In the rapidly evolving field of speech therapy, practitioners continually seek innovative tools to enhance the effectiveness of their interventions. One such tool, the Speech Viewer, has shown promise in providing interactive learning experiences for individuals with speech and voice disorders. This blog explores how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can utilize the outcomes of research on the Speech Viewer to improve their practice and encourages further exploration of this technology.
The Speech Viewer is an interactive computer system designed to provide visual and auditory feedback on various aspects of speech production, such as pitch, loudness, voicing, breath support, intonation, and vowel quality. Developed for use on IBM Personal System/2 model 25 or 30 computers, it includes 12 modules grouped into three categories based on their clinical usefulness: Awareness, Skill Building, and Patterning Modules.
Awareness Modules are particularly beneficial for making abstract speech concepts concrete. Through colorful graphic displays, these modules use cause and effect to enhance the client's awareness of basic speech attributes. This visual feedback is not only appealing but also highly effective for young children and individuals with limited receptive language abilities.
Skill Building Modules, employing a video game format, help clients gain control over speech attributes in a language-free environment. These modules are intuitive, engaging, and provide auditory and visual reinforcement for successful performance. They are adaptable, allowing SLPs to achieve a variety of clinical goals by altering performance criteria or designing individualized screen layouts.
Patterning Modules offer technical/analytical displays that complement the skill-building modules by allowing detailed examination of speech aspects. These modules provide statistics on voicing, pitch, and loudness, incorporating both auditory and visual feedback to enhance self-monitoring skills.
Despite its advantages, Speech Viewer has limitations, such as the lack of equipment to assess voice quality and the display of hypernasality or visualization of consonants. Additionally, its use requires a solid understanding of the function of each module to fully adapt it to clinical situations. However, its flexibility and the immediate feedback it provides make it an invaluable tool in therapy settings.
Implementing Speech Viewer in practice can significantly improve the motivation and engagement of clients, leading to more time spent working on speech parameters. It has been successfully used for aural rehabilitation, remediation of apraxia and dysarthria, and addressing clinical goals such as reducing jitter, improving breath support, and enhancing vowel productions.
As technology continues to integrate into educational and therapeutic settings, tools like Speech Viewer offer exciting possibilities for enhancing traditional speech therapy methods. By leveraging the research findings and practical applications of Speech Viewer, SLPs can enrich their therapeutic approaches, leading to improved outcomes for their clients.
To read the original research paper, please follow this Speech Viewer.
