Communication Devices Give Power of Speech
Tuesday, November 04, 2008


Shayla McCullough, left, and Tiffany Darity, master's students in the communication disorders program at the University of Arkansas, discuss the use of alternative and augmentative communication devices.


One of the earliest symptoms of the progressive neurodegenerative disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, can be slurred speech. As the disease progresses, virtually everyone with it eventually loses the ability to communicate through speech, even though they can still think about messages they want to share.

The University of Arkansas’ Speech and Hearing Clinic will host an open house at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 13, to demonstrate several alternative and augmentative communication devices that can help people with ALS and other conditions communicate more effectively.

“Being able to communicate your own thoughts and feelings makes you who you are,” said Barbara Shadden, professor of communication disorders in the College of Education and Health Professions. “It’s critical to identity.”

These devices range from what look like small photo albums of laminated sheets with words or letters and common phrases printed on them to an eye-controlled speech-generating computer. They give back the power of speech, which gives people more control and independence in their lives, Shadden said.

The open house co-sponsored by the local chapter of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association will take place at the speech and hearing clinic, 410 Arkansas Ave. in Fayetteville. Students in the master’s degree communication disorders program will set up stations to show visitors what several different kinds of devices can do.

Reservations are required to be sure that patients and their caregivers receive individual attention at the open house. E-mail Shadden at bshadde@uark.edu or call 575-4509 to make a reservation.

As part of their academic program, students majoring in communication disorders work with clients at the speech and hearing clinic under supervision of the program’s faculty members. Shadden and colleague Marilyn McGehee, an instructor in the program, work closely with all clients who need or use augmentative communication.

Speech-language pathologists evaluate a client’s needs before making a recommendation that a specific communication device be used. The university’s speech and hearing clinic performs such evaluations as well as treating both adults and children with communication disorders.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is just one of many neurological disorders that can cause people trouble talking. They include Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and problems resulting from a stroke. Like ALS, these conditions affect speech and/or language and frequently cause weakness in the hands and arms that make communicating by writing and typing also problematic.

Often, people with these conditions don’t know what types of augmentative communication devices are available or which one is right for them, Shadden said. In fact, most people don’t even know what these devices are and are reluctant to schedule an evaluation if they doubt that a device can help them. The open house will provide opportunities to learn more without any commitment.

“Regardless of what is going on with you physically, these devices can help you communicate,” she said.

Some of the devices allow a person to record his own speech so that later, when he has lost the ability to speak clearly, he can press a button to play phrases in his own voice.

Betsy Walker, a regional field manager from Tobii ATI in Dallas, will demonstrate the eye-tracking device. Once the computer, which can be mounted to a wheelchair, is calibrated to the user’s eyes and the machine set to pick up signals either through dwell time or blinking, the user can “type” by looking at keys on a computer screen. The computer voice then speaks the message. Other applications include a Web browser, e-mail and chat program.

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