Thesis (Au.D.)--James Madison University, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references.

Esse estudo teve como objetivo propor e avaliar a eficácia de um Programa Fonoaudiológico para Formação de Locutores de Rádio (PFFLR), aplicado aos alunos de um Curso Profissionalizante de Radialista – Setor Locução. O Programa Fonoaudiológico para Formação de Locutores de Rádio foi estruturado em 7 módulos com duração de 7 aulas semanais. Esse Programa foi fundamentado na estimulação de 11 aspectos, os quais foram trabalhados seqüencialmente. Os participantes foram divididos em dois grupos, pareados quanto ao sexo e idade. O grupo de pesquisa foi constituído por 35 adultos, alunos do curso de locução e o grupo controle por 35 adultos, que espontaneamente se disponibilizaram a participar da pesquisa. Foram realizadas três análises, sendo: análise objetiva da voz, através da extração da freqüência fundamental, análise perceptivo-auditiva do uso vocal e análise objetiva da velocidade de fala na leitura. Os resultados indicaram que os grupos diferenciaram-se quanto ao uso vocal e à velocidade de fala na leitura. Em relação à análise do uso vocal, os grupos diferenciaram-se para os parâmetros de qualidade vocal, loudness, ressonância, coordenação pneumofonoarticulatória, articulação, modulação e ritmo de leitura. Quanto à análise da velocidade de fala, os grupos diferenciaram-se tanto para o número de palavras/minuto como de sílabas/minuto. Em relação à análise objetiva da voz, para o grupo de pesquisa houve diferenças entre o pré e pós-aplicação do PFFLR, com redução da freqüência fundamental. Os resultados indicam que o PFFLR foi eficaz na sua proposta, e os parâmetros onde houve melhoras são aqueles específicos para a boa locução. / The purpose of the present study was to propose and evaluate the effectiveness of the Speech Pathology Program for the preparation of radio speakers, with was used with students of the professional course for broadcaster-radio speakers. The speech pathology program for the preparation of radio speakers was structured 7 modules with the duration for 7 weekly lectures. The program was based on the simulation of 11 aspects, wich were presented in a sequential mode. The participants were divided in 2 groups and paired accvornding to age and gender. The research group consisted of 35 adults, stuidents of the radio sp[eakers course, and the control consisted of 35 adults who volunteerd to take part in the research. Three of analysis were mode: (1) na objective analysis of voice through the extraction of the fundamental frequency; (2) a perpective-auditory analyses of the vocal use; and (3) na objetive analysis of the speech rate during reading. The results indicated that the groups differed from each other in relation to the vocal use the speech rate during. Regarding the vocal use, the groups were differnt for tha parameters the vocal quality, loudness, resonance, coordination between breathing ans speaking, articulation, modulation and reading rhythm. Regarding the analysis of the speech rate, the groups were different for the number of words and syllabes per minute. As for the objetive analysis of voice, the research group presented in their pre and post program application perfomances, with the reduction of the fundamental frequency. The results indicate that the speech pathology program for the preparation of radio speakers was effective in the proposition. The parameters in wich improvements were observed are those specific for a good locution.

As habilidades comunicativas de crianças portadoras de deficiência auditiva (DA) pré-lingual, submetidas à cirurgia do implante coclear (IC) desenvolvem-se ao longo dos anos de uso do dispositivo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o desempenho alcançado por adolescentes e jovens adultos com, no mínimo, dez anos de experiência com o IC, em relação à audição e à inteligibilidade de fala e, considerando o tipo de DA, o tempo de privação sensorial auditiva e o tipo de dispositivo. Participaram deste estudo, 61 adolescentes e jovens adultos portadores de DA pré-lingual, que receberam diferentes tipos de IC em média, aos 3 anos e 10 meses de idade. Reconhecimento da lista de palavras dissílabas, Teste Hint adaptativo e reconhecimento das sentenças Hint no silêncio e no ruído foram os procedimentos utilizados para avaliar o desempenho de audição. A inteligibilidade da fala dos participantes foi avaliada por dois julgadores sem experiência com deficientes auditivos, usando o método de transcrição e a escala de inteligibilidade de 5 pontos. Após 10 anos de experiência com o IC, 53 participantes (86,9%) alcançaram habilidade de reconhecimento auditivo em conjunto aberto. Os resultados médios obtidos na lista de palavras dissílabas foram de 49,4%; teste Hint adaptativo, a média dos resultados no silêncio foi igual a 54,7dB e, no ruído, 10,7 dB e; os valores médios de porcentagem nas sentenças Hint no silêncio 54% e no ruído, 33,3%. Quanto à inteligibilidade de fala dos participantes, a média de acertos no método de transcrição foi igual a 76,2%. Na escala de inteligibilidade, a pontuação média correspondeu a 3,3 pontos. Melhores desempenhos de audição no silêncio e no ruído foram correlacionados ao menor tempo de privação sensorial auditiva. Foi observada correlação entre o tipo de dispositivo utilizado e: o desempenho de audição no ruído e o desempenho de inteligibilidade da fala. Usuários do dispositivo Nucleus 24 e Med-El apresentaram melhor desempenho de audição e de inteligibilidade de fala do que os usuários Nucleus 22. Mais de 10 anos após a cirurgia de IC, 82% das crianças implantadas com as primeiras gerações do dispositivo eletrônico desenvolveram habilidade de reconhecimento auditivo no ruído e 90,1% alcançaram fala inteligível. O desempenho de audição e de inteligibilidade de fala dos participantes foi influenciado pelo tempo de privação sensorial auditiva e pelo tipo de dispositivo eletrônico. Considerando os critérios contemporâneos de indicação cirúrgica em associação as novas estratégias de codificação de fala disponíveis nos dispositivos eletrônicos da atualidade, resultados promissores são esperados para a nova geração de crianças submetidas ao IC / The communication skills of prelingually deafened children, underwent cochlear implant (CI) surgery, develop over the years of device use. The aim of this work was to study the performance achieved by teenagers and young adults with at least ten years of IC experience with regard to speech perception and speech intelligibility and, considering the type of hearing loss, duration of deafness, and type of device. Participated of this study, 61 teenagers and young adults prelingually deafened, who received different types of CI, on average at 3 years and 10 months of age. Recognition of two-syllable word list, test Hint and recognition of Hint sentence in quiet and noise were the procedures used to evaluate the hearing performance. The speech intelligibility of the participants was evaluated by two judges, using the writedown intelligibility method and a 5-points intelligibility rating-scale. After 10 years of experience with CI, 53 participants (86,9%) achieved open-set speech recognition. The average results obtained in the two-syllable word list were 49, 4%; in the test Hint in quiet, the average results were 54,7 dB in quiet and 10,7 dB in noise and; the mean percentage of Hint sentences in quiet was 54% and in noise, 33,3%. Regarding the speech intelligibility of the participants, the average write-down intelligibility score was 76,2% and the average rating-scale intelligibility score was 3,3 points. Better speech performances in quiet and in noise were correlated with shorter duration of deafness. Correlation was found between the type of device and: the speech perception in noise and the speech intelligibility. Nucleus 24 and Med-El device users performed better than Nucleus 22 users with regard to speech perception in noise and speech intelligibility. More than 10 years after the CI surgery, 82% of children implanted with the first generation of the electronic device developed speech recognition in noise and 90,1% achieved intelligible speech. Speech perception and speech intelligibility of the participants, both were influenced by duration of deafness and type of electronic device. Considering the contemporary criteria of surgical indication in association with the new speech coding strategies available, promising results were expected for the new generation of children underwent to CI

The onset of a progressive, fatal illness such as Motor Neuron Disease (MND) inevitably results in physical and communication disabilities that impinge on the individuals’ ability to remain functionally independent. The loss of speech as a result of dysarthria, a motor speech disorder, is one of the most profound changes that the person with MND will experience. The decline in the individuals’ speech intelligibility, that negatively influences communication effectiveness, implies that in 80% of cases alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) strategies are required to support the daily communication needs of individuals with MND. The dyadic nature of chronic illness implies that multiple aspects of one of the most important adult relationships, marriage, will be affected. Roles and responsibilities performed by each member of the couple will continually change as the disease progresses. The emotional trauma of adjusting to the unavoidable alteration in their relationship elicits strong emotions such as guilt, anger and frustration. Communication is one of the most constructive ways of dealing with these emotions. The ability of spouses to convey their innermost thoughts, feelings and intimacy through communicative interaction is vitally important in marital communication. The aim of this study was to compare how persons with MND and their spouses perceive changes in their marital communication in relation to the deteriorating speech of persons with MND. Fourteen couples divided into two participant groups, persons with MND and spouses, participated in this non-experimental correlational research study. Data was collected during three visits at six-monthly intervals over a 12 month period. At each of these visits both participant groups completed a variety of objective and subjective measures, of which twenty percent were interrated by independent raters. Results confirmed the inevitable decline in speech intelligibility of persons with MND across the disease progression. The persons with MND did not report a change in their perception of marital communication although their spouses indicated a statistically significant decrease between the first and last visits. Interestingly, there was no statistically significant relationship between the deteriorating speech of persons with MND and the couples’ perception of marital communication, confirming that marital communication was not influenced by decreased speech intelligibility. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) / unrestricted

Cochlear implantation of prelingually deafened adults is a contentious issue and information about the outcomes of late-implanted prelingually deafened (LIPD) adults is still largely undocumented. The question this study set out to answer, is what impact a late cochlear implantation has on the communication-related outcomes, both self-reported and objectively measured, of prelingually deafened adults. Consequently, this investigation determined the auditory, language, speech-intelligibility and quality of life outcomes of a group of LIPD adults. A combined qualitative and quantitative cross-sectional research approach was utilized for this multiple case study investigation. A semi-structured interview, audiological test battery and communication assessments were conducted using seven LIPD adults of a well-established cochlear implant program in South Africa. The results of the study indicated that the LIPD adults’ objectively assessed auditory, language and speech intelligibility outcomes are poorer than would be expected from good cochlear implant users, but the self-reported outcomes indicated that they experienced the cochlear implant as worthwhile and positive. The findings of this study provide more in-depth information regarding the communication-related outcomes of this population, and this information may be used by audiologists and speech-language therapists during counselling of prelingually deafened candidates to ensure appropriate expectations. Copyright / Dissertation (MCommunication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / Unrestricted

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Creating the optimal balance between dialogue level and ambient sound is extremely important in media productions. This process is however inherently difficult due to that people’s requirements and preferences are not uniform. Speech intelligibility is affected by a multitude of factors, such as hearing impairments, audio quality and listening equipment. Recent EU directives on accessibility calls for improved audio clarity features for broadcast content. To accommodate these requirements, the broadcast industry needs to develop functionality for enhanced dialogue clarity and, optimally, put listeners in control of these features. Many speech enhancement techniques exist, this paper uses Sveriges Radio as a case study to evaluate several of these methods. A study on enhancing speech intelligibility through the use of dynamic range control and blind source separation is presented and results show that both methods can have a positive impact. Dynamic range control proves efficient in increasing intelligibility by reducing dynamic variations. It is also well suited to implement in an existing two-channel infrastructure, common in the radio industry, due to being included in novel audio codecs. Blind source separation is found to best be used in moderation due to the risk of audio quality degradation, and is primarily suited for prerecorded material on account of the processing time needed. / Att skapa en optimal balans mellan dialognivå och bakgrundsljud är oerhört viktigt i medieproduktioner. Detta är dock i sig komplicerat på grund av människors olika förutsättningar och preferenser. Taluppfattbarheten påverkas av en mängd faktorer, såsom hörselnedsättningar, ljudkvalitet och lyssningsutrustning. Nya EU-direktiv om tillgänglighet ställer krav på förbättrade funktioner för ljudtydlighet i etermedia. För att tillgodose dessa krav behöver branschen utveckla funktionalitet för ökad dialogtydlighet och företrädesvis också stöd för att lyssnarna själva ska kunna styra dessa funktioner. Det finns många tekniker för att öka taluppfattbarheten, denna artikel använder Sveriges Radio som fallstudie för att utvärdera flera av dessa metoder. En studie om möjligheten till förbättrad taluppfattbarhet genom kontroll av ljudets dynamik (dynamic range control) och blindkallseparation (blind source separation) presenteras, och resultaten visar att båda metoderna kan ha en positiv inverkan. Dynamisk kontroll visar sig vara effektiv för att öka taluppfattbarheten genom att jämna ut dynamiskt innehåll. Tekniken lämpar sig också bra för implementering i en befintlig tvåkanals-infrastruktur, vilket är vanligt inom radioindustrin, på grund av att den inkluderas i nya ljud-kodekar. Blindkallseparation används bäst med måtta på grund av risk for ljudkvalitetsförsämring och är i första hand lämpad för förinspelat material på grund av den processeringstid som behövs.

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