USE OF LARGE VOCABULARY, NATURAL SPEECH RECOGNITION TO ASSIST THE DEAF IN DEVELOPING COMPREHENSIBLE LANGUAGE

ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT AREAS IN ASSISTING THE DEAF TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIBLE LANGUAGE IS IN TEACHING PROPER PRONUNCIATION OF SPOKEN WORDS. IN THIS AREA, THE DEAF STUDENT REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE PRACTICE AND FEEDBACK AS HE/SHE ATTEMPTS TO LEARN TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE PROPERLY. SOME AREAS OF LANGUAGE LEARNING CAN BE TAUGHT IN A CLASSROOMENVIRONMENT. THESE INCLUDE VOCABULARY, GRAMMAR AND WRITING.HOWEVER, PROPER SPEAKING OF THE LANGUAGE IS BEST LEARNED IN A ONE-TO-ONE STUDENT-TO-INSTRUCTOR ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT AND IMMEDIATE EXPERT FEEDBACK REQUIRED. WHAT IS REQUIRED IS A DEVICE THAT ALLOWS THE DEAF STUDENT TOPRACTICE SPEAKING UNSUPERVISED AND YET RECEIVE IMMEDIATE, EXPERT FEEDBACK ON HIS/HER PERFORMANCE. THE PROPOSED STUDY WILL INVESTIGATE THE USE OF A PHONETIC-BASED, LARGE VOCABULARY, CONTINUOUS SPEECH RECOGNITION SYSTEM TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE VISUAL FEEDBACK TO DEAF STUDENTS AS TO THE INTELLIGIBILITY OF THEIR SPEECH.