COMPUTER BASED INTERACTIVE HOME TRAINER FOR DEAF SPEECH

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The purpose of Phase I is to demonstrate the feasibility of a personal computer-based system for speech practice at home by severely/profoundly deaf children. This system is to be used in conjunction with a school/clinic system. Both systems are currently under development (Bernstein, Ferguson & Goldstein, 1986 [NINCDS NS-4-2372]). Severely/profoundly deaf children cannot achieve intelligible speech without long term intensive speech therapy. The home speech training system is designed to give practice and help achieve carryover from therapy, an effect difficult to achieve with conventional methods. Work will involve: 1) prototype production of a speech data acquisition system on printed circuit boards; 2) development of training games involving spectral (vowel), intensity, duration, and voice pitch parameters; 3) analysis of vocalizations; and 4) evaluation of interactions between the main computer and co-processors. Phase II will expand the number of training games for the home and school systems, carry out an evaluation program of both systems in terms of their effects on speech communication of deaf children, and update the hardware configuration in terms of the "then state of the art". Commercial application of successful training systems will serve to improve the progress of deaf children.