GAMES TO MEASURE CHILDREN'S PERCEPTION OF SPEECH

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Speech perception in adults is typically tested using a similarity test, in which the test subject judges the similarity of two speech sounds. This task is often difficult for children, especially hearing-impaired children who may have difficulties communicating. We propose to develop a speech perception task embedded in a game for clinical audiologists to assess speech perception by hearing-impaired children. This software will be developed and tested with four groups: normal hearing adults, normal- hearing children, children with hearing aids, and children with cochlear implants. Response latency data will be used as a measure of perceived similarity of speech sounds. The software will make use of DSP technology in playing back digital sounds, and incorporate multi-dimensional scaling of response latencies for data analysis. The software will be designed to take advantage of Tucker-Davis Technologies' existing software and hardware product line for generating and manipulating sound stimuli. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The proposed research is to develop a software program for clinical audiologists to assess speech perception and hearing in children. It might also prove useful as a speech training tool.