Assistive Technology for Speech and Communication problems

張志仲 副教授Jyh-Jong Chang

Email: jjchang@kmu.edu.twOffice: CS505

Tel: 2644Webpage: http://app.rm.kmu.edu.tw/chang/

Communication impairments Speech-motor impairments

Having difficulty using their vocal cords, facial muscles or breathing organs to produce and/or control their speech

Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophies

Language-cognitive Having problems on a cognitive level when their

ability to receive, process and produce spoken language is disturbed

Stroke, Brain injuries, Alzheimer’s disease

Impacts of communication impairments Communication impairments have a maj

or effect on the person’s social contacts social isolation

non-intelligent Self-esteem and self-respect can be dimi

nished

Assistive technology (AT) for communication impairments

Communication impairments are more complicated to solve than vision, hearing or physical impairments

The most important thing to remember is to be willing to communicate and to allow the person time to communicate

Augmentative and Alternativecommunication (AAC) Augmentative and Alternative (relpace

ment) Low-tech and high-tech Dynamic and static Simple and complicated

Low-tech devices Non-electronic system

s or devices such as picture communication boards and charts or paper and pencil

Simple electronic communicators they offer the user a q

uick, powerful and flexible method of communication

Pointing to, or touching, the required symbol on a display is a common method of accessing a low-tech communication system

It is also possible to use scanning techniques (‘listener scanning’) to access a low-tech communication system

Direct selection (pointing) and indirect selection (scanning)

High-tech devices Simple or sophisticated electronic device

s including simple communicators, dedicated communication systems and computer systems programmed to provide communication capabilities

Computer systems consist of a special purpose computer and software with symbol library, and digitised sound or a speech synthesiser can be used for output

Dedicated communication aids Designed solely for the means of providing a

n alternative to oral speech or to augment an individual’s speech

Symbol/icon-based systems

http://www.toby-churchill.com/

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=_1QIhWa_4_A

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=_GVzSKbsrSU

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=GT2pJrArbWs&feature=related

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=fAdEOXD9Tvk&feature=related

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=g_T96uOi2l4&feature=related

Summary

Speech-motor impairments and Language-cognitive

Augmentative and Alternative Device (AAC)

AAC vs. speech and communication problems