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CLEAR UP CONFUSION ABOUT DIGITIZED VOICE OUTPUT DEVICES

Jeri Hoffman
Judy Nadzam
Innocomp
26210 Emery Road
Suite 302
Warrensville Heights, Ohio 44128
1-800-382-8622, 216-464-3636
FAX 216-464-3636
e-mail: Innocomp@AOL.COM

Web Posted on: December 2, 1997


We have found that there are currently a large number of digitized speech products available from a wide variety of companies. As more of them continue to become available, it is becoming very difficult to keep informed about these products and their functions. Last year we put a catalog together which had nineteen products from eight different companies. Although we did not increase the number of companies in the 1997 catalog, we now have twenty-three products . In addition, some of the products listed last year have changed their looks and/or functions. After choosing a device, it is difficult to decide what the key vocabulary is when you are many times limited to four to fifteen phrases at a time. We have found that setting up in vocabulary in routines can be helpful for language development and the stimulating of conversations which include initiating the conversation, participating and ending the conversation.


The Devices

The most simple device, the BIGmack (TM) communication aid allows for one stored phrase up to 20 seconds in duration. It is large with a diameter of six inches and also allows for an external switch to be used.

One of the more sophisticated devices in our digitized products list is the Easy Talk. One version allows for up to four minutes of stored speech and the second version allows for eight minutes of stored speech. Each allow for up to four levels of stored phrases in as many as forty locations on a level or as few as two locations on a level. A total of 160 phrases can be stored at any one time. This device also allows for visual scanning.

All of the products vary as to size and weight. The smallest is the Voicemate 4 which is 2.75" x 3.25" x 1.375". The Scanmate 4, the Switchmate 4 and the Switchmate Plus are all the same size and have various functions from visual scanning, direct select and external switch input. All allow for four phrases with up to four seconds each. The lightest digitized speech product in our catalog, is the Two Talker at a weight of 5.9 ounces. It allows for two direct select phrases with a total of 16 seconds of speech.

Some devices allow for the use of external switches to access the phrases. These switches can usually come from any company that manufactures switches and can be any size and sensitivity. The BIGmack communication device allows for one external switch to activate its one message while the Voicepal allows for five, the Voicepal Plus allows for ten and the SpeakEasy communication device allows for twelve external switches. Many others allow for one to four external switches.

Visual scanning with external switches can be done in the Voicepal Plus, Vocal Assistant 270/28 and 270/48 as well as the Scanmate 4, Scanmate 8, Canon Communicators and the Easy Talk. The Voicepal Plus allows for automatic scanning, inverse scanning and step scanning. The Easy Talk allows for linear, row-column and step scanning. The Vocal Assistant allows for linear scanning and row-column scanning. The Canon Communicator allows for row-column scanning. The remainder allow for linear scanning only.

Auditory scanning is available in the Voicepal Plus, the SpeakEasy, the Action Voice 2 and all models of the Vocal Assistant.


Vocabulary Selection

Some events are very predictable because they begin, progress and end in essentially the same way each time they occur. These events can be thought of as routines. Facilitators can secure ecological data from the user or significant others to determine the range of daily life experiences in which the user regularly participates. Events or routines are initiated by various partners, the partners participate together in the routine and then the routine is ended. Routines occur in the places the client spends his time. This is usually at home, school or at work. Routines have purposes. The idea is to have fun together, to interact socially, or to get something done together, to be functional. Routines may include working, dressing, shopping or going to school, for example. Digitized speech devices can be set up in routines as a method of storing phrases.

The majority of the devices will allow from four phrases to fifteen phrases. Once the routine is selected, vocabulary selection begins. The number of messages selected for each category will depend upon the user's needs and the number of locations the device allows. The majority of the digitized speech devices will allow from four phrases to fifteen phrases to be stored at one time. It is very simple to change the phrases in all of the devices that we have. You only have to record a voice into them. The only difficulty is when you want to use a specific gender and/or age for the voice. Then you will need to wait until someone is available to record the voice for you.

In selecting the vocabulary, you will want to identify the unique words in each routine, often objects and some actions as well as the significant words in each non-unique message category. If more vocabulary is selected than the number of locations will allow, new routines or categories may need to be added to accommodate the user's needs. Blank locations in each routine can provide the space for later growth.

Once the vocabulary is selected, the decision needs to made as to how to order it. Events make sense because of the way that they are organized. The first way is to organize it by role structure. This involves the person's interpretation of the role and how it is carried out by the people participating in the event. The actions of the individuals would have much to do with their role. If we are doing a routine about school and I am the teacher and the client is the student. How we participate in the routine would be set by my position as being the teacher. We could reverse roles where instead of being the teacher, I am now the student.

Another way is to organize the activity is by temporal or logical structure. Both of these involve how the actions in the events relate to one another. This is the most commonly used format. If we are setting the table for dinner, we could start with an initiation statement. The order is not always important as to what comes first, the fork or the spoon, but they are all there to work with. If we are making pudding, it is probably more important to do things in a specific order. We first need to get the utensils and ingredients. We need to mix them together. Put them in the refrigerator to chill and then clean up. Last we can eat the pudding.

The deictic structure is when events are structured from a point of view. Gifts can be either seen as given or received, depending upon the perspective taken.

It is also possible to set up the routines grammatically. This would involve ordering items so that the person is identified first. The possible actions would be listed and then the objects that the actions would be acting upon. This could be set up left to right.

To organize the vocabulary items alphabetically using pictures and print can help facilitate literacy skills. Print labels may include the entire word or first or first and second letter of the word. First letter of the word labels and alphabetical arrangement can facilitate the early use of word prediction which requires first letters of the word spelling skills as well as knowledge of the alphabet.

Communication intervention allows clients the opportunity to practice the routines he will use in daily life. Intervention plans that includes technology must address where (places), what (routines) and with whom (partners). Partners exchange messages in routines. Effective partners provide models of messages clients can already use for practice or might soon be able to use.

Intervention plans that include technology should address the content of messages shared in routines as a component of partner strategies, and as goals for clients. Partners need to maintain back and forth structure in routines. This teaches the client the rules of interaction and of conversation. Routines have beginnings and ends. Routines develop, but no one person runs the show. Routines develop through an exchange of actions and messages. Partners can use specific strategies to facilitate routines.


Examples of Routines

McDonald's in five locations can use pictures symbolizing the following:

  • McDonald's
  • cheeseburger
  • french fries
  • Coca-Cola
  • I need change

The voice output can be in full sentences, useful phrases or one word utterances. A kitchen activity with four locations can be done with the following symbols:

  • cook
  • stir
  • pour
  • delicious

This activity give room for the comment "delicious" as well as the words needed for the activity. If more locations were available you might include "yukky" or something similar.

A work activity for someone who does cleaning for their work can be done on a device with fifteen locations as follows;

  • work
  • it's time
  • clean
  • boss
  • What do you do?
  • paycheck
  • break time
  • vacuum
  • dust
  • cleaner
  • Where is the broom?
  • wash window
  • like
  • tired

This activity, because of the fifteen locations can include more socialization words rather than just the words need to perform the activity.

The selection of digitized voice output devices can be based on the characteristics of the device, such as size, weight, accessing choices, etc. Vocabulary selection can help to determine which devices are appropriate also. When working on language development, the use of routines can help to stimulate interaction between the augmentative device user and their partner. The number of phrases that can be stored in a particular device will influence the setup of the routines. Communication intervention allows clients the opportunity to practice the routines he will use in daily life. Intervention plans that includes technology must address where (places), what (routines) and with whom (partners).


References

Gillette, Yvonne. Communication Strategies: Your Keys to Using High Technology Intervention Effectively. Presentation for the Northwest Ohio Special Education Resource Center. Toledo, Ohio. August 20, 1992.

Lund, N.J. & Duchan, J.F. (1993). Assessing children's language in naturalistic contexts. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Ability Research, P.O. Box 1721, 6500 Carlson Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55346. Ablenet, 1081 Tenth Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55414.

Adaptivation, Inc., P.O. Box 626, 408 Kellogg, Ames, IA 50010.

Attainment Company, P.O. Box 930160, 504 Commerce Parkway, Verona, WI 53593.

CAMA, Communication Aids Manufacturers Association, P.O. Box 1039, Evanston, IL 60204-1039.

Canon USA, 100 Park Blvd., Itasca, IL 60143.

GMR Labs, 1030 E. El Camino, #308, Sunnyvale, CA 94087.

Innocomp (1997). Digitized Speech 97 Products Catalog. Innocomp, 26210 Emery Road, Suite 302, Warrensville Heights, Ohio 44128.

Sym Systems, 2211 B Fortune Drive, San Jose, CA 95131.

TASH, Unit 1, 91 Station Street, Ajax, Ontario, Canada, L1S 3H2.