Three Dimensional Articulator Model for Speech Acquisition by Children with Hearing Loss

摘要

Our research indicates that acquisition of phonetic skills in voiced and voiceless speech sounds was improved by using Computer Aided Articula-tory Tutor (CAAT). The interface of CAAT displays the place of articulation and relevant image objects for articulatory training simultaneously. The place of articulation was presented by using three dimensional articulatory tutor. Suitable computer graphics and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques were used to develop inner articulatory movements of the animated tutor. Ten hearing impaired children between the ages 4 and 7 were selected and trained for 30 hours across four weeks on 50 words under 10 lessons. The words were selected from the categories of voiced and voiceless stops namely Bilabial, Dental, Alveolar, Retroflex and Velar. The articulatory performance of HI children was investigated to find out their speech intelligibility.