In this study, 102 adult stutterers were assessed on state and trait anxiety before, and on trait anxiety after, intensive behavioral treatment. Results showed that persons who stutter have significantly higher levels of fear (trait anxiety) in a demanding speech situation and also higher levels of chronic anxiety (trait anxiety) than matched…

A taxonomy of computer-based speech training systems is presented, based on the physical source of feedback, standards of evaluation, level and type of detail on which feedback is based, and the form and instructional context of feedback. Reasons for selecting a particular approach are discussed in relation to existing systems. (Author/JDD)

Three studies of phonological knowledge and generalization were conducted with six functionally misarticulating children, aged 3-4. Results indicated that productive phonological knowledge of the sound system influenced the amount of generalization learning. The extent of generalization learning was associated with the point on the knowledge…

This article addresses the rationale for and issues related to the use of speech appliances, especially a removable speech appliance that positions the tongue to produce the correct /r/ phoneme. Research results suggest that this appliance was successful with a large group of clients. (Author/DB)

Glossometry, a method of providing visual feedback of tongue positions, was used to teach four vowel sounds to six profoundly hearing-impaired children. After 15 to 20 50-minute training sessions, all subjects showed greater diversification of tongue postures for the vowels. Listener identifications were also generally better after therapy.…

This response to commentaries on EC 604 058 attempts to update and clarify views on the application of principles of assessment and intervention in phonological disorders in children. The lack of empirical demonstration that this approach is more effective and efficient than existing procedures is noted. (Author/DB)

Using 10 kindergarten children with poor articulation of /s/, this study sought to determine whether modification of speech sounds by the use of an electroacoustic filter improved the children's /s/ articulation, as compared to training of /s/ using non-filtered words. Posttest scores, as measured by "A Deep Test of Articulation," showed…

Two repeated-measures designs with two samples of speech delayed preschool children (N=18) compared learning activities utilizing microcomputer instruction with similar activities delivered via conventional tabletop instructional materials. Findings suggested both methods are equally effective and efficient with each being more effective with…

Design considerations for speech training systems include the types of information about speech to be used in training, whether acoustic or physiologic; and the use of models of speech production, whether partially perceptual and partially knowledge-based or explicit data-based models. A taxonomy of speech training systems is presented.…

Five profoundly hearing-impaired children were taught to speak seven consonant sounds using palatometry which allows learners to see tongue-to-palate contact patterns used in sound production. Results demonstrated that visual articulatory modeling and feedback of linguapalatal contact patterns is an effective means of teaching consonants and…

Experimental comparisons between computer-based and human judgments of speech quality of two normal talkers and a hearing impaired child receiving speech therapy on the Indiana Speech Training Aid found humans slightly better at judging speech quality but the computer much more reliable. Results support computer-based speech evaluation for some…

Four studies evaluated perceptions of fluency of persons who had been treated with the "smooth speech" fluency shaping technique. The studies examined (1) client satisfaction with treatment; (2) increased employment opportunities for program completers; (3) employer perceptions of employees' speech quality; and (4) possible determinants…

The Test of Problem Solving (TOPS) was evaluated by 20 speech-language clinicians based on designer claims that the test assesses integration of semantic, linguistic, and reasoning ability and taps skills needed for academic and social acceptance. Results challenged the content validity of the test. (Author/DB)

Fifteen stutterers (aged 5-16) were treated using graded airflow, tension/relaxation, and electromyographic biofeedback to reduce stuttering frequency. In a second study, addition of a discriminative stimulus control procedure to maintain fluency made the treatment program more effective than the first study and achieved a level of <1% stuttered…

This article challenges two assumptions underlying whole-language philosophy: spoken language is directly comparable to written language, and skilled readers rely on contextual information more than on the printed word. Speech-language professionals are urged to engage in some instructional practices associated with whole language but also…