Strategies to Accommodate Reading (STAR)
| Status: | Recruiting |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Neurology |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Neurology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 19 - 90 |
| Updated: | 8/18/2018 |
| Start Date: | May 1, 2018 |
| End Date: | September 1, 2020 |
| Contact: | Kelly Knollman-Porter, PhD |
| Email: | knollmkk@miamioh.edu |
| Phone: | 513-529-2504 |
Strategies to Accommodate Reading (STAR): Using Assistive Technology to Support Reading by People With Aphasia.
People with aphasia often understand spoken utterances better than written sentences. They
also benefit from having content appear in multiple rather than single modalities. Because
text-to-speech (TTS) systems accommodate both of these functions, it provides an ideal basis
for a reading intervention. TTS systems convert written text to provide both text and
auditory information. Research about using TTS supports with people with aphasia has not
extended beyond basic case studies and our studies of sentence level comprehension. Hence, no
evidence exists about varying TTS features—such as speech output, speech rate, and text
highlighting—known to benefit others with reading problems. Also, social acceptance of TTS is
not well understood, even though it is critical to adoption and long-term use of the
technology.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate various aspects of multimodality presentation of
material through TTS systems used by people with aphasia. The immediate outcome of the
proposed research will be evidence-based recommendations for selecting and adjusting TTS
systems and features. This work will enable clinicians to maximize benefits for adults with
varying aphasia profiles. We also will obtain initial evidence about the social validity and
perceived value of TTS system use for this population.
also benefit from having content appear in multiple rather than single modalities. Because
text-to-speech (TTS) systems accommodate both of these functions, it provides an ideal basis
for a reading intervention. TTS systems convert written text to provide both text and
auditory information. Research about using TTS supports with people with aphasia has not
extended beyond basic case studies and our studies of sentence level comprehension. Hence, no
evidence exists about varying TTS features—such as speech output, speech rate, and text
highlighting—known to benefit others with reading problems. Also, social acceptance of TTS is
not well understood, even though it is critical to adoption and long-term use of the
technology.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate various aspects of multimodality presentation of
material through TTS systems used by people with aphasia. The immediate outcome of the
proposed research will be evidence-based recommendations for selecting and adjusting TTS
systems and features. This work will enable clinicians to maximize benefits for adults with
varying aphasia profiles. We also will obtain initial evidence about the social validity and
perceived value of TTS system use for this population.
Experimental Procedures
- Phase 1: After completing the assessment session, phase one will include up to 4
sessions each lasting up to 90 minutes. Across the four sessions, the participants will
listen to and/or read 36 passages ranging from 4 to 6 sentences each. Then, participants
will answer 10 multiple choice questions related to the content of the passage. The
researcher will provide comprehension support via written choice strategy for the
multiple choice questions (e.g., written and spoken language, nonverbal supports such as
pointing). Participants will read and/or listen to the stories via a computer. An
example of these questions appears in Appendix G.
- Phase 2: After completing the assessment session, phase two will include 1 to 3 separate
parts examining 3 different TTS features (e.g., speech presentation rate, text
highlighting, speech production quality). Participants can choose to participate in 1 or
more parts within this phase. For each part, participants will first listen to or view
selected variations of a target feature and choose their preferred variation. For each
study, participants will then complete five or four experimental sessions lasting up to
90 minutes each. Parts with up to five sessions (i.e., Part 1 and 2) will include
features with more variations than those included in Part 3, which will include up to
four sessions. Participants will read and/or listen to up to 12 reading passages in each
session and answer multiple choice comprehension questions related to the content of the
passage. At the conclusion of each session, participants will provide their opinion
about the optimal targeted feature variation using rating forms and interview questions.
Participants will read and/or listen to the passages via a computer.
- Phase 3: After completing the assessment session and any previous study phases, the
participants will complete one 2-hour session. Participants will complete three
activities: (1) education and system exploration guided by a member of the research
team, (2) satisfaction and predicted use ratings of TTS systems, and (3) semi-structured
interviews. Ratings of the TTS systems will be complete using Likert ratings scales (see
Appendix H). Semi-structured interview questions will relate to rationales for system
ratings and perceived application of TTS systems for functional use.
- Phase 1: After completing the assessment session, phase one will include up to 4
sessions each lasting up to 90 minutes. Across the four sessions, the participants will
listen to and/or read 36 passages ranging from 4 to 6 sentences each. Then, participants
will answer 10 multiple choice questions related to the content of the passage. The
researcher will provide comprehension support via written choice strategy for the
multiple choice questions (e.g., written and spoken language, nonverbal supports such as
pointing). Participants will read and/or listen to the stories via a computer. An
example of these questions appears in Appendix G.
- Phase 2: After completing the assessment session, phase two will include 1 to 3 separate
parts examining 3 different TTS features (e.g., speech presentation rate, text
highlighting, speech production quality). Participants can choose to participate in 1 or
more parts within this phase. For each part, participants will first listen to or view
selected variations of a target feature and choose their preferred variation. For each
study, participants will then complete five or four experimental sessions lasting up to
90 minutes each. Parts with up to five sessions (i.e., Part 1 and 2) will include
features with more variations than those included in Part 3, which will include up to
four sessions. Participants will read and/or listen to up to 12 reading passages in each
session and answer multiple choice comprehension questions related to the content of the
passage. At the conclusion of each session, participants will provide their opinion
about the optimal targeted feature variation using rating forms and interview questions.
Participants will read and/or listen to the passages via a computer.
- Phase 3: After completing the assessment session and any previous study phases, the
participants will complete one 2-hour session. Participants will complete three
activities: (1) education and system exploration guided by a member of the research
team, (2) satisfaction and predicted use ratings of TTS systems, and (3) semi-structured
interviews. Ratings of the TTS systems will be complete using Likert ratings scales (see
Appendix H). Semi-structured interview questions will relate to rationales for system
ratings and perceived application of TTS systems for functional use.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Clinical diagnosis of aphasia with reading comprehension impairment resulting from
stroke
- Age 19-90 years
- At least 6 months post stroke
- American English is primary language
Exclusion Criteria:
- Presence of hearing impairment (i.e., prescribed bilateral hearing aids or failed
hearing screening)
- Presence of vision or motor impairments as determined by screening task described
below.
- History of neurological or developmental (reading or learning) impairment other than
stroke as determined by self- or family-report.
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