This study examined how speech rate reduction affects speech intelligibility in speakers with dysarthria associated with diverse neurological conditions. Three speakers with dysarthria were recorded reading a paragraph using conversational and reduced speech rates. The samples of both the conversational and slow rates were digitally edited to include silent pauses at the speakers natural breaks. The samples were then segmented into breath group utterances. Five samples with the greatest rate reductions from each speaker were used as stimuli, each presented in four rate conditions: conversational, slow, synthesized conversational, and synthesized slow. The listeners rated the intelligibility of 60 samples using direct magnitude estimation (DME), a simple scaling technique used to rate items in comparison to a standard. Though each of the speakers successfully reduced their rates, none of their intelligibility ratings improved using rate reduction. In fact, the intelligibility of two of the speakers significantly decreased when rate reduction was employed. Analysis of the acoustic vowel space showed some articulatory changes were made by the speakers. Possible reasons for the negative effects of rate reductions are explored along with clinical implications.

In this study, we analyzed the validity and reliability of the Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scales (IT-MAIS; Zimmerman-Phillips, Osberger, & Robbins, 2001), an assessment designed to measure listening skills in children ages 0-3 years. The IT-MAIS is a caregiver report tool used by speech-language pathologists and audiologists to assess listening skills in children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) pre- and post-cochlear implant (CI). The IT-MAIS is widely used; however, it has not undergone thorough psychometric analysis. Using longitudinal data collected by the University of Iowa Childrens Cochlear Implant Program, we analyzed the psychometric properties of the IT-MAIS via Rasch analysis, a 1-parameter (1-PL) model of Item Response Theory (IRT; Lord & Novick, 1968). Pre- and post- CI assessments from 23 CI users aged 10 to 36 months were evaluated. IRT is a form of psychometric analysis that is emerging in the behavioral sciences as a viable alternative to Classical Test Theory for test development and analysis. IRT results are similar, but not identical to classically derived concepts of validity and reliability. Specifically, we analyzed the content and construct validity of the IT-MAIS. We found that 2 out of 10 items exceeded misfit criteria, meaning participants did not respond predictably to these 2 items. We also found that the item-difficulty range did not capture the full range of participant ability, especially the higher range of participant ability. Therefore, the IT-MAIS may not be assessing higher-level listening skills, particularly in children post-CI. Rasch analysis also revealed that 1 of the 5 rating scale categories was not used predictably, indicating that the rating scale was not used as the test developers (Zimmerman-Phillips, Osberger, & Robbins) intended. To analyze item order relative to sequential development of listening skills, we established an a priori item rank order and compared it to item difficulty order established by Rasch analysis. Overall, our results indicated the IT-MAIS did not demonstrate ideal item-level psychometric properties according to Rasch analysis and item order did not reflect sequential development of listening skills. We concluded that the IT-MAIS should not be used to assess listening development from pre- to post-CI.

Previous studies exploring the use of superimposed pictures for sight word learning provide mixed results, with inconclusive benefits. One criticism is that even when sight word learning is enhanced, it does not improve the learners use of the alphabetic principle. A second criticism is that it is only feasible for easily depicted words. This study addressed these criticisms by using pictured sight words representing a hybrid between alphabet and sight word learning, MorphoPhonic Faces (MPF). MPF have the first letter drawn in the mouth of a face suggesting speech production cues. Thus, participants were provided alphabet cues first and then with the meaning superimposed into remaining letters. It was proposed that using MPF to teach sight words would result in gains in sight word learning and letter-sound knowledge and decoding. The second criticism was addressed by teaching words from six grammatical classes: nouns, main verbs, pronouns, auxiliary verbs, adverbs and adjectives that varied in the level of abstraction in meaning. Four first graders without known disabilities, identified as poor sight word learners, were taught 14 unknown words weekly, half with printed word cards and half with MPF cards. Results revealed no differences in number of words learned by card type; however, increased retention was noted with MPF. Gain scores for measures of phonemic awareness, letter-sounds, and decoding suggested increased alphabet skills. Qualitative analyses revealed that words from all grammatical classes were learned and that sight word learning is a complex process that involves orthographic form and meaning

Parkinson's disease patients exhibit a high prevalence of speech deficits including excessive speech rate, reduced intelligibility, and disfluencies. The present study examined the effects of delayed auditory feedback (DAF) as a rate control intervention for dysarthric speakers with Parkinson's disease. Adverse reactions to relatively long delay intervals are commonly observed during clinical use of DAF, and seem to result from improper "matching" of the delayed signal. To facilitate optimal use of DAF, therefore, clinicians must provide instruction, modeling, and feedback. Clinician instruction is frequently used in speech-language therapy, but has not been evaluated during use of DAF-based interventions. Therefore, the primary purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of clinician instruction on the effectiveness of DAF in treating speech deficits. A related purpose was to compare the effects of different delay intervals on speech behaviors. An A-B-A-B single-subject design was utilized. The A phases consisted of a sentence reading task using DAF, while the B phases incorporated clinician instruction into the DAF protocol. During each of the 16 experimental sessions, speakers read with four different delay intervals (0 ms, 50 ms, 100 ms, and 150 ms). During the B phases, the experimenter provided verbal feedback and modeling pertaining to how precisely the speaker matched the delayed signal. Dependent variables measured were speech rate, percent intelligible syllables, and percent disfluencies. Three males with Parkinson's disease and an associated dysarthria participated in the study. Results revealed that for all three speakers, DAF significantly reduced reading rate and produced significant improvements in either intelligibility (for Speaker 3) or fluency (for Speakers 1 and 2). A delay interval of 150 ms produced the greatest reductions in reading rates for all three speakers, although any of the DAF settings used was sufficient to produce significant improvements in either intelligibility or fluency. In addition, supplementing the DAF intervention with clinician instruction resulted in significantly greater gains achieved with DAF. These findings confirmed the effectiveness of various intervals of DAF in improving speech deficits in Parkinson's disease speakers, particular when patients are provided with instruction and modeling from the clinician.

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of having material read to and discussed with learning disabled students (i.e., a compensatory approach termed Accommodated Reading in this study) compared to teaching the literate language of text structures to students (i.e., a language intervention approach termed Communicative Reading Strategies). Participants were two 5th grade students and three 6th grade students, classified as learning disabled according to criteria of the State of Louisiana. Students took part in the study 3 times per week, 40 minutes per day for 5 ½ weeks during their regular speech-language therapy time. After each reading in both conditions, participants answered literal and nonliteral questions based on the text read. Pretest and posttest comprehension measures were taken utilizing standardized tests. Results of a t-test indicated that CRS and AR phases were not statistically different from baseline for four subjects; however, one subject did reach statistical significance with scores favoring Communicative Reading Strategies.

The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical utility of three language sample analyses when working with low-income, African American (AA) children. Eighteen normally developing and three at-risk AA three-year-old preschoolers participated in the study. Language samples were elicited from each child during a 15-20 minute play interaction. Three language sample analyses, contrastive analysis, average sentence length, and complex syntax use, were completed on each language sample. Also coded was each childs use of nonmainstream African American English (AAE) patterns. Only the contrastive analysis generated reliable differences between the at-risk children and the normally developing children. Other group differences that were observed in the data included the amount of talking each child produced and their rate of nonmainstream pattern use. Specifically, the at-risk children produced higher rates of nonmainstream dialect patterns when dialect rate was calculated by dividing the total number of dialect forms by the total number of words spoken. The at-risk children also talked less, but produced higher rates of nonmainstream dialect patterns than did their normal peers.

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether amplifying beyond 3 kHz was beneficial to the user, whether the benefit was dependent on degree of loss, and whether subjective data reflected the benefit. Seventeen hearing impaired subjects were binaurally fitted with digital hearing instruments. Qualified subjects were divided into two groups, A and B. Group A had a pure tone average (3,4, and 6 kHz), of 55 dBHL or better. Group B had a pure tone average (3,4, and 6 kHz) greater than 55 dBHL but not exceeding 75 dBHL. Each subject was fit with two conditions (upward frequency response of 3 kHz and 6 kHz) throughout the study. Probe microphone measurements were obtained at the plane of the tympanic membrane using a swept pure tone of 60 dB SPL to verify appropriate fit of the hearing instruments. Listener performance in quiet was evaluated via the Connected Speech Test (CST), listener performance in noise was evaluated via the CST and the Hearing in Noise Test, and listener preference was evaluated via the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit and an exit questionnaire. Results of the probe microphone measures indicated that the mean output levels for each condition were significantly different. Results indicated that increasing the bandwidth did not significantly improve benefit in quiet for either group but did significantly improve benefit in noise for each group. However, the amount of benefit was similar for each bandwidth suggesting that the amount of benefit is not dependent on degree of loss. Subjective data suggested that amplifying beyond 3 kHz did not increase subjective benefit according to the APHAB. However, results from the exit questionnaire suggest that the 6 kHz condition was preferred by the majority of the subjects overall, both in quiet and in noise.

Auditory processing disorders (APDs) have received considerable attention over the past few decades. Much of the attention has focused on the controversy surrounding the operational definition of APD, the heterogeneous nature of APD, and an appropriate test battery for APD assessment. Temporal processing deficits are one characteristic of APD and are the focus of the present investigation. This investigation reports behavioral and early electrophysiological measures in a group of children with specific temporal processing difficulties and an age-matched control group. In an effort to better describe the subjects, two language tests and the SCAN-C were administered. Significant differences were found in the language tests, SCAN-C, and behavioral tests of temporal processing. No significant differences in ABR waveform latency were found between the control and experimental group. Significant amplitude differences were found, albeit small. Binaural interaction was present in both groups. Based on the results of the present well-controlled investigation of children with temporal processing disorders, there is no indication that the auditory brainstem response recording to click stimuli is efficient in providing additional diagnosis of APD.

It was the purpose of this study to obtain nasalance values using the Nasometer and a resonance evaluation created at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Speech and Hearing Clinic. The Nasometer was used to measure the amount of nasal acoustic energy in the speech of 40 normal young adults during sustained vowel production, consonant vowel reduplications, and connected speech using the Rainbow Passage. Means and standard deviations are presented for the individual speech tasks and according to gender. Nasalance values for the sustained vowels were significantly higher for the high front vowel /i/ than any other vowel, and the lowest nasalance value was obtained by the high back vowel /u/. The vowels in order of highest to lowest nasalance values were as follows: /i, ae, a, u/. No significant gender differences were found for sustained vowel production or the Rainbow Passage. Correlation values indicated that three phonemes /u, k, g/ from the resonance protocol were the best predictors of nasalance for the reading passage. The results are discussed with regard to potential reasons why minimal gender differences were found, why the phonemes were found to be the best predictors of nasalance, and how the LSU protocol can be modified to provide a more effective and efficient resonance evaluation.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of group-based language-literacy training for child care workers. The first phase of the study followed a pre-post single group comparison design and involved 23 child care providers. The independent variable was the teacher training and the dependant variable was scores from a questionnaire. The second phase of the study involved a sub-group of four child care workers who received one-on-one follow up training after the group sessions. The questionnaire was administered a third time to the follow-up group. An analysis of the questionnaire items at pretest indicated that the teachers felt most knowledgeable and skilled with childrens speech and language development and less knowledgeable and skilled with their development of reading, although differences between items were not significant. Post-test scores were significantly higher than pretest scores, but scores did not continue to increase after the one-on-one training. The results of the current study suggest that group-based, language-literacy training can increase the knowledge and skill of child care providers.