THE DEVELOPMENT OF TELEPHONE AUGMENTATIVE DEVICES FOR THE SPEECH- AND HEARING-IMPAIRED IS RECOGNIZED AS AN IMPORTANT AREA FOR INVESTIGATION.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF TELEPHONE AUGMENTATIVE DEVICES FOR THE SPEECH- AND HEARING-IMPAIRED IS RECOGNIZED AS AN IMPORTANT AREA FOR INVESTIGATION. SPECIFICALLY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A POCKET-SIZED AID THAT IS SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR CHILDREN AND APPROPRIATELY INEXPENSIVE FOR LOWER-INCOME INDIVIDUALS IS SEEN AS NEEDING FURTHER ATTENTION. IN THIS PHASE I PROGRAM,RESEARCHERS WILL (1) DEVELOP AND TEST, WITH THE AID OF TRAINED CLINICIANS, SOME PROTOTYPE RECEIVE-ONLY DEVICES FOR USE WITH THE TELEPHONE; (2) IDENTIFY THE MORE SOPHISTICATED REQUIREMENTS FOR A MORE ADVANCED DEVICE, WITH THE AID OF A PROGRAMMED MICROCOMPUTER; AND (3) DESIGN AND FABRICATE A BREADBOARD CIRCUIT THAT CONTAINS THE FEATURES (INCLUDING SPEECH SYNTHESIS) INTO THE ADVANCED DEVICE. IF THE ANTICI- PATED RESULTS CONFIRM THE EFFICACY OF THE DEVICE, THE PROTOTYPE CIRCUIT WOULD LATER BE IMPROVED AND DEVELOPED FOR CLINICAL TESTING DURING PHASE II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH ASIMPLE TWO-WAY, AUGMENTATIVE AID FOR TELEPHONE USAGE BY THE SPEECH/HEARING-IMPAIRED WOULD BE OF SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT TO THAT SEGMENT OF SOCIETY, PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMERCIALIZATION, AND LOWER STILL ANOTHER BARRIER FOR HANDICAPPED CITIZENS.