other courses within the field and with more heterogeneous student populations. © 2015 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Influence of the prospective payment system on speech-language pathology services.

PubMed

Frymark, Tobi B; Mullen, Robert C

2005-01-01

The present study was performed to determine the clinical effects of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System (IRF PPS) on speech and language intervention services and to examine the feasibility of using the federally mandated FIM instrument to establish resource allocation to patients with cognitive, communication, and swallowing disorders. A pre-IRF PPS and post-IRF PPS comparative study was conducted over a 1-yr time interval using data from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's National Outcomes Measurement System. Toward this end, the National Outcomes Measurement System's Functional Communication Measures were used to obtain data from 2,631 patients residing in 96 freestanding rehabilitation hospitals or hospitals with rehabilitation units implementing the prospective payment system on or after January 1, 2002. To ensure reliable retrospective and prospective data comparisons, all sites were active participants within the National Outcomes Measurement System program before the introduction of IRF PPS within their facilities. Findings revealed changes in both the utilization of speech-language pathologists and patient outcomes. Under the IRF PPS, there was a clear decline in speech- and language-related lengths of stay. However, clinicians attempted to compensate for these decrements in lengths of stay by increasing the intensity and frequency of their speech and language services. Despite these compensatory efforts, further analyses of the data revealed that under the IRF PPS, fewer patients achieved multiple levels of functional progress in speech and language abilities than before this payment system was implemented. This trend was most noteworthy in the treatment areas of swallowing, motor speech, and memory. In addition, this study revealed that, compared with the National Outcomes Measurement System's Functional Communication Measures, the FIM instrument significantly under-represented and undervalued the extent of a patient's overall progress in recovering from their cognitive, communication, or swallowing disabilities. These findings support the notion that the introduction of the IRF PPS has, perhaps unintentionally, caused more patients with cognitive, communication, and swallowing disorders to be discharged from inpatient rehabilitative care with less than adequate functional skill levels. The discouraging results in speech-language pathology utilization and patient outcomes will be useful for clinicians in the future when facing the ongoing challenges of maintaining quality care while streamlining services under the prospective payment system.

Cognitive Bias for Learning Speech Sounds From a Continuous Signal Space Seems Nonlinguistic.

PubMed

van der Ham, Sabine; de Boer, Bart

2015-10-01

When learning language, humans have a tendency to produce more extreme distributions of speech sounds than those observed most frequently: In rapid, casual speech, vowel sounds are centralized, yet cross-linguistically, peripheral vowels occur almost universally. We investigate whether adults' generalization behavior reveals selective pressure for communication when they learn skewed distributions of speech-like sounds from a continuous signal space. The domain-specific hypothesis predicts that the emergence of sound categories is driven by a cognitive bias to make these categories maximally distinct, resulting in more skewed distributions in participants' reproductions. However, our participants showed more centered distributions, which goes against this hypothesis, indicating that there are no strong innate linguistic biases that affect learning these speech-like sounds. The centralization behavior can be explained by a lack of communicative pressure to maintain categories.

Cognitive Bias for Learning Speech Sounds From a Continuous Signal Space Seems Nonlinguistic

PubMed Central

de Boer, Bart

2015-01-01

When learning language, humans have a tendency to produce more extreme distributions of speech sounds than those observed most frequently: In rapid, casual speech, vowel sounds are centralized, yet cross-linguistically, peripheral vowels occur almost universally. We investigate whether adults’ generalization behavior reveals selective pressure for communication when they learn skewed distributions of speech-like sounds from a continuous signal space. The domain-specific hypothesis predicts that the emergence of sound categories is driven by a cognitive bias to make these categories maximally distinct, resulting in more skewed distributions in participants’ reproductions. However, our participants showed more centered distributions, which goes against this hypothesis, indicating that there are no strong innate linguistic biases that affect learning these speech-like sounds. The centralization behavior can be explained by a lack of communicative pressure to maintain categories. PMID:27648212

Referred speech-language and hearing complaints in the western region of São Paulo, Brazil

PubMed Central

Samelli, Alessandra Giannella; Rondon, Silmara; Oliver, Fátima Correa; Junqueira, Simone Rennó; Molini-Avejonas, Daniela Regina

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to characterize the epidemiological profile of the population attending primary health care units in the western region of the city of São Paulo, Brazil, highlighting referred speech-language and hearing complaints. METHOD: This investigation was a cross-sectional observational study conducted in primary health care units. Household surveys were conducted and information was obtained from approximately 2602 individuals, including (but not limited to) data related to education, family income, health issues, access to public services and access to health services. The speech-language and hearing complaints were identified from specific questions. RESULTS: Our results revealed that the populations participating in the survey were heterogeneous in terms of their demographic and economic characteristics. The prevalence of referred speech-language and hearing complaints in this population was 10%, and only half the users of the public health system in the studied region who had complaints were monitored or received specific treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate the importance of using population surveys to identify speech-language and hearing complaints at the level of primary health care. Moreover, these findings highlight the need to reorganize the speech-language pathology and audiology service in the western region of São Paulo, as well as the need to improve the Family Health Strategy in areas that do not have a complete coverage, in order to expand and improve the territorial diagnostics and the speech-language pathology and audiology actions related to the prevention, identification, and rehabilitation of human communication disorders. PMID:24964306

Effects of reverberation time on the cognitive load in speech communication: theoretical considerations.

PubMed

Kjellberg, A

2004-01-01

The paper presents a theoretical analysis of possible effects of reverberation time on the cognitive load in speech communication. Speech comprehension requires not only phonological processing of the spoken words. Simultaneously, this information must be further processed and stored. All this processing takes place in the working memory, which has a limited processing capacity. The more resources that are allocated to word identification, the fewer resources are therefore left for the further processing and storing of the information. Reverberation conditions that allow the identification of almost all words may therefore still interfere with speech comprehension and memory storing. These problems are likely to be especially serious in situations where speech has to be followed continuously for a long time. An unfavourable reverberation time (RT) then could contribute to the development of cognitive fatigue, which means that working memory resources are gradually reduced. RT may also affect the cognitive load in two other ways: RT may change the distracting effects of a sound and a person's mood. Both effects could influence the cognitive load of a listener. It is argued that we need studies of RT effects in realistic long-lasting listening situations to better understand the effect of RT on speech communication. Furthermore, the effect of RT on distraction and mood need to be better understood.

Developing the Alphabetic Principle to Aid Text-Based Augmentative and Alternative Communication Use by Adults With Low Speech Intelligibility and Intellectual Disabilities.

PubMed

Schmidt-Naylor, Anna C; Saunders, Kathryn J; Brady, Nancy C

2017-05-17

We explored alphabet supplementation as an augmentative and alternative communication strategy for adults with minimal literacy. Study 1's goal was to teach onset-letter selection with spoken words and assess generalization to untaught words, demonstrating the alphabetic principle. Study 2 incorporated alphabet supplementation within a naming task and then assessed effects on speech intelligibility. Three men with intellectual disabilities (ID) and low speech intelligibility participated. Study 1 used a multiple-probe design, across three 20-word sets, to show that our computer-based training improved onset-letter selection. We also probed generalization to untrained words. Study 2 taught onset-letter selection for 30 new words chosen for functionality. Five listeners transcribed speech samples of the 30 words in 2 conditions: speech only and speech with alphabet supplementation. Across studies 1 and 2, participants demonstrated onset-letter selection for at least 90 words. Study 1 showed evidence of the alphabetic principle for some but not all word sets. In study 2, participants readily used alphabet supplementation, enabling listeners to understand twice as many words. This is the first demonstration of alphabet supplementation in individuals with ID and minimal literacy. The large number of words learned holds promise both for improving communication and providing a foundation for improved literacy.

SPEECH--MAN'S NATURAL COMMUNICATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DUDLEY, HOMER; AND OTHERS

SESSION 63 OF THE 1967 INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERS INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION BROUGHT TOGETHER SEVEN DISTINGUISHED MEN WORKING IN FIELDS RELEVANT TO LANGUAGE. THEIR TOPICS INCLUDED ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF SPEECH AND LANGUAGE, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, MAN'S PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS FOR SPEECH, LINGUISTICS, AND TECHNOLOGY AND…

Smartphones as multimodal communication devices to facilitate clinical knowledge processes: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pimmer, Christoph; Mateescu, Magdalena; Zahn, Carmen; Genewein, Urs

2013-11-27

Despite the widespread use and advancements of mobile technology that facilitate rich communication modes, there is little evidence demonstrating the value of smartphones for effective interclinician communication and knowledge processes. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different synchronous smartphone-based modes of communication, such as (1) speech only, (2) speech and images, and (3) speech, images, and image annotation (guided noticing) on the recall and transfer of visually and verbally represented medical knowledge. The experiment was conducted from November 2011 to May 2012 at the University Hospital Basel (Switzerland) with 42 medical students in a master's program. All participants analyzed a standardized case (a patient with a subcapital fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone) based on a radiological image, photographs of the hand, and textual descriptions, and were asked to consult a remote surgical specialist via a smartphone. Participants were randomly assigned to 3 experimental conditions/groups. In group 1, the specialist provided verbal explanations (speech only). In group 2, the specialist provided verbal explanations and displayed the radiological image and the photographs to the participants (speech and images). In group 3, the specialist provided verbal explanations, displayed the radiological image and the photographs, and annotated the radiological image by drawing structures/angle elements (speech, images, and image annotation). To assess knowledge recall, participants were asked to write brief summaries of the case (verbally represented knowledge) after the consultation and to re-analyze the diagnostic images (visually represented knowledge). To assess knowledge transfer, participants analyzed a similar case without specialist support. Data analysis by ANOVA found that participants in groups 2 and 3 (images used) evaluated the support provided by the specialist as significantly more positive than group 1, the speech-only group (group 1: mean 4.08, SD 0.90; group 2: mean 4.73, SD 0.59; group 3: mean 4.93, SD 0.25; F2,39=6.76, P=.003; partial η(2)=0.26, 1-β=.90). However, significant positive effects on the recall and transfer of visually represented medical knowledge were only observed when the smartphone-based communication involved the combination of speech, images, and image annotation (group 3). There were no significant positive effects on the recall and transfer of visually represented knowledge between group 1 (speech only) and group 2 (speech and images). No significant differences were observed between the groups regarding verbally represented medical knowledge. The results show (1) the value of annotation functions for digital and mobile technology for interclinician communication and medical informatics, and (2) the use of guided noticing (the integration of speech, images, and image annotation) leads to significantly improved knowledge gains for visually represented knowledge. This is particularly valuable in situations involving complex visual subject matters, typical in clinical practice.

Smartphones as Multimodal Communication Devices to Facilitate Clinical Knowledge Processes: Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Mateescu, Magdalena; Zahn, Carmen; Genewein, Urs

2013-01-01

Background Despite the widespread use and advancements of mobile technology that facilitate rich communication modes, there is little evidence demonstrating the value of smartphones for effective interclinician communication and knowledge processes. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different synchronous smartphone-based modes of communication, such as (1) speech only, (2) speech and images, and (3) speech, images, and image annotation (guided noticing) on the recall and transfer of visually and verbally represented medical knowledge. Methods The experiment was conducted from November 2011 to May 2012 at the University Hospital Basel (Switzerland) with 42 medical students in a master’s program. All participants analyzed a standardized case (a patient with a subcapital fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone) based on a radiological image, photographs of the hand, and textual descriptions, and were asked to consult a remote surgical specialist via a smartphone. Participants were randomly assigned to 3 experimental conditions/groups. In group 1, the specialist provided verbal explanations (speech only). In group 2, the specialist provided verbal explanations and displayed the radiological image and the photographs to the participants (speech and images). In group 3, the specialist provided verbal explanations, displayed the radiological image and the photographs, and annotated the radiological image by drawing structures/angle elements (speech, images, and image annotation). To assess knowledge recall, participants were asked to write brief summaries of the case (verbally represented knowledge) after the consultation and to re-analyze the diagnostic images (visually represented knowledge). To assess knowledge transfer, participants analyzed a similar case without specialist support. Results Data analysis by ANOVA found that participants in groups 2 and 3 (images used) evaluated the support provided by the specialist as significantly more positive than group 1, the speech-only group (group 1: mean 4.08, SD 0.90; group 2: mean 4.73, SD 0.59; group 3: mean 4.93, SD 0.25; F 2,39=6.76, P=.003; partial η2=0.26, 1–β=.90). However, significant positive effects on the recall and transfer of visually represented medical knowledge were only observed when the smartphone-based communication involved the combination of speech, images, and image annotation (group 3). There were no significant positive effects on the recall and transfer of visually represented knowledge between group 1 (speech only) and group 2 (speech and images). No significant differences were observed between the groups regarding verbally represented medical knowledge. Conclusions The results show (1) the value of annotation functions for digital and mobile technology for interclinician communication and medical informatics, and (2) the use of guided noticing (the integration of speech, images, and image annotation) leads to significantly improved knowledge gains for visually represented knowledge. This is particularly valuable in situations involving complex visual subject matters, typical in clinical practice. PMID:24284080

Misleading Health Consumers Through Violations of Communicative Norms: A Case Study of Online Diabetes Education.

PubMed

Powell, Derek; Keil, Martin; Brenner, Dru; Lim, Liliana; Markman, Ellen M

2018-05-01

Communication is a cooperative endeavor that goes well beyond decoding sentences' literal meaning. Listeners actively construe the meaning of utterances from both their literal meanings and the pragmatic principles that govern communication. When communicators make pragmatically infelicitous statements, the effects can be similar to paltering-misleading speech that evokes false inferences from true statements. The American Diabetes Association's (ADA's) "Diabetes Myths" website provides a real-world case study in such misleading communications. Calling something a myth implies that it is clearly false. Instead, the ADA's "myths" are false only because of some technicality or uncharitable reading. We compared participants' baseline knowledge of diabetes with that of participants who read either the ADA's myths or the myths rewritten as questions that do not presuppose the statement is false. As predicted, exposure to the ADA's "myths," but not to the rephrased questions, reduced basic knowledge of diabetes. Our findings underscore the need to consider psycholinguistic principles in mass communications.

Structure and dynamics of human communication at the beginning of life.

PubMed

Papousek, H; Papousek, M

1986-01-01

Although the beginning of postpartum social integration and communication has been long viewed as relevant to psychiatric theories, early parent-infant communication has become a matter of scientific investigation only recently. The present survey explains the significance of an approach based upon the general systems theory and explores to what extent the early parent-infant interaction can function as a didactic system to support the development of thought and speech. Evidence of this function has been found in those forms of parental behavior that escape the parent's conscious awareness and control, as exemplified in the vocal communication with presyllabic infants. Parents unknowingly adjust the structure and dynamics of speech to the constraints of infant capacities, detach prosodic musicality from lexical structure, and use it in particularly expressive forms for the delivery of the first prototypical messages. In this and other similar ways, parents offer an abundance of learning situations in which infants can try out various integrative operations. A biological rather than cultural provenience of the support of communicative development indicates a potential relevance for the interpretation of speech evolution. In addition to qualities of the vocal tract and to complex symbolic capacities in humans, the early intuitive support of communicative development and its playful character are suggested as species-specific determinants of speech evolution. Implications for clinical research are suggested.

[Four sessions of the work of a teacher of deaf at the initial stage of rehabilitation of a child with a cochlear implant].

PubMed

Sataeva, A I

To present the system of the teacher of the deaf work with a child with CI and their family at the initial rehabilitation stage aimed at reorganization of interaction between the child with CI and his family and transition of the child to the way of natural development. The paper presents a brief description of the teacher of the deaf systematic work at the initial rehabilitation stage, which includes four work sessions of the teacher, during which the logic of normal development of a hearing child during the first year of their life is reproduced. The main difficulties in interaction with a child with CI, faced by their parents are described. Indicators of completion of each session with a child with CI and their parents are specified. There is noted that 90 children passed to the way of natural development of communication and speech with their relatives and parents sought to improve their interaction with the children. The system of the teacher of the deaf work with children after CI surgery, developed in the Institute of Special Education of the Russian Academy of Education, allows to reconstruct interaction between the child and their parents on a normal sensory basis and for a child with CI to pass to the way of natural development of their communication and speech as early age hearing children do.

Intranasal insulin to improve developmental delay in children with 22q13 deletion syndrome: an exploratory clinical trial.

PubMed

Schmidt, H; Kern, W; Giese, R; Hallschmid, M; Enders, A

2009-04-01

The 22q13 deletion syndrome (Phelan-McDermid syndrome) is characterised by a global developmental delay, absent or delayed speech, generalised hypotonia, autistic behaviour and characteristic phenotypic features. Intranasal insulin has been shown to improve declarative memory in healthy adult subjects and in patients with Alzheimer disease. To assess if intranasal insulin is also able to improve the developmental delay in children with 22q13 deletion syndrome. We performed exploratory clinical trials in six children with 22q13 deletion syndrome who received intranasal insulin over a period of 1 year. Short-term (during the first 6 weeks) and long-term effects (after 12 months of treatment) on motor skills, cognitive functions, or autonomous functions, speech and communication, emotional state, social behaviour, behavioural disorders, independence in daily living and education were assessed. The children showed marked short-term improvements in gross and fine motor activities, cognitive functions and educational level. Positive long-term effects were found for fine and gross motor activities, nonverbal communication, cognitive functions and autonomy. Possible side effects were found in one patient who displayed changes in balance, extreme sensitivity to touch and general loss of interest. One patient complained of intermittent nose bleeding. We conclude that long-term administration of intranasal insulin may benefit motor development, cognitive functions and spontaneous activity in children with 22q13 deletion syndrome.

Communicating with individuals receiving home mechanical ventilation: the experiences of key communication partners.

PubMed

Laakso, Katja; Markström, Agneta; Havstam, Christina; Idvall, Markus; Hartelius, Lena

2014-01-01

The aim of the study was to explore the communication experiences of key communications partners (CPs) of individuals receiving home mechanical ventilation (HMV), with particular emphasis on the possibilities, difficulties and limitations CPs experienced in communication, possible support given to facilitate communication and exploring what made a skilled communicator. A qualitative research design using interviews was used. The participants included 19 key CPs of individuals receiving HMV. The analysis resulted in five themes: Encountering communication limitations, Functional communication strategies, Being a communication facilitator, Role insecurity and Emotional reactions and coping. The findings revealed that CPs needed to develop partly new reference frames for communication. In particular, participants emphasised the need to understand and interpret subtle details in the communicative interaction. The findings are discussed in the light of previous research, in particular an earlier study exploring another perspective; the ventilator-supported individuals' experiences of communication. Issues relating to the educational needs of CPs of individuals receiving HMV are discussed. The results are intended to enhance understanding of the challenges that individuals receiving HMV and their CPs face with communication, which should be of relevance not only to speech therapists, but for all healthcare practitioners in the field of HMV.

Understanding Why Speech-Language Pathologists Rarely Pursue a PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myotte, Theodore; Hutchins, Tiffany L.; Cannizzaro, Michael S.; Belin, Gayle

2011-01-01

Masters-level speech-language pathologists in communication sciences and disorders (n = 122) completed a survey soliciting their reasons for not pursuing doctoral study. Factor analysis revealed a four-factor solution including one reflecting a lack of interest in doctoral study (Factor 2) and one reflecting practical financial concerns (Factor…

Study on Gender-Related Speech Communication in Classical Chinese Poetry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tian, Xinhe; Qin, Dandan

2016-01-01

Gender, formed in men and women's growth which is constrained by social context, is tightly tied to the distinction which is presented in the process of men and women's language use. Hence, it's a new breakthrough for studies on gender and difference by analyzing gender-related speech communication on the background of ancient Chinese culture.

Communicating Epistemic Stance: How Speech and Gesture Patterns Reflect Epistemicity and Evidentiality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roseano, Paolo; González, Montserrat; Borràs-Comes, Joan; Prieto, Pilar

2016-01-01

This study investigates how epistemic stance is encoded and perceived in face-to-face communication when language is regarded as comprised by speech and gesture. Two studies were conducted with this goal in mind. The first study consisted of a production task in which participants performed opinion reports. Results showed that speakers communicate…

Selected Print and Nonprint Resources in Speech Communication: An Annotated Bibliography, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feezel, Jerry D., Comp.; And Others

This annotated guide to resources in speech communication will be valuable for K-12 teachers seeking resources for both required and elective units. Entries are organized by grade level within the various content areas and are grouped under the following section headings: print, nonprint, multimedia, and major sources. Within each of these four…

Current Methods of Evaluating Speech-Language Outcomes for Preschoolers with Communication Disorders: A Scoping Review Using the ICF-CY

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Barbara Jane; Washington, Karla N.; Binns, Amanda; Rolfe, Katelyn; Robertson, Bernadette; Rosenbaum, Peter

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this scoping review was to identify current measures used to evaluate speech-language outcomes for preschoolers with communication disorders within the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY; World Health Organization, 2007). Method: The review…

Preschool Children's Performance on Profiling Elements of Prosody in Speech-Communication (PEPS-C)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbon, Fiona E.; Smyth, Heather

2013-01-01

Profiling Elements of Prosody in Speech-Communication (PEPS-C) has not been used widely to assess prosodic abilities of preschool children. This study was therefore aimed at investigating typically developing 4-year-olds' performance on PEPS-C. PEPS-C was presented to 30 typically developing 4-year-olds recruited in southern Ireland. Children were…

Suprasegmental Characteristics of Spontaneous Speech Produced in Good and Challenging Communicative Conditions by Talkers Aged 9-14 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hazan, Valerie; Tuomainen, Outi; Pettinato, Michèle

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study investigated the acoustic characteristics of spontaneous speech by talkers aged 9-14 years and their ability to adapt these characteristics to maintain effective communication when intelligibility was artificially degraded for their interlocutor. Method: Recordings were made for 96 children (50 female participants, 46 male…

RecoverNow: Feasibility of a Mobile Tablet-Based Rehabilitation Intervention to Treat Post-Stroke Communication Deficits in the Acute Care Setting

PubMed Central

Corbett, Dale; Finestone, Hillel M.; Hatcher, Simon; Lumsden, Jim; Momoli, Franco; Shamy, Michel C. F.; Stotts, Grant; Swartz, Richard H.; Yang, Christine

2016-01-01

Background Approximately 40% of patients diagnosed with stroke experience some degree of aphasia. With limited health care resources, patients’ access to speech and language therapies is often delayed. We propose using mobile-platform technology to initiate early speech-language therapy in the acute care setting. For this pilot, our objective was to assess the feasibility of a tablet-based speech-language therapy for patients with communication deficits following acute stroke. Methods We enrolled consecutive patients admitted with a stroke and communication deficits with NIHSS score ≥1 on the best language and/or dysarthria parameters. We excluded patients with severe comprehension deficits where communication was not possible. Following baseline assessment by a speech-language pathologist (SLP), patients were provided with a mobile tablet programmed with individualized therapy applications based on the assessment, and instructed to use it for at least one hour per day. Our objective was to establish feasibility by measuring recruitment rate, adherence rate, retention rate, protocol deviations and acceptability. Results Over 6 months, 143 patients were admitted with a new diagnosis of stroke: 73 had communication deficits, 44 met inclusion criteria, and 30 were enrolled into RecoverNow (median age 62, 26.6% female) for a recruitment rate of 68% of eligible participants. Participants received mobile tablets at a mean 6.8 days from admission [SEM 1.6], and used them for a mean 149.8 minutes/day [SEM 19.1]. In-hospital retention rate was 97%, and 96% of patients scored the mobile tablet-based communication therapy as at least moderately convenient 3/5 or better with 5/5 being most “convenient”. Conclusions Individualized speech-language therapy delivered by mobile tablet technology is feasible in acute care. PMID:28002479

RecoverNow: Feasibility of a Mobile Tablet-Based Rehabilitation Intervention to Treat Post-Stroke Communication Deficits in the Acute Care Setting.

PubMed

Mallet, Karen H; Shamloul, Rany M; Corbett, Dale; Finestone, Hillel M; Hatcher, Simon; Lumsden, Jim; Momoli, Franco; Shamy, Michel C F; Stotts, Grant; Swartz, Richard H; Yang, Christine; Dowlatshahi, Dar

2016-01-01

Approximately 40% of patients diagnosed with stroke experience some degree of aphasia. With limited health care resources, patients' access to speech and language therapies is often delayed. We propose using mobile-platform technology to initiate early speech-language therapy in the acute care setting. For this pilot, our objective was to assess the feasibility of a tablet-based speech-language therapy for patients with communication deficits following acute stroke. We enrolled consecutive patients admitted with a stroke and communication deficits with NIHSS score ≥1 on the best language and/or dysarthria parameters. We excluded patients with severe comprehension deficits where communication was not possible. Following baseline assessment by a speech-language pathologist (SLP), patients were provided with a mobile tablet programmed with individualized therapy applications based on the assessment, and instructed to use it for at least one hour per day. Our objective was to establish feasibility by measuring recruitment rate, adherence rate, retention rate, protocol deviations and acceptability. Over 6 months, 143 patients were admitted with a new diagnosis of stroke: 73 had communication deficits, 44 met inclusion criteria, and 30 were enrolled into RecoverNow (median age 62, 26.6% female) for a recruitment rate of 68% of eligible participants. Participants received mobile tablets at a mean 6.8 days from admission [SEM 1.6], and used them for a mean 149.8 minutes/day [SEM 19.1]. In-hospital retention rate was 97%, and 96% of patients scored the mobile tablet-based communication therapy as at least moderately convenient 3/5 or better with 5/5 being most "convenient". Individualized speech-language therapy delivered by mobile tablet technology is feasible in acute care.

Shared acoustic codes underlie emotional communication in music and speech-Evidence from deep transfer learning.

PubMed

Coutinho, Eduardo; Schuller, Björn

2017-01-01

Music and speech exhibit striking similarities in the communication of emotions in the acoustic domain, in such a way that the communication of specific emotions is achieved, at least to a certain extent, by means of shared acoustic patterns. From an Affective Sciences points of view, determining the degree of overlap between both domains is fundamental to understand the shared mechanisms underlying such phenomenon. From a Machine learning perspective, the overlap between acoustic codes for emotional expression in music and speech opens new possibilities to enlarge the amount of data available to develop music and speech emotion recognition systems. In this article, we investigate time-continuous predictions of emotion (Arousal and Valence) in music and speech, and the Transfer Learning between these domains. We establish a comparative framework including intra- (i.e., models trained and tested on the same modality, either music or speech) and cross-domain experiments (i.e., models trained in one modality and tested on the other). In the cross-domain context, we evaluated two strategies-the direct transfer between domains, and the contribution of Transfer Learning techniques (feature-representation-transfer based on Denoising Auto Encoders) for reducing the gap in the feature space distributions. Our results demonstrate an excellent cross-domain generalisation performance with and without feature representation transfer in both directions. In the case of music, cross-domain approaches outperformed intra-domain models for Valence estimation, whereas for Speech intra-domain models achieve the best performance. This is the first demonstration of shared acoustic codes for emotional expression in music and speech in the time-continuous domain.

Speech and Language Impairments

MedlinePlus

... by a professional. ______________________ More on the Milestones of Language Development What are the milestones of typical speech-language development? What level of communication skill does a typical ...

Effects of Real-Time Cochlear Implant Simulation on Speech Perception and Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casserly, Elizabeth D.

2013-01-01

Real-time use of spoken language is a fundamentally interactive process involving speech perception, speech production, linguistic competence, motor control, neurocognitive abilities such as working memory, attention, and executive function, environmental noise, conversational context, and--critically--the communicative interaction between…

Improvements in Speech Perception by Children with Profound Prelingual Hearing Loss: Effects of Device, Communication Mode, and Chronological Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Ted A.; Svirsky, Mario A.; Kirk, Karen I.; Miyamoto, Richard T.

1998-01-01

This study compared the speech perception skills over time (mean = 3.5 years) of 74 prelingually deaf children using cochlear implants with the predicted speech perception skills of 58 similar children using hearing aids. Generally, speech perception scores for the children using cochlear implants were higher that those predicted for children with…

Communication as group process media of aircrew performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, B. G.; Foushee, H. C.

1989-01-01

This study of group process was motivated by a high-fidelity flight simulator project in which aircrew performance was found to be better when the crew had recently flown together. Considering recent operating experience as a group-level input factor, aspects of the communication process between crewmembers (Captain and First Officer), were explored as a possible mediator to performance. Communication patterns were defined by a speech act typology adapted for the flightdeck setting and distinguished crews that had previously flown together (FT) from those that had not flown together (NFT). A more open communication channel with respect to information exchange and validation and greater First Officer participation in task-related topics was shown by FT crews while NFT crews engaged in more non-task discourse, a speech mode less structured by roles and probably serving a more interpersonal function. Relationships between the speech categories themselves, representing linguistic, and role-related interdependencies provide guidelines for interpreting the primary findings.

Disordered speech disrupts conversational entrainment: a study of acoustic-prosodic entrainment and communicative success in populations with communication challenges

PubMed Central

Borrie, Stephanie A.; Lubold, Nichola; Pon-Barry, Heather

2015-01-01

Conversational entrainment, a pervasive communication phenomenon in which dialogue partners adapt their behaviors to align more closely with one another, is considered essential for successful spoken interaction. While well-established in other disciplines, this phenomenon has received limited attention in the field of speech pathology and the study of communication breakdowns in clinical populations. The current study examined acoustic-prosodic entrainment, as well as a measure of communicative success, in three distinctly different dialogue groups: (i) healthy native vs. healthy native speakers (Control), (ii) healthy native vs. foreign-accented speakers (Accented), and (iii) healthy native vs. dysarthric speakers (Disordered). Dialogue group comparisons revealed significant differences in how the groups entrain on particular acoustic–prosodic features, including pitch, intensity, and jitter. Most notably, the Disordered dialogues were characterized by significantly less acoustic-prosodic entrainment than the Control dialogues. Further, a positive relationship between entrainment indices and communicative success was identified. These results suggest that the study of conversational entrainment in speech pathology will have essential implications for both scientific theory and clinical application in this domain. PMID:26321996

Clear Speech Modifications in Children Aged 6-10

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Griffin Lijding

Modifications to speech production made by adult talkers in response to instructions to speak clearly have been well documented in the literature. Targeting adult populations has been motivated by efforts to improve speech production for the benefit of the communication partners, however, many adults also have communication partners who are children. Surprisingly, there is limited literature on whether children can change their speech production when cued to speak clearly. Pettinato, Tuomainen, Granlund, and Hazan (2016) showed that by age 12, children exhibited enlarged vowel space areas and reduced articulation rate when prompted to speak clearly, but did not produce any other adult-like clear speech modifications in connected speech. Moreover, Syrett and Kawahara (2013) suggested that preschoolers produced longer and more intense vowels when prompted to speak clearly at the word level. These findings contrasted with adult talkers who show significant temporal and spectral differences between speech produced in control and clear speech conditions. Therefore, it was the purpose of this study to analyze changes in temporal and spectral characteristics of speech production that children aged 6-10 made in these experimental conditions. It is important to elucidate the clear speech profile of this population to better understand which adult-like clear speech modifications they make spontaneously and which modifications are still developing. Understanding these baselines will advance future studies that measure the impact of more explicit instructions and children's abilities to better accommodate their interlocutors, which is a critical component of children's pragmatic and speech-motor development.

Communication Fact Sheet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Rockville, MD.

This brief fact sheet examines key aspects of communication, communication disabilities, and intervention. The fact sheet addresses the following questions: the nature of communication; communication disabilities (definitions of hearing impairments and speech and language impairments are given); effects of communication disabilities (factors…

Speech coding at 4800 bps for mobile satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gersho, Allen; Chan, Wai-Yip; Davidson, Grant; Chen, Juin-Hwey; Yong, Mei

1988-01-01

A speech compression project has recently been completed to develop a speech coding algorithm suitable for operation in a mobile satellite environment aimed at providing telephone quality natural speech at 4.8 kbps. The work has resulted in two alternative techniques which achieve reasonably good communications quality at 4.8 kbps while tolerating vehicle noise and rather severe channel impairments. The algorithms are embodied in a compact self-contained prototype consisting of two AT and T 32-bit floating-point DSP32 digital signal processors (DSP). A Motorola 68HC11 microcomputer chip serves as the board controller and interface handler. On a wirewrapped card, the prototype's circuit footprint amounts to only 200 sq cm, and consumes about 9 watts of power.

Training Peer Partners to Use a Speech-Generating Device With Classmates With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Exploring Communication Outcomes Across Preschool Contexts.

PubMed

Thiemann-Bourque, Kathy S; McGuff, Sara; Goldstein, Howard

2017-09-18

This study examined effects of a peer-mediated intervention that provided training on the use of a speech-generating device for preschoolers with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and peer partners. Effects were examined using a multiple probe design across 3 children with ASD and limited to no verbal skills. Three peers without disabilities were taught to Stay, Play, and Talk using a GoTalk 4+ (Attainment Company) and were then paired up with a classmate with ASD in classroom social activities. Measures included rates of communication acts, communication mode and function, reciprocity, and engagement with peers. Following peer training, intervention effects were replicated across 3 peers, who all demonstrated an increased level and upward trend in communication acts to their classmates with ASD. Outcomes also revealed moderate intervention effects and increased levels of peer-directed communication for 3 children with ASD in classroom centers. Additional analyses revealed higher rates of communication in the added context of preferred toys and snack. The children with ASD also demonstrated improved communication reciprocity and peer engagement. Results provide preliminary evidence on the benefits of combining peer-mediated and speech-generating device interventions to improve children's communication. Furthermore, it appears that preferred contexts are likely to facilitate greater communication and social engagement with peers.

Issues in Identification and Assessment of Children with Autism and a Proposed Resource Toolkit for Speech-Language Pathologists.

PubMed

Hus, Yvette

2017-01-01

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased significantly in the last decade as have treatment choices. Nonetheless, the vastly diverse autism topic includes issues related to naming, description, iden-tification, assessment, and differentiation from other neu-rodevelopmental conditions. ASD issues directly impact speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who often see these children as the second contact, after pediatric medical practitioners. Because of shared symptomology, differentiation among neurodevelopmental disorders is crucial as it impacts treatment, educational choices, and the performance trajectory of affected children. To highlight issues in: identification and differentiation of ASD from other communication and language challenges, the prevalence differences between ASD gender phenotypes, and the insufficient consideration of cultural factors in evaluating ASD in children. A second objective was to propose a tool to assist SLPs in the management of autism in children. A universal resource toolkit development project for SLP communities at large is proposed. The resource is comprised of research-based observation and screening tools for caregivers and educators, as well as parent questionnaires for portraying the children's function in the family, cultural com-munity, and educational setting. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Respiratory Constraints in Verbal and Non-verbal Communication.

PubMed

Włodarczak, Marcin; Heldner, Mattias

2017-01-01

In the present paper we address the old question of respiratory planning in speech production. We recast the problem in terms of speakers' communicative goals and propose that speakers try to minimize respiratory effort in line with the H&H theory. We analyze respiratory cycles coinciding with no speech (i.e., silence), short verbal feedback expressions (SFE's) as well as longer vocalizations in terms of parameters of the respiratory cycle and find little evidence for respiratory planning in feedback production. We also investigate timing of speech and SFEs in the exhalation and contrast it with nods. We find that while speech is strongly tied to the exhalation onset, SFEs are distributed much more uniformly throughout the exhalation and are often produced on residual air. Given that nods, which do not have any respiratory constraints, tend to be more frequent toward the end of an exhalation, we propose a mechanism whereby respiratory patterns are determined by the trade-off between speakers' communicative goals and respiratory constraints.

Performing mathematics activities with non-standard units of measurement using robots controlled via speech-generating devices: three case studies.

PubMed

Adams, Kim D; Cook, Albert M

2017-07-01

Purpose To examine how using a Lego robot controlled via a speech-generating device (SGD) can contribute to how students with physical and communication impairments perform hands-on and communicative mathematics measurement activities. This study was a follow-up to a previous study. Method Three students with cerebral palsy used the robot to measure objects using non-standard units, such as straws, and then compared and ordered the objects using the resulting measurement. Their performance was assessed, and the manipulation and communication events were observed. Teachers and education assistants were interviewed regarding robot use. Results Similar benefits to the previous study were found in this study. Gaps in student procedural knowledge were identified such as knowing to place measurement units tip-to-tip, and students' reporting revealed gaps in conceptual understanding. However, performance improved with repeated practice. Stakeholders identified that some robot tasks took too long or were too difficult to perform. Conclusions Having access to both their SGD and a robot gave the students multiple ways to show their understanding of the measurement concepts. Though they could participate actively in the new mathematics activities, robot use is most appropriate in short tasks requiring reasonable operational skill. Implications for Rehabilitation Lego robots controlled via speech-generating devices (SGDs) can help students to engage in the mathematics pedagogy of performing hands-on activities while communicating about concepts. Students can "show what they know" using the Lego robots, and report and reflect on concepts using the SGD. Level 1 and Level 2 mathematics measurement activities have been adapted to be accomplished by the Lego robot. Other activities can likely be accomplished with similar robot adaptations (e.g., gripper, pen). It is not recommended to use the robot to measure items that are long, or perform measurements that require high operational competence in order to be successful.

Synthesized Speech Output and Children: A Scoping Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drager, Kathryn D. R.; Reichle, Joe; Pinkoski, Carrie

2010-01-01

Purpose: Many computer-based augmentative and alternative communication systems in use by children have speech output. This article (a) provides a scoping review of the literature addressing the intelligibility and listener comprehension of synthesized speech output with children and (b) discusses future research directions. Method: Studies…

Free Speech Yearbook 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phifer, Gregg, Ed.

The eleven articles in this collection explore various aspects of freedom of speech. Topics include the lack of knowledge on the part of many judges regarding the complex act of communication; the legislatures and free speech in colonial Connecticut and Rhode Island; contributions of sixteenth century Anabaptist heretics to First Amendment…

Nixon's Checkers: A Rhetoric-Communication Criticism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kneupper, Charles W.; Mabry, Edward A.

Richard Nixon's "Checkers" speech, a response to charges brought against the "Nixon fund," was primarily an effort to explain the behavior of Eisenhower's 1952 presidential-campaign staff. The effectiveness of this speech was largely due to Nixon's self-disclosure within the context of the speech's narrative mode. In…

Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheets, Boyd V.

This monograph on the anatomical and physiological aspects of the speech mechanism stresses the importance of a general understanding of the process of verbal communication. Contents include "Positions of the Body,""Basic Concepts Linked with the Speech Mechanism,""The Nervous System,""The Respiratory System--Sound-Power Source,""The…

Levels of Discourse in Psychotherapeutic Interactions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smolucha, Larry Walter

Speech plays important and complex roles in self-regulation and is experienced in several distinct forms: as a social-discursive mode of communication and direction (social speech), as vocalizations directed to the self rather than to others (private speech), and as the phenomenologically subjective "interior dialogue" through which the…

How do infants and adults process communicative events in real time?

PubMed

Yamashiro, Amy; Vouloumanos, Athena

2018-09-01

Speech allows humans to communicate and to navigate the social world. By 12 months, infants recognize that speech elicits appropriate responses from others. However, it is unclear how infants process dynamic communicative scenes and how their processing abilities compare with those of adults. Do infants, like adults, process communicative events while the event is occurring or only after being presented with the outcome? We examined 12-month-olds' and adults' eye movements as they watched a Communicator grasp one (target) of two objects. During the test event, the Communicator could no longer reach the objects, so she spoke or coughed to a Listener, who selected either object. Infants' and adults' patterns of looking to the actors and objects revealed that both groups immediately evaluated the Communicator's speech, but not her cough, as communicative and recognized that the Listener should select the target object only when the Communicator spoke. Furthermore, infants and adults shifted their attention between the actors and the objects in very similar ways. This suggests that 12-month-olds can quickly process communicative events as they occur with adult-like accuracy. However, differences in looking reveal that 12-month-olds process slower than adults. This early developing processing ability may allow infants to learn language and acquire knowledge from communicative interactions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.