Contents of Speech & Voice Therapy 5

Chapter 1 Installation 1

Chapter 2 Quick Review 7

Chapter 3 Recording Calibration 11

Chapter 4 User‟s Log 15

Chapter 5 Menushop &Workspace 19

Chapter 6 Exploring 25

Chapter 7 Training 39

Chapter 8 Phonetic Exercise 57

Chapter 9 Reports and Printing 63

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 Chapter 1 Installation

Speech and Voice Therapy software is a real-time speech and voice training system (cartoon)
designed specifically for speech-language pathologists, otolaryngologists, speech scientists and the
person who has articulation disorders, voice disorders or hearing loss. Speech and Voice Therapy
helps to teach, reinforce, document and report speech production in various cartoons. Speech can
be recorded through microphone, or CD. The most important feature of Speech and Voice
Therapy software is that it is a fully windows-based program without requiring any extra Digital
Signal Processing (DSP) hardware. This system can be used in a PC-based desktop or laptop
computer equipped with a 16-bit sound card. The following section explains the functions of
Speech and Voice Therapy program.

1.1 Overview
Speech and Voice Therapy version 5.0 uses over 60 voice-activated video games to provide real-
time reinforcement of a client‟s attempts to produce changes in pitch, loudness, voiced and
unvoiced phonation, voicing onset, maximum phonation time, sound, vowel tracking and vowel
exercise. Children, in particular, enjoy therapy with this colorful, interactive, game-like software
because they receive immediate feedback on their performance.

Clinicians will enjoy the versatility and some unique features of the program. For example, while
a child is playing a game, you can quickly review the graphical display or statistical data of the
child‟s performance. Speech and Voice Therapy is divided into two groups: 1) Exploring teaches
children about the attributes of their voice, and (2) Training gives the user‟s goals to achieve for a
given range and time. Comprehensive user logs calculate therapy time and track your client‟s
progress. Best of all, real-time recording and playback give you the tools you need to maximize
your client‟s therapy.

1.2 Basic System Requirement

Before you install Speech and Voice Therapy, make sure that your computer meets the minimum
hardware and software requirements listed below.

1.2.1 Computer and operating system

This software package is designed to run on an IBM PC or fully IBM PC compatible computer
using the CPU 2 GHz or higher processor for Microsoft Window XP-7. Higher speed computer
can improve the performance of Speech and Voice Therapy program. A color monitor (1024*768
resolution and 256 colors or higher) and a mouse are required.

1.2.2 Memory and hard disk

The memory requirement for running Speech and Voice Therapy is 1 GB RAM in Windows XP-7.
Your computer must have a hard disk with at least 1.5 GB of free disk space.

1.2.3 Sound Card

Your computer must have a Windows-compatible sound card that has a 16-bit resolution and a
sampling frequency of 11025 Hz. Most of the sound cards today will work with the Speech and
Voice Therapy program, but we found that Sound Blaster card is the most compatible. If the sound
quality is not satisfactory, changing the sound card or adding a pre-amplifier will generally work.
A good quality microphone and pre-amplifier (T01) is available through Tiger DRS, Inc.

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 If you install your program in a desktop computer, it is recommended that you use one of the
following sound cards from Creative Lab., Inc. or its distributor:
1. Sound Blaster Live value or Live
2. Sound Blaster AWE 64 or AWE 64 Gold
3. Sound Blaster AWE 32
4. Sound Blaster 16
We highly recommend you to use the Sound Blaster Live value or Live. For information about this
sound card, call 1-408-428-6600 (USA), 1-800-998-5227 (USA) for sales.

1.2.4 Microphone and Speaker

You must have a good-quality unidirectional dynamic or unidirectional condenser microphone to
receive the best recording of your client‟s voice and speech. Most unidirectional condenser
microphones will have a battery in them. This will ensure a good quality recording. Your
computer should have speakers attached to the sound card for play back. Most types of speakers
will work but the better the quality the better the sound.

1.2.5 Microphone Pre-amplifier

It is better to use a microphone pre-amplifier to increase the performance. When you use a pre-
amplifier, you should plug your microphone into mic-input of the pre-amplifier, and connect your
line-out of the pre-amplifier with the line-input of sound card in your computer.

1.2.6 Printer
This is optional equipment. You can use any printer that is supported by Microsoft Windows 95-
98 to print out the information obtained through Speech and Voice Therapy program. If you are
using a color printer, Speech and Voice Therapy will print out in full color. If using a laser printer,
Speech and Voice Therapy will print in gray scale.

1.3 Before you install

Before you install Speech and Voice Therapy, make sure your equipment is properly working. As
a first step, please test the microphone, sound card and speakers. This will help you understand
your computer system, and understand where Speech and Voice Therapy gets its information. You
should use a standard “Sound Recorder” in Window XP to test if your computer can record and
play back a sound.

1.3.1 Test Microphone

If your microphone has a battery, please make sure there is a fresh one installed and turn the
switch to the “ON” position. Sometimes, the problems with Speech and Voice Therapy program
are simply a bad battery in the microphone.

In most cases, you should plug your microphone into the pre-amplifier, and connect the “Line-
out” of the pre-amplifier with the “Line-in” of the sound card. If you plug your microphone
directly into the computer, use the “Mic-in” port in the sound card. Usually, this is found on the
backside of your computer. If you can‟t locate it, check the User‟s Guide of sound card for your
system. By using the “Sound Recorder” provided by Windows XP, you can test your systems
compatibility for recording. Speech and Voice Therapy and Sound Recorder take the same paths
for recording.

Tip:
1. If the “Sound Recording” does not work, Speech and Voice Therapy will not work too.

Follow the steps below to see if your system can record a sound:
1. On the left bottom of the screen, click on the “Start” menu.
2. Select the “Program”.
3. Choose the “Accessories” from “Program” list.

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 4. Select “Multimedia” or “Entertainment” from “Accessories” list.
5. Choose “Sound Recorder” from “Multimedia” or “Entertainment” list. You should see the
screen in Figure 1.1. The way to run „Sound Recorder” may be different, but all Windows XP
computers should have this feature.

Fig. 1.1 Sound Recorder Fig. 1.2 Record a sound

1. Press the red “Record” button and start talking in a normal range. If the red button at the right
is not highlighted, your sound card is not active. You should review your manual or contact
your computer service provider. When you record a sound, the Position and Length numbers
should be moving and a green line in the middle also should be getting wider, as in Figure 1.2.
2. Press the black rectangle “Stop” button to halt recording.
3. Press the black triangular “Play” button to play the sound. If this function doesn‟t work, you
are not recording and should review your manual or contact your computer service provider.
Remember if the “Sound Recorder” works, Speech and Voice Therapy will work with your
system.

1.3.2 Test recording level

When you recorded your speech, did the sound wave (green color) in the middle appear just a little
or did it cover the whole screen? The first sample in Figure 1.3 shows the sound wave too small.
That means the sound recording is too weak which is hard to hear and analyze. The second wave
is too loud, as shown in the Figure 1.4. That will cause the speakers to shake and the analysis can‟t
be obtained because the sound wave is clipped.

Fig. 1.3 Too week Fig. 1.4 Too loud

You can change the recording level settings in the Speech and Voice Therapy program, but before
you start the program, it is also a good idea to find your sound card controls and make adjustments
if needed. Please refer to the user‟s guide in your computer system for location and operation.
Usually, this can be found in the same area as the “Sound Recorder”, but is marked as “Volume
Control”. To get “Volume Control”, follow the same path as “Sound Recorder”. When you satisfy
the sound recording and playback in the “Sound Recorder”, the Speech and Voice Therapy is
compatible with your system.

1.3.3 Test Speakers

Now you have the “Sound Recorder‟ to test the playback through the speakers. Press the black
triangular “Play” button to play back the recorded sound. If you hear nothing, check to make sure
your speakers are plugged in. Also, adjust the volume control on the speakers. Some speakers
require outside power supply or batteries. If still nothing can be heard, there might be a speaker
icon on the bottom right of the screen. Click on and adjust it. If there is no icon, consult the user‟s
guide of your computer system to locate the “Volume Control”.

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1.3.4 Checking the date and time
Making sure your date and time functions are correct. Speech and Voice Therapy will use this
information when you log on. If the date and time are incorrect, wrong information will be
reported. On the bottom right of your screen, you should see a clock. Is this the correct time? To
change the time and check the date, double click on the clock and make the adjustments. If the
clock is not shown, follow these steps: Click on “Start”, “Settings”, “Control Panel”, and
“Date/time”.

1.4 Installing the Speech and Voice Therapy software

To install Speech and Voice Therapy, follow the steps below, make sure to run setup from both
CDs:
1. Start Windows XP by turning on your computer, as in Figure 1.5.
2. Insert the Speech and Voice Therapy program CD into your DVD-ROM drive.
3. Click on the “Start” menu button and select “Run”.

Fig. 1.5 Start menu

4. If your DVD ROM has been installed in the drive “d”, type “d:\setup” in the “Run” dialog
box and click on “OK” as in Figure 1.6. Your DVD ROM drive may not named as “d”, please
check your own computer.

Fig. 1.6 Run dialog box.

5. Then follow the screen. After you have selected your options, click on the “Next” button to
finish installation.
6. If your software comes with Dr. Speech key, the installation will also set up Driver for Dr.
Speech key. When you see Fig. 1.7, follow the screen to install the driver. If you already run
this installation with other software, please click Cancel button.

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 Fig. 1.7 Driver installation

1.5 Dr. Speech Key

If you have Dr. Speech Key with program CD, insert Dr. Speech Key into USB port. If you have
more than one Dr. Speech Keys, and like to have just one Dr. Speech Key, please contact us, we
will put different keys into one Dr. Speech Key.

1.6 Technical Support

Tiger DRS, Inc. offers a variety of services to help you with questions about the program. Please
call 1-206-499-5757 (USA), or fax 1-206-367-2672, or e-mail tiger-electronics@att.net for
technical support. Before you call, have your registration number ready. The registration number
can be found on the disks that came with the product.

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 Chapter 2 Quick Review

This chapter provides a quick review on how to use the Speech and Voice Therapy program. You
will learn how to setup the background noise, adjust recording level, create a User‟s Log, and use
the games.

2.1 Starting the Speech and Voice Therapy Program

After you install the Speech and Voice Therapy program in Window 95-98, it will add an icon to
the “Start/Program” list (Figure 2.1). To start Speech and Voice Therapy program, follow the steps
below.

Fig. 2.1 Dr. Speech 4.0 group

To Start Speech and Voice Therapy:

1. Click the “Start” menu button.
2. Select “Program” from the “Start” menu.
3. Select “Dr. Speech 4.0” from “Program” list.
4. Select “Speech and Voice Therapy” from “Dr. Speech 4.0” list. The program will start (Figure
2.2).

Fig. 2.2. Speech and Voice Therapy title page

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2.2 A Quick Example
There are three steps to review Speech and Voice Therapy program quickly. They are: (1) create a
User‟s Log, (2) setup the background noise, and (3) exercise. After you review the software, you
will have a general idea on how to use Speech and Voice Therapy.

2.2.1 Create a User’s Log

Click the “Continue” button, a User‟s Log screen will open (Figure 2.3).
1. Click the “New” Button on the top-right of the “User‟s Log” screen (Figure 2.3) to create a
new user‟s log. Then you will go directly to the following “Personal Information” screen
(Figure 2.4).
2. In the „Personal Information” screen, you don‟t have to fill everything out except for a few
things. You must fill out “Last Name”, “First Name”, “Subject ID”, “Date of Birth”, “Sex”.
For the rest you can leave blank as you wish. For example, here you enter “Smith”, “John”,
“123” and “01/01/1960”. Then, you should choose either “Male” or “Female”.
3. On the right side, there are three buttons you can choose. They are “Continue”, “Return” and
“Preference”. By clicking the “Continue” button, you go to setup background noise, and
prepare to exercise.

Fig. 2.3 Create a User‟s Log Fig. 2.4 Enter personal information

2.2.2 Setup the background noise

*** Important ***

Setting up the background noise is an important step to achieve
proper results and quality of Speech and Voice Therapy.
Click the “Continue” button, a Calibration screen will appear (Figure 2.5). Click on the
microphone in the top-left corner to setup sound level. After you click on the microphone, a
recording calibration dialog will appear (Figure 2.6). Click the “Background noise setting” button
(An instruction how to setup background will appear after you move the mouse over this button).
This button will automatically set the background noise. Turn on the microphone and place in
normal position, please don't talk and keep the room quite until calibration is done. If the bar goes
over the first lower green line, the conditions may be too noisy. If you satisfy with the background
noise setting, click the “OK” button.

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 Fig. 2.5 Calibration screen Fig. 2.6 Recording calibration

Tips:
1. Make sure that you have a correct selection of input source of sound card.
2. If you use a pre-amplifier (T-11), you need to plug the microphone into the pre-amplifier and
connect the pre-amplifier (Line-out) with the sound card (Line-in). In that case, please select
Line-in icon in Recording Calibration Dialog. On the other hand, make sure that you need to
switch to Mic in the pre-amplifier.
3. If you don‟t use a pre-amplifier (T01), you need to connect the microphone with the sound
card (Mic-in) directly. In that case, please select Mic-in icon in Recording Calibration Dialog.

2.2.3 Exercise
Click the “Continue” button, a Main menu screen will appear (Figure 2.7).
1. Click the “Continue” button, you are ready to exercise in the Sound Presence game in
Exploring mode (Figure 2.8).
2. Press the “Start” button, make some sound and you will see movement in the screen. Without
making sound, movement stops in the screen.
3. By selecting different items in Category and Game, you will be able to exercise with different
game.
4. Please see the explanation of the buttons on Exploring and Training screen in Fig. 2.9.
5. In Exploring and Training screen, we hide menu bar to maximize the screen. If you want to
bring Menu bar into the screen, press Ctrl+w or click on . Press Ctrl+w again, the Menu
bar will hide again.

Fig. 2.7 Main menu screen Fig. 2.8 Sound Presence game

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Shortcut Buttons Function Shortcut Keys

Start game SPACEBAR

Repeat to play game p

Reset the recording time

Save the report and curve Ctrl+S

Show the analysis curve

Show the preference display F11

Goes to Menushop display

Bring menu bar to screen Ctrl+w
Hide menu bar Ctrl+w
Fig. 2.9 Shortcut buttons, shortcut keys and their functions

Now, you have a general idea about Speech and Voice Therapy. The following chapters will
describe the use of the Speech and Voice Therapy program and clinical application in more detail.
It is best to "play" with the program to get accustom to the buttons and style of the software.

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 Chapter 3 Recording Calibration

This chapter provides basic information on how to make recording calibration so as to facilitate a
quality recording.

3.1 How to start

Click the microphone on the Calibration screen (Figure 3.1), a Recording Calibration dialog
appears (Figure 3.2). There will be four buttons on the left bottom of this screen. They are
“Background Noise Setting” (Figure 3.3), “Speech Level Setting” (Figure 3.4), “Quality Setup”
(Figure 3.5), and “OK” buttons (Figure 3.6). The following section will explain the functions of
these four buttons.

Fig. 3.1 Calibration screen Fig. 3.2 Recording calibration dialog

1. Through this step the program can automatically setup the background noise and speech
recording level with a clicking these buttons.
2. Put your screen cursor on each of the buttons, you will see a brief introduction on the
functions of the cursor-on button in the tip-square in the middle of this screen
3. Put your screen cursor anywhere except for on these four buttons, you will see a brief
introduction on Recording Calibration in the tip-square in the middle of this screen as above.

Calibrate background noise by selecting:

a. “Background Noise Setting” to calibrate the surrounding noise* or
b. “Quick Setup” to pre-set noise level for quick start.

Tip:
1. “a” is the most recommended.

3.2 Microphone
3.2.1 Microphone Placement
It looks like a simple process to use the microphone to pick up the sound and send it to the
computer. However, it is important to handle microphone correctly. We highly recommend you to
place the microphone around 10-15 cm from the lower lip. In the clinical practice, you absolutely
want you client to hold the microphone. Holding the microphone gives your client power and
control over their environment. This way it encourages your client to involve in their exercise.
When your clients lose the skill to do it, you need to help them correct the microphone placement.

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 Tip:
1. One of the best ways to fix mouth-to-microphone distance is to tape an unsharpened pencil to
the microphone. Extend the pencil about 10-15 cm beyond the surface of the microphone. Use
the eraser end of the pencil toward to mouth.

3.2.2 Microphone Sanitation

If windscreen of your microphone is made of the foam, please clean it regularly. It might be a
good way to use several windscreens in your practice.

3.3 Setup the Background Noise (Button: )

This button will automatically setup the background noise with a click on the button. The
background noise must be set to get best result, unless a quick setup button is selected. If you
select a quick setup button, it means that all the sounds including the background noise will be
recorded as either voiced or voiceless.

To set the background noise:

1. Click the “Background Noise Setting” button (Figure 3.3).
a. Place the microphone at normal position.
b. Please no talking or making noise until calibration is completed (5 seconds).
c. Click the “Background Noise Setting” button to start.
2. Click the “OK” button after the setting is completed. Click “Continue” button, then you will
go to the “Main menu” screen.

Fig. 3.3 Setup background noise Fig. 3.4 Setup speech recording level

Tips:
1. Put your screen cursor on the “Background Noise Setting” buttons, you will see a brief
introduction on “Background Noise Setting” in the tip-square in the middle of this screen.
2. Noise level should be below bottom green line. All recorded sound within the area covered by
the pink bar will be considered noise.
3. This is a commonly-chosen step for facilitating your following recording or analysis and the
most recommended.
4. If the bar goes above the lower green line your conditions may be too noisy. Please remember
what the microphone picks up the software does as well, this may alter or corrupt your results

3.4 Setup the Speech Recording Level (Button: )

To set the speech recording level:
1. Click the “Speech Level Setting” button (Figure 3.4).
a. Have subject in normal position.
b. Instruct subject to talk at normal range.
c. Click the “Speech Level Setting” button to start.

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 d. Adjust speech levels within the two green lines by changing the volume of your pre-
amplifier.
2. Click the “OK” button after the setting is completed. Click “Continue” button, then you will
go to the “Main menu” screen.

Tips:
1. Put your screen cursor on the “Speech Level Setting” button, you will see a brief introduction
on “Speech Level Setting” in the tip-square in the middle of this screen as below.
2. Setting a good speech level is a very important step in Speech and Voice Therapy since it can
lead to a clearer display of the waveform in the analysis. It is recommended that you take this
step although it is optional.

3.5 Quick Setup (Button: )

For a quick setup, click the “Quick Setup” button (Figure 3.5). Then you will go directly to the
“User‟s Log List” screen.

Tips:
Put your screen cursor on the “Quick Setup” button, you will see a brief introduction on “Quick
Setup” in the tip-square in the middle of this screen as below:
1. Background noise level will be set at 0 dB and all sounds will be considered either voiced or
unvoiced. If you select this button, Sound presence game may not work appropriately.
2. The program will be started upon clicking the button.

Fig. 3.5 Quick Setup Fig. 3.6 OK button

3.6 OK Button (Button: )

After finishing the settings of the background noise and are satisfied, click the “OK” button
(Figure 3.6). Then you will go to the “User‟s Log” screen.

Tip:
1. If you choose “Quick Setup”, then you will go directly to the “User‟s Log” screen without
clicking the “OK” button.

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 Chapter 4 User’s Log

This chapter provides you with instructions on the User‟s Log. It covers three areas: 1) User‟s
Log, 2) Personal Information, and 3) Sessions. You will learn how to create a User‟s Log, record
the Users‟ personal information and sessions, etc.

4.1 User’s Log

After clicking the “Continue” button on the title page, you are ready to enter the User‟s Log. In the
following screens, you will be able to track the information of your clients. User‟s Log, as shown
in Figure 4.1, will let you view the names and users‟ Subject ID numbers from past records. For
example, you could see a user‟s name of Smith, John and Subject ID of 123 in the below User‟s
Log. This tells you that you have one registered user in this computer. At this point you can
choose to open it or create a new one.

Fig. 4.1 User‟s Log

A. Buttons
The buttons located to the right side of the screen are “New”, “Open”, “Delete”, “Bypass” and
“Exit” buttons. Their functions are described below:
1. Click the “New” button or press the “Shortcut Key” (N) to go directly to the “Personal
Information” dialog box.
2. Click the “Open” button or press the “Shortcut Key” (O) to go to the “Session” for the user
you have highlighted.
3. Click the “Delete” button or press the “Shortcut Key” (D) to remove the highlighted log from
the User‟s Log in your computer. A message box will appear with all of the files that are
associated with this user. Keep in mind all information about this user will be lost if you
choose “OK” to delete this log.
4. Click the “Bypass” button or press the “Shortcut Key” (B) to bypass the User‟s Log and go
directly to the workspace. (“Bypass” button provides you a default setting of the User‟s Log)
5. Click the “Exit” button to close the Speech and Voice Therapy program.

B. Dialog Boxes
On the bottom of this screen, you will find two boxes: (1) Show Personal information, and (2)
Search. Their functions are described below.

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 1. When you check the box “Show Personal Information”, you can view the “Personal
Information” list or make some changes to it apart from the user‟s name, subject ID, date of
birth, and sex every time you open up a user‟s file. If the button is unchecked the program
will send you directly to the “Session” window.
2. The “Search” box helps you locate a user in your User‟s Log. Type the users‟ name or Subject
ID and click the “Search” button, then the user that matches the search will be highlighted.

Tips:
1. After you create a new User‟s Log, the Speech and Voice Therapy program will automatically
create one directory. That is the Log directory. All the information of the subjects will be
saved in Log directory.
2. The last specified directory decides the default directory of the User‟s Log.

4.2 Personal Information

When you create a new User‟s Log, you will go to Personal Information screen. When you open a
registered user, you will enter into this screen if you check the box “Show Personal Information”
in the User‟s Log.

4.2.1 Create a New Personal Information

Click the “New” button or press the “Shortcut Key” (N) in the “User‟s Log” window to open the
“Personal Information” dialog box, as shown in Figure 4.2.

Fig. 4.2 Personal Information

In the “Personal Information” dialog box, a range of information can be collected. You don‟t have
to fill everything out except for the Last Name, First Name, Subject ID, Date of Birth and Sex. For
the rest of the boxes you can leave them blank as you wish.

On the right side there are three buttons you can choose, “Continue”, “Return” and “Preference.”
Their functions are described below.
1. Click the “Continue” button to go straight to the workspace.
2. Click the “Return” button to go back to the User‟s Log window.
3. Click the “Preference” button to go to the parameter screen (Preference) where you can
change how and what you want to record with real-time analysis. We will get more into that
later for details.

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 Tip
1. If you choose a Subject ID that has already been used, the program will tell you to type in a
new Subject ID.

4.2.2 Open an existing “Personal Information” List

In the User‟s Log (Figure 4.1), highlight a particular user, John Smith for instance, check the
“Show Personal Information” box on the bottom of the window, then click the “Open” button or
press the “Shortcut Key” (O) to open up John Smith‟s log (Figure 4.3).

Now you should have John Smith‟s Personal Information. At this point you can make some
adjustments on the user‟s personal information except for the user‟s Last Name, First Name,
Middle Name, Subject ID, Date of Birth, and Sex.

Fig. 4.3 Personal Information of John Smith

4.3 Session
Sessions will be stored every time you save a recording. If you just open a new User‟s Log this
window would be bypassed. For example, in the screen below, the user, John Smith, had one
session and the last recording or editing was taken on Sep. 3 1998 at 3:21 PM.

On the right side of the screen you will find four buttons: “New”, “Report”, and “Return”. Their
functions are described below.
1. Click the “New” button or press the “Shortcut Key” (N) to open a new session and enter into
the workspace.
2. Click the “Report” button, a complete report will allow the clinicians to look at the objective
information for details. This will be review in Chapter 9.
3. Click the “Return” button to go back to the User‟s Log.

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 Chapter 5 Menushop & Workspace

In this chapter we are going to take tour of the Menushop & Workspace. Most of your work in
Speech and Voice Therapy Program will be done in these two areas.

5.1 Menushop
In the Menushop, you can see a preview of all the cartoons available in Speech and Voice Therapy
so you can easily move to the game and cartoon quickly. In addition you can also go to the
preference screen to view or change the parameters of the software. Most of the Menushop
pictures you can click on to take you to a game or different category. Click on Exploring, you can
play a game from one of six categories (Sound, Pitch, Loudness, Voicing, Voicing Onset, and
Phonetic Education). On the Training, you can play games from another one of six categories
(Pitch, Loudness, Voicing, Voicing Onset, Maximum Phonation Time, and Phonetic Exercise).
The following are two sample pictures of the Menushop. (Figure 5.1 and 5.2)

Fig. 5.1 Menushop (Exploring) Fig. 5.2 Menushop (Training)

The Menushop screen has many areas that are active. Menu bar, Game indicator, Categories
window, Preview monitor and Program buttons.

5.1.1 Menu Bar

A command is an instruction that tells the program to perform a function or task. In Speech and
Voice Therapy, commands are grouped on menus. Some commands carry out an action
immediately; others display a dialog box so you can select options.

The menu bar displays all Speech and Voice Therapy menus across the top of the application
window below the title bar. To choose a command from a menu:
1. Point to a menu name and click the left mouse button.
2. Point to a command name and click the left mouse button.

There are seven menus,

1. File: For basic functions like saving, closing, printing and exiting the program.
2. Audio: Recording, playback and setting up the calibration for the microphone.
3. Exploring: To show list of six categories with a sub-session to the names of the cartoons.
4. Training: Same as Exploring but different cartoons.
5. Analysis: For viewing the statistic data and the curve.
6. Settings: To launch the preference and recording & playback settings dialog.
7. Help: View online help and About Speech and Voice Therapy.

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5.1.2 Game Indicator
This indicator (Fig. 5.3) allows you to quickly change from Exploring to Training and visa versa,
also it shows you easily what mode you are in. The mode you are in is indicated by dim word, and
if you want to change modes simply click on the word. You will notice the Categories window
and Preview monitor change.

Fig. 5.3 Game Indicator Fig. 5.4 Preview Monitor

5.1.3 Category Window

This window shows you the six categories you can choose to work in (Fig. 5.5.) When you change
from the Exploring mode to the Training mode you will see some of the categories change and
also the preview monitor (Fig.5.4). By clicking once on a category you want to be in, a set of
cartoons will appear in the preview monitor and the category you have chosen will turn a darker
blue. Or if you double click, you will go straight to the game that is viewed in the upper left corner
of the preview monitor screen.

Fig. 5.5 Category Window Fig. 5.6 Program Buttons

5.1.4 Preview Monitor

This screen (Fig. 5.4) allows you to see which type of cartoon you are choosing without having to
go into it first. The user can pick there favorite or look for something new. Simply click once on
the cartoon you want (which will be highlighted by a red frame) and click on Continue on the
Program Buttons to the right (Fig. 5.6). Also you may simply double click on the cartoon to go
straight to it.

5.1.5 Program Buttons

These buttons take you quickly to the different areas (Fig.5.6). When you pass the mouse over the
button they highlight to the different colors. There are four buttons:
1. Return: Brings you back to the Sessions window.
2. Preference: Launches the dialog to control the settings of the workspace window.

21
5.2 Workspace
The Workspace is the area you will mostly be working in, (Fig.5.7 showing Exploring with sound
group) this is where you record and do the training. In most case, the controls are the same but a
few of the parts change from category to category. Will break this workspace up into Right work
group and the Bottom work group.

Fig. 5.7 Workspace

5.2.1 Right Work Group

This area to the right of the main screen you will see a series of dialog boxes and Shortcut buttons.
Working from the top down we are going to explore the uses.

1. Time: This box allows you to change the recording time as well as the setting the time
to complete a task. A minimum of 6 seconds is required to a maximum of 60 seconds. To
change the time, either highlight the box and type in a value or click on the arrow down box
to pick a preset value.

Fig. 5.8 Time dialog box

2. The Shortcut Buttons, Shortcut Keys and their function in the Speech and Voice Therapy
program are summarized below (Figure 5.10).

Shortcut Buttons Function Shortcut Keys

Start game SPACEBAR

Repeat to play game p

Reset the recording time

Save the report and curve Ctrl+S

Show the analysis curve

Show the preference display F11

Goes to Menushop display

22
 Bring menu bar to screen Ctrl+w
Hide menu bar Ctrl+w

Fig. 5.10 Shortcut buttons, shortcut keys and their functions

Other Shortcut Keys are summarized below:

Function Shortcut Keys

Close the current session c
Setup real-time training mode and F11
analysis parameter setting (preference)
Recording and playback setting F12

In Exploring and Training screen, we hide menu bar to maximize the screen. If you want to
bring Menu bar into the screen, press Ctrl+w. Press Ctrl+w again, the Menu bar will hide
again.

5.2.2 Bottom Work Group

On the bottom of the Workspace you will see a few items. They are the Time Bar, Preference
Button, Mode Button, Category selection and Game selector.

Fig. 5.11 Time Bar

1. The Time Bar (Fig. 5.11) shows you the amount of time you have during the recording. When
the recording starts the red inverted triangle will move left to right showing you the
aproximant time remaning for this trial.
2. Preference Button sends you to the dialog box to change functions for different games in the
Workspace.
3. Mode Button will change you from Exploring to Training and back again.
4. Category selection will show you the category you are in. If you want click on the arrow box
to the right of the box and view the other areas. Click on the area and the Workspace will
change to that Category.
5. Game Selector will show the name of the game you are in, you can also select one of the other
three games from this box.

5.3 Recording and Playback Settings

The dialog box is broken into three areas: Recording, Playback and Count Down (Figure 5.12).
Here you can select what kind of record or playback will be given to your subject, and what
parameter is based on.

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 Fig. 5.12 Recording and playback settings

5.3.1 Parameter Settings

To carry out the Recording and playback settings:
1. Select Recording and playback settings from the Settings menu or
2. Press the "Shortcut Key" (F12).
3. A Recording and playback settings dialog box will appear as shown in Figure 5.12.
4. Set parameters with reference to the following explanations.

5.3.2 Parameter Explanation

A. Recording Setting
1. Sampling Frequency
A dialog box for Sampling Frequency setting is shown in the upper left of Figure 5.12.
Samples per second in digital audio waveform are measured in Hz, the sound recording is
carried out in 11025 Hz only.

2. Recording Time
A dialog box for Recording Time setting is shown in the middle left of Figure 5.12. It
determines the amount of time you want to record the sample. The default is 5 seconds. By
clicking on the down arrow to the right of the box, you will have a set of choices of recording
time. Also you can type in your desired time. The maximum is 60 seconds and the minimum
is 0.500 seconds.

Tip:
1. For a quick setting, you may also use the Time setting on the right side of the cartoon to set
the recording time.

B. Playback Setting
2. Play Rate
The default is "Normal".
This setting determines the speed of playback (slow play or fast play). The play function by
pressing "Key" (p) allows you to play a sound slowly or fast, while play with function allows
you to play a sound at normal speed. This is only available when you in the Curve mode.

2. Count Down
The default is 3 seconds.
This setting determines the Count Down time before your recording. By clicking on the down
arrow to the right of the box, you can choose a set of other amounts of recording time, i.e. 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 10 seconds.

24
Tip:
1. If you think your recording or playback volume is too high or too low, you need adjust the
volume control in this setting. Any changes of volume outside of the program will not affect
the program. The program will only recognize its own recording and playback settings.

25
 Chapter 6 Exploring

There are two parts in the Speech and Voice Therapy program, Exploring and Training. In this
chapter, we will have fun with Exploring. Why Exploring? This is where you will explore the
different functions of your speech and voice. There are really no goals to reach in Exploring, the
idea is simply to see and learn what you can do with your voice on how to move the cartoons.
When you record a sample in any part of Exploring you can play them back in a different category
to see the effect. Please remember you can not save the sound sample for playback later, but you
can save the information, curve and data for a comprehensive report.

The cartoons are designed for many cultures and age ranges so some of the games you may not
agree or understand, that is why we put a variety of choices of cartoons in Speech and Voice
Therapy program. The idea is to have fun and learn while accomplishing the rehabilitation you
need.

There are 6 functions in Exploring and in most cases four cartoons for each function. They are:
1. Sound
Monkey, Afternoon, Dog, HappyBear, and Seesaw
2. Pitch
FireBalloon, Trip, Kangaroo, Piano, and FlyingBike
3. Loudness
Balloon, Boy, City, Elephant and Lion
5. Phonetic Education
Vowel, Consonant
6. Voicing
Potato, Umbrella, Flying Rabbit, Rabbits and Pond
7. Voicing Onset
Apple, Butterfly, TrafficLamp, Boot and Circus

6.1 Sound Presence (Sound is acoustic energy)

This Category is the basics, any type of noise or sound will make the cartoon move. In each game,
we have many areas that will move. This is used for you to get accustom to the reaction the games
have to your voice and speech. This is also very useful for slow development or hearing impaired
to see what effect their sounds have.

6.1.1 Procedure
1. To exercise for one of five games, such as “Afternoon”, in Sound Presence (Figure 6.1):
2. Select Afternoon from the Sound menu in Exploring or
3. Select Afternoon from the Game type and Sound from the Category
4. Press Start or the Spacebar to activate the game,
5. Speak into the microphone, such as /one, two, three, four, five/”, you will see some objects
move around the screen. For example, you will see the movement of the dog and red apples.

26
 Figure 6.1. Sound Presence

Play your exercise

1. Select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. The computer will repeat your
exercise with sound. In the example, the animation will play with the sound.
2. With this useful function, you can observe your exercise for details in this game or any other
within Exploring. Simply click on another game or Category and press Play.

Show the result

1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. To select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data, Figure 6.3. Another is the curve display, Figure 6.4.
In Figure 6.2 you will be asked which part you would like to save. If you save these you will
be able to come back at a later date and review the data and print them out as well.
3. The audio file is not saved.

Fig. 6.2 Save Dialog Fig.6.3 Statistic Dialog

Show the analysis curve

Select the “Curve” button, you can review the curve display. In the example, a Loudness change
over time is displayed in Figure 6.4. The five peaks from left to right in the display correspond to
five words (one, two, three, four and five). If you click on the screen you can activate an on-screen

27
 cursor for some evaluation of the curve. You can also play the sound back by pressing the Play
Sound Button.

Figure 6.4. Loudness display of Sound Presence

Exercise with more game

To select the Sound from Exploring menu, there are five games for you to choose (Afternoon,
Monkey, Dog, HappyBear and Seesaw). Each game has several repeating animation
movements to watch.

Monkey Dog

Seesaw HappyBear Afternoon

Experiment with the various speech and non-speech sounds.

1. What happens when you extend the /a/ sound/? What happens if you have a break in
vocalization?
2. Does a voiced sound look different than voiceless sound? For example, extend /s/ and /z/.
3. How much effort do you need to move the objects?
4. What happen when you tap on the microphone?

6.1.2 Parameter Settings

1. To set the parameters of Sound Presence
2. Press F11 or select Real-time training and analysis parameter settings (Preference) from the
Settings menu to open the “Parameters” dialog box, as in Figure 6.5.
3. The Silence Criteria is the relative Loudness sensitivity that is from 0 to 24 dB, comparing to
the background noise. If you set the Silence Criteria too low, the object may move just from
your computer sound or microphone. If you set it too high, you may not get the object to
move at all.

28
 4. Loudness setting corresponds to curve display.

Figure 6.5. Parameters setting for Sound Presence

Experiment with the various Silence Criteria

What setting is the best to indicate a normal speech level, including various voiced and voiceless
sounds?

6.1.3 Parameter Explanation

Loudness Setting
The default is 30 for the Low Limit and 75 for the High Limit.
The “Low” button provides 30 for the Low Limit and 70 for the High Limit.
The “Medium‟ button provides 30 for the Low Limit, and 75 for the High Limit.
The “High” button provides 30 for the Low Limit and 80 for the High Limit.

The Low Limit and High Limit parameters define the low and high limit of the Loudness
calculation display during speech. The range of the Low Limit is 0-60 dB, while the range of the
High Limit is 70-90 dB.

Background Noise Setting

The default is 3 dB, while the range of the Silence Criteria is 0-24 dB. The Silence Criteria is the
relative Loudness sensitivity, comparing to the background noise.

6.2 Pitch
Using pitch module, you can refine pitch control and develop smooth modulation of pitch contour.
Certain patients are unconsciously or consciously making an effort to higher or lower their pitch.
The clinician should teach patient to target optimum pitch by the control of vocal fold vibration.
Pitch is the rate of a periodic event, measured as the number of cycles of vibration per second
(expressed in Hz). Ideally, pitch is used to refer to a physical measure of the speed of vocal fold
vibration. So in this category you can work with many areas of exploring your voice and speech.
For example maintain a stable line for a given time, or try to lower or raise your pitch using
different phonemes. Sustain a voiced sound for a given length to increase vocal strength. There are
many uses and many more you can experiment with, don't be afraid to create your own criteria.

6.2.1 Procedure
1. To exercise for one of five games, such as “Fire Balloon”, in Pitch (Figure 6.6):
2. Select Balloon from the Pitch menu in Exploring or
3. Select Balloon from the Game type and Pitch from the Category
4. Press the Start button or the Spacebar.
5. Speak into the microphone, „such as /a/ with pitch changes”, you will see a balloon flying up
or down in the sky. If the time is set longer the balloon will simply fly back again. So the
object, in this case the balloon, will go from left to right and when it reaches the left side of
the screen it will turn and fly right to left.

29
 Tip:
1. Be sure the pitch range is properly set or you will not see movement, also if you are speaking
too loud or too fast the movement will be affected.

Figure 6.6. Pitch Exploring

Play your exercise

Select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. The computer will repeat your exercise
with the sounds. With this useful function, you can observe your exercise for details and play it
back in any of the other Exploring categories.

Show the result

1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. Select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data. Another is the curve display.
3. The audio file cannot be saved, but the information data and curve can.

Show the analysis curve

To select the “Curve” button, you can review the curve display. In the example, a Pitch change
over time is displayed in Figure 6.7.

Figure 6.7. Pitch display

Exercise with more game

To select the Pitch from Exploring menu, there are five games for you to choose (Kangaroo,
Flying Bike, Fire Ballon, Trip, and Piano).

30
 Kangaroo Flying Bike
Have kangaroo climb stair Fly the bike in the sky

Trip Piano
Have bear fly the hang glider Have the mouse move

Experiment
1. What is your personal pitch range during normal phonation?
2. What is the difference in pitch range between male and female? What is the difference in
pitch range between adult and child?
3. What happens when you talk?
4. What happens when you sing?

Pitch measure provides information about intonation. The pitch is mainly decided by the rate of
vocal fold vibration. In the Pitch Exploring, the clinicians should help the patients to fell their
pitch and pitch range.

6.2.2 Parameter Settings

1. To set the parameters of Pitch
2. Press F11 or select Real-time training and analysis parameter settings (Preference) from the
Settings menu to open the “Parameters” dialog box, as in Figure 6.8.

Figure 6.8. Parameters setting for Pitch

6.2.3 Parameter Explanation

Pitch Range
The “Pitch Range” defines the range of the “Pitch” in the analysis for specific purposes or for
particular users:
1. Low Limit -- sets the lowest limit of F0 within the range of 60-150 Hz
2. High Limit -- sets the highest limit of F0 within the range of 250-1,200 Hz

31
 3. Male: preset range is 70-300Hz.
4. Female: preset range is 150-350Hz.
5. Child: preset range is 200-550Hz.
6. Singer: preset range is 70-800Hz.
Note: you can change the ranges at anytime, these preset ranges are here for quick
adjustment.

Tip:
1. The default is based on the selection of “Sex” and „Birthday” in the Personal Information
screen.

Pattern
These patterns are only available in the Training mode, see Chapter 7.

F0 Shift
These patterns are only available in the Training mode, see Chapter 7.

6.3 Loudness
Using loudness module, clinicians could help the clients lower the loudness level of speech when
the usual level is higher, and increase the loudness level when the usual level is low. The clinician
should teach the patient to control his/her loudness change by the correct control of breathing. For
example, one way to control loudness is to use correct control of breathing and body position.
This is also a good tool for the hearing impaired to judge how loud they are. The cartoons in this
series try to display in different forms to show the effect of a higher or lower sound. By setting the
value on the left side you can make it easy or difficult to start action or achieve the highest.

6.3.1 Procedure
1. To exercise for one of four games, such as “Balloon”,(we know it should be bubble but it‟s a
long story) in Loudness (Figure 6.9):
2. Select Balloon from the Loudness menu in Exploring or
3. Select Balloon from the Game type and Loudness from the Category
4. Speak into the microphone, „such as /a/ with loudness changes”, you will see a balloon
changing size. With no sound, there should be no balloon.

Figure 6.9. Loudness Exploring

Play your exercise

1. To select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. The computer will repeat your
exercise with the sounds. In the example, the balloon will become big or small with the sound.
2. With this useful function, you can observe your exercise for details and play it back in other
games within the Exploring section.

32
 Show the result
1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. To select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data. Another is the curve display.

Show the analysis curve

To select the “Curve” button, you can review the curve display. In the example, a Loudness
change over time is displayed, similar to Figure 6.4.

Exercise with more game

To select the Loudness from Exploring menu, there are five games for you to choose (Balloon,
Boy, City, Elephant, and Lion).

Boy City

Lion Elephant

1. Boy
The louder you get, the boy‟s hair and mouth get bigger.
2. City
The louder you get you wake up the city (turning the lights on from you being so loud)
from the lower floors all the way up to waking up the moon.
3. Lion
Lion‟s hair gets bigger with the increase of loudness.
4. Elephant
The louder you get, the bigger the elephant ear.

Experiment
1. What is your personal loudness range during normal phonation?
2. What is the difference in loudness range between standing and sitting?

Loudness measure provides information about syllable stress. The intensity of vocal fold vibration
is decided mainly by the loudness.

6.3.2 Parameter Settings

This section is similar to section 6.1.2.

6.3.3 Parameter Explanation

33
 This section is similar to section 6.1.3.

6.4 Voicing
Using voicing module could help the client assess their voiced and unvoiced phonation from the
computer screen. Voicing refers to the vocal behavior by which the conversion of continuous
airflow into a series of glottal pulses is regulated. Voiced phonation, such as /z/, is regulated by
the vocal fold vibration, while voiceless phonation such as /s/, is not regulated by the vocal fold
vibration. The common style we use through out the Voicing Category is red color = voiced and
green color = unvoiced or voiceless. There will be another color used which normally will be the
color yellow for when no sound is produced. Any samples can be used, so if you were trying to
increase the amount of voice, you can see right away and view the percent after words. Again try
to create your own forms of therapy using the cartoons.

6.4.1 Procedure
1. To exercise for one of five games, such as “Apple”, in Voicing (Figure 6.10):
2. Select Apple from the Voicing menu in Exploring or
3. Select Apple from the Game type and Voicing from the Category
4. Speak into the microphone, “such as /s/ for three seconds and /z/ for three seconds”, you will
see green apples for /s/ phonation and red apples for /z/ phonation fall to the ground, also the
dog will change colors as well. (The dog is not harmed in anyway during testing).

Figure 6.10. Voicing Exploring

Play your exercise

1. To select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. The computer will repeat your
exercise with the sounds. In the example, the red apple will fall down when you have voiced
phonation, and the green apple will fall down when you have voiceless phonation (don't
forget the dog!).
2. With this useful function, you can observe your exercise for details and play back in other
games and Categories within Exploring.

Show the result

1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. To select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data. Another is the curve display.
3. The recording is not saved.

34
Show the analysis curve
To select the “Curve” button, you can review the curve display. In the example, a Pitch change
over time is displayed, similar to Figure 6.7.

Information provided with the curve.

Exercise with more game

To select the Voicing from Exploring menu, there are five games for you to choose (Apple,
Butterfly, TrafficLamp, Boot, and Circus).

Butterfly TrafficLamp

Circus Boot

1. Butterfly
Butterfly will simply turn red for voice, green for unvoiced and yellow for no sound. This
graphic is big and good for use with slow development population and geriatrics as well.
2. TrafficLamp
The lights indicate what the voice is doing.
3. Circus
Characters will move to the reaction of the voice.
4. Boot
The boot will change color, red for voice, green for unvoiced and yellow for no sound.

Experiment
1. What kind of sound makes red apple fall?
2. What kind of sound makes green apple fall?
3. What is the difference between voiced phonation and voicing phonation?

Voicing measure provides information about phonatory pattern.

6.4.2 Parameter Settings

This section is similar to section 6.2.2.

6.4.3 Parameter Explanation

This section is similar to section 6.2.3.

35
6.5 Voicing Onset
Using voicing onset module, the clinician can help the children to control the vocal fold attacks
correctly. Using the basic "ba ba ba" (this is three onsets) you will move the cartoon If you hold
the "ba" to a long "baaaaaaa" the cartoon will only move once, because this is only one onset. In
the following cartoons have different amounts of onsets needed to make a rotation of the cartoons,
such as the “Dog” game only needs three onsets. Some cartoons are large and simple while others
need many onsets and are smaller animation.

6.5.1 Procedure
1. To exercise for one of four games, such as “Potato”, in Voicing Onset (Figure 6.11):
2. Select Potato from the Voicing Onset menu in Exploring or
3. Select Potato from the Game type and Voicing Onset from the Category
4. Press Start or press the Spacebar.
5. When you initiate a voiced phonation, a Potato will move one step, when you produce a
second phonation, the Potato will move forward again.

Figure 6.11. Voicing Onset Exploring

Play your exercise

1. To select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. The computer will repeat your
exercise with the sounds.
2. With this useful function, you can observe your exercise for details and play on other games
as well in Exploring.

Show the result

1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. To select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data. Another is the curve display.
3. The recording is not saved

Show the analysis curve

To select the “Curve” button, you can review the curve display. In the example, a Pitch change
over time is displayed, similar to Figure 6.12. You can count the onsets, in this case it was 15, this
too is added into the report that you can save.

36
 Fig. 6.12 Pitch curve showing onset.

Exercise with more games

To select the Voicing Onset from Exploring menu, there are five games for you to choose
(Potato, Pond, Umbrella, Flying Rabbit and Rabbits).

Pond Umbrella

Flying Rabbit Rabbits

1. Pond
The pond animals will appear.
2. Umbrella
Three animals pop up and hide from umbrella.
3. Flying Rabbit
The rabbits will fly from the holes one by one.
4. Rabbits
The rabbits turn their body one by one.

Note: if you try too fast, the program will not pick up onset, you will need hold a little longer.

Experiment
1. What happens when you use continuous phonation?
2. What happens when you try to say /ba, ba, ba.../ quickly?
3. Can you see the difference between fast and slow speech?

Voicing measure provides information about phonatory pattern.

6.5.2 Parameter Settings

This section is similar to section 6.2.2.

37
6.5.3 Parameter Explanation
This section is similar to section 6.2.3.

6.6 Phonation Education

Speech articulation within vocal tract is determined by three major factors: the place of major
constriction, the degree of constriction at that point and the lip constriction, as in Figure 6.13 and
Figure 6.14. The vocal tract shape and lip movement will be provided for each vowel and
consonant. In clinical practice, a brief education about speech articulation (tongue and lip
movement) should be provided before therapy. There is no recording available for this section,
this is strictly to show you what is involved during articulation and lip movement.

6.6.1 Procedure
1. To hear and see a phonation
2. Select Phonation Education in Exploring or
3. Select Vowel button on the vowel chart. Then, select each phoneme to obtain lip movement
and articulatory display.
4. Select Consonant button to get Consonant chart. Then, select each phoneme to obtain lip
movement and articulatory display.

Fig. 6.13 Vowel production (vowel /i/) Fig. 6.14 Consonant production (vowel /p/)

38
39
 Chapter 7 Training

Now that you‟re an expert in Exploring, we move into the Training side of Speech and Voice
Therapy program. Not like Exploring, Training has goals to reach either by parameters, time or
both. Training also gives a small reinforcement to show you that you have passed the exercise, and
all of the results are put into a report. Four of the Categories are the same from Exploring and
there are two new Categories. As in Exploring, the cartoons are designed for different cultures and
age groups, so you may not agree or understand all of them. Have fun with your therapy using
Speech and Voice Therapy program. This is our goal and if you have any ideas please pass them to
us. Saving the information is a little more informative. The Training for the software tells if you
have passed or failed. We will get into that in Chapter 9. Now let‟s get into Training and the six
Categories.

There are 6 functions. They are:

1. Maximum Phonation Time
Train, Strawberry, Cake, Bee and Apple House
2. Pitch
Boat, Fight, Bead, Kettle and FunSea
3. Loudness
Decrease
Parachute, Sliding, Ball, Rescue, Diving
Increase
Birthday, Giraffe, Fireman, Superman and Weighting
4. Phonetic Exercise
One Vowel
TurnPlate, RopeWalker, Picking Grapes, and Domino
Two Vowels
Fishing, Cinderella, Going Home, and Swimming
Three Vowels
Ark, Fire Balloon, Flower, and Breakfast
Four Vowels
Band, Shooting, Road, and Puzzle
5. Voicing
Catching Fly, Car, Orangutan, Crocodile and Magic
6. Voicing Onset
Exercise, Frog, Jumping, Starting, Christmas, Food, Penguin, and Crack

7.1 Phonation Time

The term, Maximum Phonation Time (MPT), implies such abilities in voice production as how
long one can sustain phonation. The patients are instructed to sustain vowel /a/ or other vowel as
long as possible following deep inspiration. MPT is decreased in many pathological states of the
larynx, especially in cases with incompetent glottal closure. MPT values smaller than 10 seconds
should be considered to be abnormal. For example, the clinicians should provide the patients the
best way to make the respiration and phonation correctly. In this Category the object of the game
is simply to move the cartoon across the screen in a given time. By setting the time shorter at first
you will get an idea how to move across the screen, then in steps add more time until you reach
the point you can no longer sustain a phonation. First you can train in Exploring under the
Category "Sound" to get an idea on how long you can move the objects. The program does get a
little more complicated in the parameters and time setting, but with a little practice this will not
become an issue.

40
 MPT represents the length of time that an individual can sustain an isolated vowel without the
appearance of glottal fry or a substantial decrease in loudness. A gross indicator of vocal fold
efficiency influences from oral air stream obstruction. Finnegan (1986) provides some procedural
recommendations for obtaining the most representative MPT.

Finnegan, D.E.(1984). Maximum phonation time for children with normal voices. Journal of
Communication Disorders. 14, 309-317.
Hirano, M. (1989). Objective Evaluation of the Human Voice: Clinical Aspects. Folia Phoniatr,
41, 89-144.
Hirano M., Koike Y, von Leden H. (1968). Maximum phonation time and air usage during
phonation. Folia Phoniatr, 20:185-201.
Ptacek ,PH. & Sander, E.K. (1963). Maximum duration of phonation. J Speech Hear Disord, 28:
171-182.

7.1.1 Procedure
Let‟s exercise in one of the five games, such as “Strawberry”, in Phonation Time (Figure 7.1):
1. Select Strawberry from the Phonation Time menu in Training or
2. Select Strawberry from the Game type and Phonation Time from the Category
3. Press F11 or press the button marked "Preference" and locate "Maximum Phonation Time"
and set it for 5 seconds, press "OK"
4. Before you press "Start" check to see if the "Count Down Time" is set and turned on. Press
F12 on the keyboard to open "Recording and Playback Settings". Set this at 3 seconds. This
gives time to take a good deep breath to perform a good phonation.
5. Press "Start" or the Spacebar, wait for the count down screen to turn off (Fig. 7.2).
6. After deep inspiration, speak into the microphone, “such as sustained /a/”, the car with the
strawberry moves from left to right (Fig. 7.3). The target for you to reach is at right side. The
target setting can be changed for the needs of patients.
7. Maintain the phonations until you reach the figure on the right, the figure will take the
strawberry from the car and eat it (Fig 7.4). This is the indication you have passed.

Fig. 7.1. Maximum Phonation Time Fig. 7.2 Count down, prepare to record

Fig. 7.3 Car with strawberry moving Fig.7.4 Figure eating the strawberry

Play your exercise

1. To select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. The computer will repeat your
exercise with the sounds.
2. With this useful function, you can observe your exercise for details, unlike Exploring you
cannot play this back in other games or Categories, just in this game can you play it back.

41
 Show the result
1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. To select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data (Fig.7.5). Since you have passed (we hope), you will
get a "Good Job!" screen with the relevant statistics. Another is the curve display showing you
the loudness curve. (Fig 7.7).

Try again using the same as above but stop phonation in the middle of the exercise, right when
you stop the cartoon stops. Now press "Analysis" on the Menu bar and choose "Show Statistic
Data and it will show you a screen like in Figure 7.6.

Fig. 7.5 Passing Statistic report Fig. 7.6 Try again Statistic report

Show the analysis curve

To select the “Curve” button, you can review the curve display. In the example, the Loudness
change over time can be displayed.

Fig. 7.7 Intensity curve.

Exercise with more game
To select the Phonation Time from Training menu, there are five games for you to choose (Train,
Strawberry, Cake, Bee, and Apple House).

42
 Train Cake

Bee Apple House

Fig. 7.8 Different games in MPT.

Each cartoon has a set of different movement, destination and a light bonus when you complete
the exercise.
1. Train
When you open Train you see a train with an elephant on a railway. When you
press start and begin to phonate, the train will move forward. When the train
make to the end which is Circus located, the elephant will get off the train and
go to the circus. If the train can‟t make to the end, the elephant will cry.
2. Cake
A mouse is at left side of the screen. The cake is at right side of the screen.
When you start to phonate, the mouse moves from the left to the cake. When the
mouse gets the cake, you have made it to the end. If you can‟t make to the end,
the mouse will cry.
3. Bee
A bee flies out from a bee hive. When the phonation starts, a bee will fly from
the left to the right to the flower. When the bee reaches the flower you have
passed the game. At this point the bee will water the flower, and the flower will
bloom. If you can‟t make to the end, the bee will fall down.
4. AppleHouse
A caterpillar is at left side of the screen, and the right side of the screen is an
apple house. When you start to phonate, a friendly caterpillar moves from the
left, follow the grape vine, to the right. When the caterpillar goes into the apple
house, you have made it to the end. The added bonus will show the caterpillar in
the apple house with music comes out.

7.1.2 Parameter Settings

The time setting is different then other programs, you have two settings: there are the maximum
phonation time and the Loudness area you want to work within. To explain it better will work with
some examples in steps.
1. First you have to decide what length you want to test phonation. In this example we want to
test for 10 seconds, this means we have to maintain a phonation for 10 seconds without a
break.
2. Press the "Preference" button on the lower left of the workspace screen. On the lower right
you will see a dialog box as in Figure 7.9. Type in 10 or use the pre-set number in the scroll
down within the box, click "OK".
3. Now you must decide how much recording time you will need. You don't want to set the
recording time for 5 seconds, you would never make the full recording. Speech and Voice
Therapy program will preset a number for you (in this case it will be 20.) but you may want to

43
 alter this. In some case you may change the recording time (Fig. 7.9) and forget to change the
phonation time.

Fig. 7.9. Parameters setting for Phonation Time

About the Loudness level, you are required to phonate within certain loudness level (Fig 7.10).
For example, when you set Low Limit=30 dB and High Limit =75dB, you can only phonate
within the range 30-75 dB. If you phonate over 75 dB or below 30 dB, you will not pass the game.

Fig. 7.10. Loudness setting for MPT

When you press "Start" you can wait to phonate, the software will only start reading your voice
when you start to phonate.

7.1.3 Parameter Explanation

Phonation Time (or Maximum Phonation Time: MPT) implies such abilities in voice production
as how long one can sustain phonation.

7.2 Pitch
Using pitch module, you can refine pitch control and develop smooth modulation of pitch contour.
Certain patients are unconsciously or consciously making an effort to higher or lower their pitch.
The clinician should teach patient to target optimum pitch by the control of vocal fold vibration.
So in this category you can work with many areas of training your voice and speech. Sustain a
voiced sound for a given length to increase vocal strength. In Training the pitch category is
different than Exploring. You will have six patterns to choose from for different forms of
exercises. Though the general style is the same the cartoons are different. In all four games the
object or characters move from left to right and need to avoid the objects to reach the left side.
There are many uses and many more you can experiment with, don't be afraid to create your own
criteria.

Fundamental frequency is measured in Hz. The fundamental frequency is defined as the lowest
tone in a complex tone. In the human voice the fundamental frequency is defined as the number
of times that your vocal folds vibrate in one second. The average fundamental frequency for
males is 125 Hz and a typical female fundamental frequency is 220 Hz. The physiological
determinants of fundamental frequency include: mass of vibrating folds, subglottal pressure, vocal
fold thickness and length, vocal fold muscle tension, and the force with which the vibrating vocal
folds compress medially.

Brown, W., Jr., Morris, R., Hollien, H., & Howell, E. (1991). Speaking fundamental frequency
characteristics as a function of age and professional singing. Journal of Voice, 5, 310-315.
Coleman, R.F., Mabis, J.H., & Hinson, J.K. (1977). Fundamental frequency-sound pressure level
profiles of adult male and female voices. J Speech Hear Res, 20:197-204.
Fairbanks, G.F., Wiley, J.H., & Lassman, F.M. (1949). An acoustical study of vocal pitch in 7
and 8 year old boys. Child Development, 20, 63-69.

44
 Horii, Y. (1983). Some acoustic characteristics of oral reading by ten- to twelve-year-old children.
Journal of Commun Disord, 16, 257-267.
Murry, T. (1978). Speaking fundamental frequency characteristics associated with voice
pathologies. J Speech Hear Disord, 43:374-379.

7.2.1 Procedure
1. Lets exercise in one of five games, such as “Boat”, in Pitch (Figure 7.11):
2. Select Boat from the Pitch menu in Training or
3. Select Boat from the Game type and Pitch from the Category.
4. Check first that you're in the correct pitch range by the numbers located on the left of the
screen marked "Low Limit" and "High Limit".
5. Click on "Start" or press the spacebar.
6. Speak into the microphone, “such as sustained /a/ with flat pitch pattern”, you will see a boat
moving from left to right. Guide the boat using your voice.
7. Please remember you are not required to have a uninterrupted phonation, you may stop take a
breath and continue. But if you don't reach the left side before the recording time runs out this
will count as a failure.
8. Try to stay under the rocks and make it to the left side of the screen, if you hit a rock the boat
will disappear and the rock will break apart. This will count as a failure in the report. Don't
worry, the passages are safe they just went back to try again. If and when you do make it
across an animation of jumping, waving fish will appear to greet you and this will count as a
pass.
9. This pattern is set by default, . Now change it to this , press this button
and click "OK" Repeat the recording process with a rising-fall pitch pattern”, you will see a
boat moving up and down (Figure 7.12).

Figure 7.11. Pitch Training (Pattern 1)

Play your exercise

To select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. The computer will repeat your exercise
with the sounds and animation.

Show the result

1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. To select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data, another is the curve display.
3. You cannot save the recording.

Show the analysis curve

To select the “Curve” button, you can review the curve display. In the example, a Pitch change
over time is displayed in Figure 7.12. The statistic data will appear in the top-right corner.

45
 Figure 7.12. Pitch Training (Pattern 4) and pitch display

Exercise with more game

Within Pitch from Training menu, there are four other games for you to choose (Bead, Fight,
Kettle, and FunSea).

Bead Fight

FunSea Kettle
Fig. 7.13 Different games in pitch training.

These five games are basically the same, just different cartoon, and styles. In all of these games
you go from left to right trying to avoid the objects. If you hit the object a small animation will
appear and you need to try again. When you do make it to the left side another animation will
perform to congratulate you.
1. Bead
The Bee is flying forward to avoid beads on the screen.
2. Fight
The background is an open sky, the objects are different mines on the way, and
you are flying a comical plane.
3. FunSea
The background is an ocean floor, the objects are different fun fish, while you
are a yellow whale like figure swimming threw.
4. Kettle
The objects are different cups, while you are a running kettle.

Again for review:

Pitch measure provides information about intonation. The pitch is mainly decided by the rate of
vocal fold vibration. In the Pitch Training, the clinicians should help the patients to find the
optimum pitch and pitch range and how to maintain this optimum situation.

7.2.2 Parameter Settings

3. To set the parameters of Pitch

46
 4. Press F11 or select Real-time training and analysis parameter settings (Preference) from the
Settings menu to open the “Parameters” dialog box, as in Figure 7.14.

Figure 7.14. Parameters setting for Pitch Training

7.2.3 Parameter Explanation

Pitch Range
The “Pitch Range” defines the range of the “Pitch” in the analysis for specific purposes or for
particular users:
1. Low Limit -- sets the lowest limit of F0 within the range of 60-150 Hz
2. High Limit -- sets the highest limit of F0 within the range of 250-1,200 Hz
3. Male: preset range is 70-300Hz.
4. Female: preset range is 150-350Hz.
5. Child: preset range is 200-550Hz.
6. Singer: preset range is 70-800Hz.

Note: you can change the ranges at anytime, these preset ranges are here for quick adjustment.

The default is based on the selection of “Sex” and „Birthday” in the Personal Information screen.

Pattern These patterns are only available in the Training mode

There are six pitch patterns in Training. The default is the Pattern 1.

Pattern 1 Pattern 2

Pattern 3 Pattern 4

Pattern 5 Pattern 6

F0 Shift
This setting will allow you to move the patterns up or down in the Training, thus enabling you to
have more choices for the pattern placement. In figure 7.14 on the bottom you see "F0 Shift" the
default will be 0, to lower the objects use a negative, to raise the objects use the positive number.

47
 F0 shift set at 0 F0 shift set at -100 F0 shit set at +100
Fig. 7.15 F0 shift in pitch training

7.3 Loudness
Using loudness module, clinicians could help the clients lower the loudness level of speech when
the usual level is higher, and increase the loudness level when the usual level is low. The clinician
should teach the patient to control his/her loudness change by the correct control of breathing. For
example, one way to control loudness is to use correct control of breathing and body position.
This is also a good tool for the hearing impaired to judge how loud they are. In Training the
loudness is different then Exploring for you have a goal to reach. Though these cartoons are setup
to train to increase your loudness they can be used to lower as well. Setting the parameters will
determine how much effort is needed to reach a goal. We will work in detail with the cartoon
"FireTruck". Please remember these cartoons are for many types of cultures and you may not
understand or agree with some of the styles or methods. This is why we developed many cartoons
to choose from.

7.3.1 Procedure
1. Lets exercise in one of the ten games, such as “FireMan”, in Loudness Increase (Figure 7.16):
2. Select FireMan from the Loudness menu in Training or
3. Select FireMan from the Game type and Loudness from the Category
4. Set the "High limit" (located on the upper left side of the screen) to 80 (Fig 7.18).
5. You see a fire truck with its ladder up to the tree, and a cat is stuck in the tree. When you start
recording a fireman will appear on the ladder and will climb to the intensity of your voice.
6. Press "Start" or press the Spacebar.
7. Speak into the microphone, „such as /a/ with loudness changes”, you will see a fireman
climbing up or down.
8. By increasing the loudness through a good body position, the fireman climbs higher toward
the top target. With this game, you receive immediate feedback of loudness changes.
9. By select Curve button after that game, the clinician can look at the loudness data, as shown
in the Figure 7.14. The top target corresponds to a certain loudness level that can be modified
by the clinicians.
10. If you reach the top the fireman will save the cat and climb back down together, provided you
do this exercise in the given recording time you set. If time does run out or you are not able to
reach the top the cat remains in the tree. (Don't worry! The program automatically feeds the
cat properly until you do reach her).
11. Now try raising the "High limit" if that was easy or if you didn't make the top lower the "High
limit"

Tip:
1. In the "High-Low Limit" dialog you can only raise and lower in increments of 10, press the
"Preference" button on the lower left of your screen and change the limits by typing the value
you want.

48
 Figure 7.16. Loudness Training and Loudness display

Play your exercise

1. To select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. The computer will repeat your
exercise with the sounds.
2. With this useful function, you can observe your exercise for details.

Show the result

1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. To select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data. Another is the curve display.
3. You cannot save the recording.

Show the analysis curve

To select the “Curve” button, you can review the curve display. In the example, a Loudness
change over time is displayed (Fig. 7.16).

Exercise with more game

To select the Loudness Increase from Training menu, there are four more games for you to choose
(Birthday, Giraffe, Superman, and Weighting).
To select the Loudness Decrease from Training menu, there are five games for you to choose
(Parachute, Sliding, Ball, Rescue, and Diving).

Birthday Giraffe

Superman Weighting
Fig. 7.17a Different games in Loudness Increase training

49
 Parachute Sliding

Ball Rescue Diving

Fig. 7.17b Different games in Loudness Decrease training

Loudness Increase
1. Birthday
When started, a cat and a monkey will jump to blow the candle. When you reach
the loudness high limit, the candle is blew out.
2. Giraffe
Opening you will find another landscape with a figure in a fruit tree in the upper
left side of the screen. When you start, a giraffe will rise to the figure in the tree
with increase loudness. When the giraffe reach the bell, it gets the fruit from the
figure. You have completed the task.
3. Superman
Opening you will find a superman on the ground and an apple is on cloud. When
you start, the superman will fly up, with increase loudness the superman will fly
to the apple. When you complete, the superman will get the apple to the kid in
the ground.
4. Weighting
When started, a cat is weight-lifting. When completed, the cat will win the game.

Loudness Decrease
1. Parachute
When started, a gift on the parachute is on the sky. When you reach the loudness
low limit, the parachute will land the gift to the truck on the ground.
2. Sliding
Opening you will find a monkey up on the sky. When you start, the monkey will
slide down with decrease loudness. When the monkey reaches the apple, you
have completed the task.
3. Ball
The light from the figure‟s head shrinks as the loudness decrease. When you
reach the loudness low limit, the light is shrinking to a line and lights all the fire
to let two kids to get a ball from the figure.
4. Rescue
A spaceship is on the high sky. When you start, the spaceship will fly down with
decrease loudness. When the spaceship reaches the person, you have completed
the task.
5. Diving
A diver will dive down to get a pearl.

Experi ment
1. What is your personal loudness range during normal phonation?

50
 2. What is the difference in loudness range between standing and sitting?

Loudness measure provides information about syllable stress. The intensity of vocal fold vibration
is decided mainly by the loudness.

7.3.2 Parameter Settings

5. To set the parameters of Sound Presence
6. Press F11 or select Real-time training and analysis parameter settings (Preference) from the
Settings menu to open the “Parameters” dialog box, as in Figure 7.15.
7. The Silence Criteria is the relative Loudness sensitivity that is from 0 to 24 dB, comparing to
the background noise. If you set the Silence Criteria too low, the object may move just from
your computer sound or microphone. If you set it too high, you may not get the object to
move at all.
8. Loudness setting corresponds to curve display.

Figure 7.18. Parameters setting for Sound Presence

Experiment with the various Silence Criteria

What setting is the best to indicate a normal speech level, including various voiced and voiceless
sounds?

7.3.3 Parameter Explanation

Loudness Setting
The default is 30 for the Low Limit and 75 for the High Limit.
The “Low” button provides 30 for the Low Limit and 70 for the High Limit.
The “Medium‟ button provides 30 for the Low Limit, and 75 for the High Limit.
The “High” button provides 30 for the Low Limit and 80 for the High Limit.

The Low Limit and High Limit parameters define the low and high limit of the Loudness
calculation display during speech. The range of the Low Limit is 0-60 dB, while the range of the
High Limit is 70-90 dB.

Background Noise Setting

The default is 3 dB, while the range of the Silence Criteria is 0-24 dB. The Silence Criteria is the
relative Loudness sensitivity, comparing to the background noise.

7.4 Voicing
Using voicing module could help the client assess their voiced and unvoiced phonation from the
computer screen. Voicing refers to the vocal behavior by which the conversion of continuous
airflow into a series of glottal pulses is regulated. Voiced phonation, such as /z/, is regulated by
the vocal fold vibration, while voiceless phonation such as /s/, is not regulated by the vocal fold
vibration. The common style we use through out the Voicing Category is red color = voiced and
green color = unvoiced or voiceless. Any samples can be used, so if you were trying to increase

51
 the amounts of voice you can see right away and view the percent after words. Again try to create
your own forms of therapy using the cartoons. Unlike Exploring were you simply change the color,
Training you will be required to move two figures using a voice and unvoiced sample. When both
figures reach their destination the software will grade the exercise as a "pass", if one or both
figures do not reach their destination it will be reported as a "fail". So just to recap, both voiced
and voiceless sounds are to be used in each of the four games. The program does not calculate s/z
ratio but can help for training. For calculation please review Vocal Assessment software by Tiger
DRS. So lets practice with the game "Room".

Some uses of Voicing games:

/s/ duration: The amount of time an individual is able to sustain /s/. A decreased ability to
prolong the /s/ is associated with reduced vital capacity or can be secondary to poor respiratory
control.
/z/ duration The amount of time an individual is able to sustain /z/. A decreased ability is to
prolong.

s/z ratio: The /z/ is associated with decreased laryngeal valving efficiency.
The s/z ratio is a popular clinical technique used to make inferences about vocal function and
tissue characteristics. The ratio is calculated by dividing the duration of the maximal sustainable
/s/ by the maximal sustainable /z/ ("s/z"). The /s/ and /z/ share the same vocal tract configuration,
however differ in that the /z/ is produced with voice and the /s/ is not. Normally, the /s/ and /z/
should be sustained for an approximate equal length of time resulting in a ratio equaling 1.0. A
ratio above 1.0 is produced when the /z/ is sustained for a shorter duration than the /s/. A
decreased ability to sustain the /z/ relative to the /s/ would suggest inefficient valving of the air
during phonation which is observed with lesions that interfere with the glottal closure.

Tait, N.A., Michel, J.F., & Carpenter, M.A. (1980). Maximum duration of sustained /s/ /z/ in
children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders XLV, 229-246.
Eckel, F., & Boone, D.R.(1981). The s/z ratio as an indicator of laryngeal pathology. Journal of
Speech and Hearing Research, 46,147-149.
Fendler, M. & Shearer, W. (1988). Reliability of the s/z ratio in normal children’s voices. Lang
Speech Hear Ser Sch, 19:2-4.
Hufnagle, J. & Hufnagle, K. (1988). S/Z ratio in dysphonic children with and without vocal
nodules. Lang Speech Hear Ser Sch, 19:418-422.
Rastatter, M.P.& Hyman, M. (1982). Maximum phoneme duration of /s/ and /z/ by children with
vocal nodules. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch, 13:197-199.
Shearer, W.H. (1972). S/z ratio for detection of vocal nodules. Folia Phoniatr, 35:172.

7.4.1 Procedure
Exercise
1. To exercise with one of the five games, such as “Car”, in Voicing (Figure 7.19):
2. Select Car from the Voicing menu in Training or
3. Select Car from the Game type and Voicing from the Category
4. When you open this cartoon you will see a green car and a red car.
5. Make sure the pitch limits are within your parameters before starting.
6. You may want to adjust the recording time longer since you will be moving two different
animation so set the time for 9 seconds if is not already set. You can set it longer and take
your time to move the characters.
7. Press "Start" or Spacebar to begin.
8. When you phonate a voiced sound, /z/ a red car will move forward; when you have a
voiceless sound /s/, a green car will move forward. You will see distance marked on the side.
9. When they reach the end 100 km mark, the finish line. Both car drivers will come celebrate.

52
 Figure 7.19. Voicing Training (Room) and analysis curve with data

Playback your exercise

1. To select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. The computer will repeat your
exercise with the sound.
2. With this useful function, you can observe your exercise for details.

Show the result

1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. To select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data. Another is the curve display (Fig.7.19).
3. You cannot save the recording.

Exercise with more games

Select the Voicing from the Training menu, there are five other games for you to choose
(Orangutan, Catching Fly, Crocodile, and Magic).

Orangutan Catching Fly

Magic Crocodile
Fig. 7.20 Different games in Voicing training.

1. Orangutan
There are two orangutans hanging on the bars. When you press start and use a
voiced sound, the orangutan with red pant will move right toward banana. With
voiceless sound the orangutan with green pant will move right toward banana.
2. Catching Fly
Starting out in a scene of pond, there are two frogs waiting to eat flies. When
you press start and use a voiced sound, the red frog gets and eats a fly. When
you press start and use a voiceless sound, the green frog gets and eats a fly.

53
 3. Magic
Starting out in a magic show, there are two boxes on the top. When you press
start and use a voiced sound, the red box moves toward center. When you press
start and use a voiceless sound, the green box moves toward center. When both
boxes meet in the center, they will become one box and lower to the ground to
bring a dog out.
4. Crocodile
When you phonate a voiced sample, the red crocodile will eat the banana. When
you phonate an unvoiced sample, the green crocodile will eat the banana. After
completed, the monkey will dance.

Remember you can start with either voice or voiceless and not all at once, you can break them into
little burst or long phonations, you set the curriculum.

If you feel the voice or voiceless is not be properly picked up or read by Speech and Voice
Therapy program you can make an adjustment using "Voicing Sensitivity" (Fig 7.21) dialog. You
will find this by clicking on the "Preference" button. Choose Low, Medium (default) or High. In
the dialog of Voiced/Voiceless Choice, if you select both, the program will response both. If you
select one, the program will response the one you selected.

Fig 7.21 Voicing parameter dialog

7.4.2 Parameter Settings

This section is similar to section 7.2.2.

7.4.3 Parameter Explanation

This section is similar to section 7.2.3.

7.5 Voicing Onset

Using voicing onset module, the clinician can help the children to control the vocal fold attacks
correctly. Using the basic "baa baa baa" (this is three onsets) you will move the cartoon. If you
hold the "baa" to a long "baaaaaaa" the cartoon will only move once, because this is only one
onset. The following cartoons have different amounts of onsets needed to complete the exercise,
like Exploring you move the cartoon with bursts of onsets. Let‟s use “Exercise” for an example,
this requires ten onsets and whatever recording time you chose. This means that if you set the
recording time for 10 seconds, not only you need to do ten onsets but also perform it in ten
seconds. Let‟s starting off with extra time, slowly to reduce the time and to increase your speed in
performing onsets. Remember that each game has different amounts of onsets needed. Let‟s open
"Exercise ".

7.5.1 Procedure
1. Exercise in one of four games such as “Exercise” in Voicing Onset (Figure 7.22):

54
 2. Select Exercise from the Voicing Onset menu in Exploring or
3. Select Exercise from the Game type and Voicing Onset from the Category.
4. Make sure you set the correct pitch "Low and High limit" before starting.
5. Press "Start" or press Spacebar.
6. When you initiate a voiced phonation, a door will open. If you produce a /ba/, the first door on
the left will open and one animal comes out. Repeat again, the second door on the right will
open and another animal comes out.
7. When both animals come out, they will dance to celebrate.

Fig 7.22. Voicing Onset Training (Exercise) and analysis curve

Play your exercise

1. To select the “Play” button, you can review your exercise. Speech and Voice Therapy will
repeat your exercise with the sound.
2. With this useful function, you can observe your exercise for details.

Show the result

1. By pressing Ctrl+w, you will bring the Menu bar to the screen.
2. Select “Show Statistic” from “Analysis” on the Menu bar.

Save the result

1. To select the “Save” button, you can save the result of your exercise.
2. There are two parts. One is statistic data. Another is the curve display (Fig. 7.22).

Exercise with more games

Select the Voicing Onset from Exploring menu, there are total eight games for you to choose from
(Exercise, Frog, Jumping, Starting, Christmas, Food, Penguin and Crack). The first game
(Exercise) has 2 onsets. The second game (Frog) has 3 onsets. And so on, the last game (Crack)
has 9 onsets.

Frog, 3 onsets Jumping, 4 onsets

Starting, 5 onsets Christmas, 6 onsets

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 Food, 7 onsets Penguin, 8 onsets Crack, 9 onsets
Fig. 7.23 Different games in Voicing Onset training

1. Frog
Starting out with a frog on the shore and his bed in the pond. When you start to
produce an onset the frog begins to jump, after three onsets, the frog will reach
the bed and have good sleep.
2. Jumping
There are four objects between the egg and his nest. When you start to use an
onset, the egg will jump on one object. With next onset, it will jump on the next
object. It will take 4 onsets to complete this exercise.
3. Starting
A car is on the starting line with 5 lights over its head. When you begin to
perform an onset one light will turn on until you turn on all 5 lights. Upon
completion the car will move forward.
4. Christmas
When you begin to perform an onset, a gift box will open and four objects will
jump out of the gift box one by one. There are total 6 onsets.
5. Food
There are seven empty plates on the table. When you start to use an onset, the
food will appear on one plate. With next onset, another food will appear on
another plate. It will take 7 onsets to put food on all plates.
6. Penguin
Two penguins are on the screen. When you begin to perform an onset, one
penguin on the cliff will jump down. It will take 8 onsets to let penguin jump
into water.
7. Crack
Starting out with a room and one egg in the nest. When you start to produce an
onset, the egg begins to crack, after three onsets, a wrong chick will hatch and
the egg is back. After another three onsets, another wrong chick will hatch and
the egg is back again. After last three onsets, a healthy happy chick will hatch. It
will take 9 onsets to complete this exercise.

Remember that you can change the time, so at the beginning you may want to have a long
recording time, and then shorten the time in steps to see how fast you can complete the test in.
Also, you can change the response time of voicing onset (Fig. 7.24).

Fig 7.24 Voicing Onset parameter dialog

7.5.2 Parameter Settings

This section is similar to section 7.2.2.

7.5.3 Parameter Explanation

This section is similar to section 7.2.3.

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7.6 Phonetic Exercise
This part will be discussed in Chapter 8 for details.

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 Chapter 8 Phonetic Exercise

Now that you‟re an expert in the most part of Training, we move into the last part of Training of
Speech and Voice Therapy program. It is the Phonetic Exercise that has goals to reach either by
parameters, time or both. Training also gives a small reinforcement to show you that you have
passed the exercise.

There are 6 functions. They are:

1. Voice Template
2. One-phoneme Exercise
3. Two-phoneme Contrast
4. Three-phoneme Contrast
5. Four-phoneme Contrast
6. Vowel tracking (F1-F2 plot)

8.1 Voice Template File

Voice characteristics (or called “voice prints”) are so individualized. We described them as a set of
fingerprints. Before you start exercise, it is important for you to capture your best phoneme model
(or called “voice template”) and practice it based on the best phoneme model. After certain time of
practice, you improved your voice. You need to change your best phoneme model and practice it
based on the new phoneme model.

Yet, within dialects, the best phoneme model should include phoneme differences in quality and
pitch.

To create Voice Template

1. Open “Phoneme Exercise Template” from Settings menu.
2. Press “Record” button and record your best sounds, such as /i/ (Fig. 8.1)
3. Select the first sound by two green lines (Fig. 8.2). Use right button of the mouse to release
green lines and make new selection of green lines.
4. Press “Save” button and a dialog of Voice Template will appear. (Fig. 8.3)
5. In the dialog of voice Template, select the Voice Templete filename /i/ and press OK.
6. The number in template for the vowel /i/ will become 1. (Fig. 8.4)
7. By clicking the right button of the mouse to release the first selectiojn of vowel, you can
select the second sound (Fig. 8.5).
8. Do the same process, you can create two samples in the Voice Template file /i/. (Fig. 8.6)
9. Repeat for the different vowels, you will create four Voice Template files /I,a,, æ/ with two
samples in each files in this example. (Fig. 8.7)

Fig. 8.1 Fig. 8.2

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 Fig. 8.3

Fig. 8.4 Fig. 8.5

Fig. 8.6 Fig. 8.7

8.2 One-Phoneme Exercise

Fig. 8.8

To start one-phoneme exercise

1. Open “Phoneme Exercise Template” from Settings menu.
2. Select Vowel /i/ (Fig. 8.8) and you will enter into one-phoneme exercise (Fig. 8.9)

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 3. Press the “Start” button to begin, when you phonate the vowel /i/ that is closed to the Vowel
/i/ template, the cartoon will move.
4. When you click the vowel /i/ symbol at the top-right corner, you can hear the best vowel
sample recorderd before.

Fig. 8.9 Turnplate

There are three more games (Fig. 8.10)

Ropewalker Picking Grapes Domino

Fig. 8.10

8.3 Two-Phoneme Contrast

Fig. 8.11

To start two-phoneme contrast

1. Open “Phoneme Exercise Template” from Settings menu
2. Select Vowel /i/ and /a/ (Fig. 8.11). Then you will enter into two-phoneme contrast (Fig. 8.12)
3. Press the “Start” button to begin, when you phonate the vowel /i/ that is closed to the Vowel
/i/ template, the cartoon will move based on /i/ route.
4. When you phonate the vowel /a/ that is closed to the Vowel /a/ template, the cartoon will
move based on /a/ route.
5. When you click the vowel /i/ or /a/ symbol at the top-right corner, you can hear the best vowel
samples recorderd before.

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 Fig. 8.12 Fishing

There are three more games (Fig. 8.13)

Cinderella Going Home Swimming

Fig. 8.13

8.4 Three-Phoneme Contrast

Fig. 8.14

To start three-phoneme contrast

1. Open “Phoneme Exercise Template” from Settings menu.
2. Select Vowel /i/, /a/ and / æ / (Fig. 8.14). Then, you will enter into three-phoneme contrast
(Fig. 8.15)
3. Press the “Start” button to begin, when you phonate the vowel /i/ that is closed to the Vowel
/i/ template, the cartoon will move based on /i/ route.
4. When you phonate the vowel /a/ that is closed to the Vowel /a/ template, the cartoon will
move based on /a/ route.
5. When you phonate the vowel / æ / that is closed to the Vowel /a/ template, the cartoon will
move based on / æ / route.
6. When you click the vowel /i/, /a/ or /æ / symbol at the top-left corner, you can hear the best
vowel samples recorderd before.

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 Fig. 8.15 Ark

There are three more games (Fig. 8.16)

Fire Balloon Flower Breakfast

Fig. 8.16

8.5 Four-Phoneme Contrast

Fig. 8.17

To start four-phoneme contrast

1. Open “Phoneme Exercise Template” from Settings menu.
2. Select Vowel /i/, /a/, // and / æ / (Fig. 8.17). Then, you will enter into four-phoneme contrast
(Fig. 8.18)
3. Press the “Start” button to begin, when you phonate the vowel /i/ that is closed to the Vowel
/i/ template, the cartoon will move based on /i/ route.
4. When you phonate the vowel /a/ that is closed to the Vowel /a/ template, the cartoon will
move based on /a/ route.
5. When you phonate the vowel / æ / that is closed to the Vowel /a/ template, the cartoon will
move based on / æ / route.
6. When you phonate the vowel /  / that is closed to the Vowel /a/ template, the cartoon will
move based on /  / route.
7. When you click the vowel /i/, /a/ // or /æ / symbol at the top-right corner, you can hear the
best vowel samples recorderd before.

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 Fig. 8.18 Band

There are three more games (Fig. 8.19)

Shooting Road Puzzle

Fig. 8.19

8.6 Vowel Tracking

Speech articulation within vocal tract is determined by three major factors: the place of major
constriction, the degree of constriction at that point and the lip constriction, as in Figure 8.20. In
this exercise you can record your voice and watch the position change. There is no curve nor can
you save the recording.

Fig. 8.20 Speech articulation

Real-time vowel space training reveals first and second formants for speech inputs. With this tool,
clinician can show patient about the effect of major constriction place in vocal tract from computer
screen. The tongue tip movement mainly determines the second formant changes. As applied to
vowels, tongue height relates primarily to the relative frequency of F1. The higher the vowel, the
lower F1 tends to be. Tongue advancement relates primarily to the relative frequency of F2, or to
the frequency difference between F1 and F2. Front vowels tend to have relatively high F2 values
and a relatively large value of the F2-F1 difference.

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 Chapter 9 Reporting & Printing

Now that you have done your therapy you need to gather, read, understand and print the data. This
chapter will be in two parts, 1. Reporting which covers a wide range of material and information
that are gathered automatically or by options you chose. 2. Printing which covers what you can
how and what you can print or send over the Internet. Because of the wide range of printer styles
you may not find the same results on your printer.

9.1 Reporting
In this section we are going to cover the different reports that can be achieved. Some have been
talked about in earlier chapters and some we have been hiding from you in order to keep you
reading. The report starts forming the moment you proceed past the Users Log. When you enter a
new name in the Users Log you go directly to the microphone setup area then proceed to the
Menushop. Speech and Voice Therapy begins counting the time you spend on the computer when
you start your first exercise, and stops counting or reporting for those set of exercises when you
return to the Sessions window. The reporting is broken up into a tree structure that you can open
based on what you have saved while working in the program.

9.1.1 Reviewing the report structure

After you have saved some information in both the exercises or not and you come back to the
Session window you will see a screen similar to Fig. 9.1. As you can see, on the top this Session
belongs to "John J Smith" and he had his first session starting at 3:55 PM on Dec. 8, 1998 and he
spent a total time of 3 hours 15 minutes and 20 seconds training. (John worked hard didn't he?). If
you look at the beginning you will see a box in front of the sessions number, in this case there is +
in front, indicating that there is more information available. If you see a “-“ sign there would be no
further information saved.

Fig 9.1 Sessions window

Click on the "+" and you will see the session information expand to Exploring and Training (Fig.
9.1), this means during your exercises you have saved some analysis.

Fig. 9.2 Sub directories for Exploring and Training.

Notice in front of the two sub directories there are two more "+", click on "+" one at a time to see
the additional information. Now you can see the information you have saved (Fig.9.2). Under
Exploring the first exercise was preformed at 3:55 and the category was Sound and the game was
Afternoon, also the curve was saved. In Training the second exercise was in Pitch and the game
was Boat, pattern 3 was used and the curve was saved, what you can't see is that John failed this
exercise. Use the scroll bar on the bottom to read the whole message when exceeds the screen.

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 Fig. 9.2 Sub directory information

Double click on session 1 under Exploring and a Analysis screen (Fig 9.3) will appear, this gives
you relative information created during that exercise and since you saved the curve you can review
that as well by clicking the button marked "Curve" (Fig. 9.4).

Fig 9.3 Statistic window Fig. 9.4 Curve information

Press Exit to return to the Sub directory page and double click on session two under Training. As
you can see John failed this exercise and you can see the relative information (Fig. 9.5) relating to
it as well as the curve information (Fig. 9.6).

Fig. 9.5 Statistic Report Fig. 9.6 Pitch curve

Press Exit and return to the main session line you started with (Fig 9.1).

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9.1.2 Session Report Explanation

Either double-click on this session or click once and press the button to the left. A
complete report on your session will be shown (Fig. 9.7). In the last few reports the information
was saved based on whether you wanted to save it or not. This information is automatically
compiled, and the statistics averaged. On the bottom of the report you may add any notes that you
feel need to enhance the report.

Fig. 9.7 Session Summary

The Session report has many parts and the will be explained from the top down.
1. The Title bar will show the session, name, date, and the total time spent during the sessions.
The total time does not indicate the time only spent on the exercise but the time in-between as
well. This gives you the complete time on the computer during this particular session.
2. Summary of Exploring and Training:
Type: Name of the different categories.
Try's: How many times that category was tried.
Time: Amount of time spent in that category (actual recording time).
Ave: The average of data, either the average F0 in Hz or the average Intensity in dB.
SD: Standard Deviation of data, either the average F0 in Hz or the average Intensity
in dB.
Max: Maximum of data, either the average F0 in Hz or the average Intensity in dB.
Min: Minimum of data, either the average F0 in Hz or the average Intensity in dB.
V/U: Voiced and Unvoiced, the average for the category Voicing.
Onset: The amount of onsets for the category Voice Onset.
Pass: The amount of times the user passed a category, this only applies to Training.
3. Notes
An area to type any comments you may need to include for further reference or for the
printed report. There're is no restrictions on how much you type in this window. Your
comments are saved automatically upon exiting.
4. Print, Send Mail and Exit
Print this report, Send this report by electronic mail, Exit this screen.

Tips:
1. Fundamental frequency is measured in Hz. The fundamental frequency is defined as the
lowest tone in a complex tone. In the human voice the fundamental frequency is defined as
the number of times that your vocal folds vibrate in one second. The average fundamental
frequency for males is 125 Hz and a typical female fundamental frequency is 202 Hz. The
physiological determinants of fundamental frequency include: mass of vibrating folds,

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 subglottal pressure, vocal fold thickness and length, vocal fold muscle tension, and the force
with which the vibrating vocal folds compress medially.
2. The average fundamental frequency is usually taken across three sustained vowels or during a
standard speech passage.
3. The lowest (Min.) pitch in a person‟s range is usually taken across three sustained vowels or
during a standard speech passage such as the Rainbow Passage. Assessing the limits of your
patient‟s or client‟s pitch range is often challenging. This is largely because normally we
don‟t access the outer boundaries of our pitch.
4. The highest (Max.) pitch in a person‟s range is usually taken across three sustained vowels or
during a standard speech passage

9.2 Printing
Printing covers two parts,
1. Having the information printed on a selected printer.
2. Sending the information by electronic mail (over the internet)

Printing reports
There are really four types of reports you can print, but before you begin you should make sure
you have a printer driver installed so you can print, also if you have more then one printer make
sure you have the correct printer selected. In the Menu bar select File then Print Setup and you
find a screen similar to figure 9.8. Here you can select the printer you need or check to see if the
printer is installed on your computer, if not check your printer instruction or service provider. Also
in this dialog you select the papers size and orientation.

Fig. 9.8 Print Setup

Four types of report printing
1. Print Screen: This function only works after have completed and exercise and are in the
analysis window (Curve screen). The Print Screen will immediately print the existing Curve
screen. In the Menu bar chose File then Print Screen, as soon as you press this the screen will
be sent to the printer.
2. Statistic report and Curve printing, going back looking at figures 9.3-9.6. These screens can
be printed provided that you have saved them during the exercises. If you have not saved the
Curve this will not be available for printing.
3. Session Summary report, again go back and see Figure 9.7. When you have preformed
exercises in Exploring and Training there will be values in the appropriate section. Now add
some comments to the Notes window and press Print. You will see the Print Option dialog
appear (Fig 9.9). Click the option boxes to choose which part of the report you wish to print,
and then press OK. If you always print the same type of report press the Save button so you
won't have to re-chose in the future. For the quick way, just press the Print All button to print
all the available options.
4. Using the "Print Screen" button on your keyboard. All keyboard have this button, usually it is
located on the upper right next to the "Scroll Lock" key. If there is a cartoon or other screen
you wish to capture simply press this button once. The graphics through out this manual were

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 captured this way and brought into Microsoft Word ®. Once you press this key you can
import the picture to many types of programs to compile your own report, papers for
presentation or simply to give to the user to take home.

Fig. 9.9 Printing Options

Send Mail
Send Mail means to send over the internet (e-mail). On the different screens such as Figure 9.3
and 9.7, you will see an option for Send Mail. If you press this you will be able to send the same
information that you can print over the internet. The path to send the file must be set up prior to
sending this information by e-mail. Please referrer to your computers user guide or contact your
service provider.

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