telephone talk: effects of vocabulary and timing on telephone conversations using synthesized speech...

Telephone Talk: Effects of Vocabulary and Timingon Telephone Conversations Using Synthesized Speech

Elizabeth K. Hanson, Ph.D., CCC-SLPUniversity of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD

Caroline Sundheimer, M.A., CFY-SLPSunshine Speech-Language Therapy Services

Phoenix, AZ

ISAAC - Montréal, Québec, Canada - 2008

Acknowledgements

Tina Lombardi

Richardson Independent School District

Dallas, TX

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Hello?

Hello! Is anybody there?

Problems using SGD to talk on the phone Limited telephone bandwidth decreases

intelligibility (Milchard & Cullington (2004) )

Synthesized voice intelligibility worse over the telephone than sound field (Drager, Hustad, and Gable, 2004)

Timing issues… Results:

Hang up Rudeness Unsuccessful call


Hello?

Hello! Is anybody there?

“The telephone is perhaps my greatest source of frustration.”

Colin Portnuff, 2007


Attitudes Studies Japan study Content of initial message

(e.g., caller can’t speak and is using synthesized speech)

Timing of message delivery (e.g., 3 sec. delay)

Results: Initial explanation at start improved attitudes toward

caller Presence or absence of delay - no effect

Nakamura, Arima, Sakamoto, & Toyota (1993)


Attitudes Studies Japan/Wisconsin study Content of initial message

(e.g., brief introduction and request for info)

Results (comparing locations): More positive attitudes in Wisconsin Fewer hang-ups in Wisconsin Explanatory message decreased # hang-

ups in JapanNakamura, Vanderheiden, & Smith (1993)


Strategic Competence

Using a “floorholder” message

Person using SGD starts with an explanatory message to hold the conversational floor

Cues communication partner to wait

Bedrosian, et al. (2003)

Light (1989b, 1989)


Purpose

Investigate impact of strategic message and delay times when using synthesized speech during telephone calls.


Methods

100 telephone calls to businesses advertising in Yellow Pages

Randomly selected Asked for business hours Calls made during the day, to avoid

contacting minors Calls audiotaped for review & reliability

USD IRB#100-07-002-Telephone Talk: Effects of Strategic Communication Messages Using Synthesized Speech


Technology

Telephone: Uniden landline telephone - speaker mode LG cellular telephone - speaker mode

“MT4” SGD by DynaVox Systems, LLC Voice: DECtalk®“Betty” Speech rate: “30” Volume: “70”

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.


Conditions

Explanation, no delay “Please wait, I’m using a computer to talk. What are

your hours? …” No explanation, no delay

“What are your hours? …” Explanation, delay

3-second delay “Please wait, I’m using a computer to talk…”

No explanation, delay 3-second delay “What are your hours?”


Dependent Variable

Successful call = obtained business hours

Unsuccessful call = did not obtain business hours


Results

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Exp+No Delay Exp+Delay No Exp+NoDelay

No Exp+Delay

# Calls

Success

Unsuccessful

Telephone Call Success by Condition

Results

Outcomes by Condition

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Exp+No Delay Exp+Delay NoExp+NoDelay

NoExp+Delay

Conditions

# Calls

Unsuccessful (hang-up immed.)

Unsuccessful (hang-up mid-way)

Unsuccessful (hostile/wronginfo)Unsuccessful(unintelligible/incomplete)Successful

Results

Unsuccessful Hang-Up Calls

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Exp+No Delay Exp+Delay NoExp+NoDelay NoExp+Delay

# Calls

Hang-up immediatelyHang-up mid-way

Discussion

Absence of explanatory message and or delayed start hurts success rate

Starting call immediately enhances chance of success

Starting with explanatory message enhances chance of success


Clinical Implications

Teach strategic use of floorholder

Timing issue difficult to control Effect of hostility and hang-ups

on motivation to use telephone


Limitations

Different phones Different regions DECtalk® still used

but not current


Content of floorholder… Informative Instructional Personalized

Stakeholder involvement Modify SGD technology?


Future

Bedrosian, J.L., Hoag, L.A., & McCoy, K.F. (2003). Relevance and speed of message delivery trade-offs in augmentative and alternative communication. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 46, 800-817.

Drager, K.D.R., Hustad, K.C., & Gable, K.L. (2004). Telephone communication: Synthetic and dysarthric speech intelligibility and listener preferences. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 20(2), 103-112.

Light, J. (1988). Interaction involving individuals using augmentative and alternative communication systems: State of the art and future directions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 54(2), 66-82.

Light, J. (1989b). Toward a definition of communicative competence for individuals using augmentative and alternative communication systems. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 5(2), 137-144.

Milchard, A. J., & Cullington, H. E. (2004). An investigation into the effect of limiting the frequency of bandwidth of speech on speech recognition in adult cochlear implant users. International Journal of Audiology, 43, 356-362.

Nakamura, K., Arima, M., Sakamoto, A., & Toyota, R. (1993). Telephoning with a voice output device: Listener reactions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 9, 251-258.

Nakamura, K., Vanderheiden, G.C., & Smith, R.O. (1993). Attitudes and impressions toward receiving phone calls made with a voice output device in the United States and Japan. Technology and Disability, 2(2), 71-80.

Portnuff, C. (2007). AAC: A user’s perspective. Webcast. Retrieved July 3, 2007 from http://www.aac-rerc.com/pages/news/Portnuff_webcast.htm


References

Results

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

m f m f m f m f

Exp+No Delay Exp+Delay NoExp+No Delay NoExp+Delay

Gender Comparison:Successful Calls

Results

What was different? * Exp NoDelay Vs Exp Delayed Delay Exp NoDelay Vs NoExp NoDelay Explanation * Exp NoDelay Vs NoExp Delayed Explanation & Delay Exp Delayed Vs NoExp NoDelay Explanation & Delay Exp Delayed Vs NoExp Delayed Explanation * NoExp NoDelay Vs NoExp Delayed Delay

telephone talk: effects of vocabulary and timing on telephone conversations using synthesized speech...

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