Summarized By: Vivianne Cardenas

EME 2040-Fall 2008

Facilitating Use of Speech Recognition Software

AbstractThis study examined three interventions: 1.

physiological, 2. behavioural, 3. pragmaticDesigned to facilitate speech recognition

software.There were 15 adult participants with dysarthria

associated with a variety of aetiological conditions.

The conditions include: cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and motor neuron disease.

Participants demonstrated systematic improvement in their dictation rates (treatment order did not matter).

IntroductionVoice or speech software provide access for

people with physical disabilities.13 out of 20 people with dysarthia associated

with cerebral palsy achieved accuracy rates.The rates were 80% to 100% during training

tutorial of a speech recognition system.It took no more that four 1-hour sessions.Factors were identified that there were

successful and unsuccessful users.Parameters reflected the ability to co-

ordinate: respiratory, phonatory, and articulatory.

Introduction ContinuationMeasures of vocabulary size, nonverbal problem,

solving skills, and reading competency did not predict success in sung the software.

Tasks emphasizing laryngeal and respiratory co-ordination were more difficult.

It was difficult for the people whose dysarthria fit within the mixed categories of Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment.

Overall this subgroup was unsuccessful with the software.

Additional practice improved participants dictation rates.

Voice recognition success was characterized by steep increases in correct recognition (dysarthric speakers).

Introduction ContinuationMore gradual increases observed over subsequent

sessions. Improvement after second session changes in

performance, rather to a software training effect.Non-disabled participants showed no voice

recognition success after second dictation.Most participants in study showed improvement but

dictation rate stayed slow, compared to normal users.

Initial training time with speech recognition software was greater for speakers with cerebral palsy (3.5 hrs. training).

Normal speakers require 1 hour of training.

Introduction ContinuationResearch suggests that a reasonable proportion of

speakers with dysarthria can use the software successfully.

Efficiency use in limited.Ongoing improvement associated with performance

associated with performance changes within individual users.

Treatment can effect optimal use.Behavioural Treatment: focuses on modifying a

behaviour that an assessment shows to be inadequate.

Physiological Treatment: focuses on improving the range, strength, and speed of musculature (has been identified as impaired during assessment).

Introduction ContinuationCritical for specific movements for speech

production.Pragmatic: involves manipulating factors that

may influence speech intelligibility but do not directly control it.

Aims of the Project: 2 main AimsFirst- test proposition that people with upper

motor neuron type dysarthria are less likely to be successful.

Second- is to determine what type of speech practice constitutes the most efficient method of becoming skilled at using the software.

MethodParticipants16 Australians (12 men and 4 women) participated.All spoke Australian dialect of English but one, who

spoke with a Sri Lankon background.English-:main and preferred language of all

participants.Age Range: 18 to 81 years with an average age of

53 years.One individual withdrew because of progression of

his medical condition.5 completed tertiary education, 6 secondary, 1

reached primary standard, 4 remain undisclosed.

Method ContinuationTable I. Participant characteristics.Sex Age MD HL PPVT Ravens WI FDA-TS

FDA-I DP Train1 M 29 CP normal 98 104 98 238 8.0 UMN 22 M 48 CP mild 106 73 113 173 5.7 33 M 77 P severe 92 70 95 198 6.7 34 M 64 P mod 117 74 129 243 9.0 LMN 25 M 59 P severe 123 87 117 228 8.7 26 M 26 CP normal — 68 — 195 8.7 UMN 47 M 66 P mild 99 68 123 110 2.3 EP 4

Method Continuation8 M 81 P mod 102 71 128 197 9.0 LMN 39 M 46 MND mod 93 104 122 140 1.3 ULMN 410 M 68 P severe 99 70 103 218 8.7 211 M 18 CP normal 109 92 89 211 8.0 312 F 70 P mod 113 85 114 231 8.7 EP 213 F 71 MND mod 102 83 123 154 3.3 ULMN

314 F 53 F mod — 68 — 185 6.3 315 F 31 CP mod 61 67 75 216 8.7 UMN 4M 53 101 80 109 196 6.8 2.9SD 20 14 13 16 38 2.5 0.8

Method ContinuationMD5medical diagnosis (CP5cerebral palsy,

P5Parkinson’s disease, MND5motor neuron disease,F5Fybromyosis). HL5hearing loss. WI5Word

Identification subtest from the Woodcock. FDA-TS5Frenchay

Dysarthria Assessment total score. FDA-I5mean of Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment intelligibility ratings. PPVT,

Ravens and WI test scores are standard scores (M5100, SD515). DP5Dysarthria profile based on the FDA

(UMN5upper motor neuron lesion, LMN5lower motor neuron lesion, ULMN5mixed upper and lower motor

neuron lesion, EP5extrapyramidal lesion, where the column is blank the profile was unclear). Train5number of 1-

hour sessions required to reach success in training PowerSecretary speech recognition software.

Method ContinuationInstrumentationSpeech Recognition Software used:

PowerSecretary power edition, installed on a 7500/100 power Macintosh Computer.

Uses discrete or word-by-word input and has a large vocabulary.

Behaviorual SessionsApple condenser microphone connected to

a 750/100 power Macintosh computer.Computer used to record the speech

samples to provide visual feedback during behavioural treatment sessions.

Method ContinuationPhysiological SessionsPowerLab hardware and software, installed on a

Macintosh G3 computer used for visual biofeedback during the treatment.

General Procedure4 main stages to the project: in order to

progress stages participants attended a two 1-hour sessions each week.

Sessions were carried out by 4 final year speech pathology students under the supervision of an experienced speech pathologist.

Method ContinuationInitial Screening and Clinical AssessmentFirst stage: involved screening, during which

standardized test were given, and voice and speech was completed.

All speech samples were recorded using a Sony ECM-44B Electret Condenser lapel microphone and attached was a cassette recorder.

A microphone was clipped to the participants’ shirt 15cm below mouth.

Assessments were taken in a sound attenuated audiology booth to reduce background noise level.

Method ContinuationPowerSecretary Software TrainingSecond Stage: involved initial PowerSecretary

software training.Participants pronounced a large set of key training

words and phrases for speakers adaptation purposes.

Therapy/dictation sessionsThird stage: involved combined speech therapy and

dictation sessions for the successful participants.During each session participants receive 30 minutes

of treatment followed by 30 minutes of dictation.

Method Continuation15 sessions overall (divided into 3 blocks of 5

sessions).Dictation session was 8 minutes for the following

tasks: letter application, letter to editor, veterinarian memo, and a doctor memo.

Post therapy clinical assessmentFinal stage: after all sessions completed

participants underwent a clinical assessment of speech and voice.

Using same tasks as stage 1.Treatment DescriptionsBehaviorual Treatment: facilitate production of

utterances with pauses between single words.

Method ContinuationStarted with the repetition of one-to four-syllable

words first, followed by the compound word and phrase repetition tasks.

Physiological Treatment: techniques were designed to encourage the participant to be relaxed and maintain good posture when sitting at a computer.

Also increases breath control and volume of inspiration.

PowerLab used to display recordings of pulse rate, chest expansion, and vowel prolongation.

Pragmatic Treatment

ResultsInitial TrainingAll 15 participants completed the initial training

phase of project.Participants achieved 100% in the training

vocabulary.3 participants showed signs of having an upper

motor neuron lesion.2 were consistent with a lower motor neuron

lesion 2 showed signs of a mixed upper and lower

motor neuron lesion.2 were consistent with an extrapyramidal lesion.

Results ContinuationDifficulty matching the remaining 6 participants

to a specific diagnostic profile.Effect of therapy on dictation skillsRefer to table I and II.Post-treatment measuresComparison between initial and final assessment

of speech production and voice was made to see if participants modified their speech and voicing abilities.

Results: Significant increase of vowel prolongation following the treatment programmes.

Results ContinuationSignificant increase in the percentage of

voicing measure.

DiscussionAll participants: successful to some degree in

using the powersecretary software.A relationship was observed between severity of

dysarthria and efficiency in training the software.Physiological Treatment: focused on

improving breath support and elongating phonation using objective feedback from the PowerLab.

Pragmatic Treatment: yielded a better dictation response, as compared to the behaviouralprogramme.

Behavioural Treatment: involved spectrographic feedback of speech productions.

CitationKathryn Hird and Neville W. Hennessey.

2007. Faciliating use of speech recognition software for people with disabilities: A comparison of three treatments. 211-226.

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