Speech Recognition as a Practice Tool for Dysarthria

Recovery of speech in dysarthria requires an extensive amount of time and practice. Speech recognition (SR) technology may support long-term practice and speech recovery efforts for individuals with dysarthria. However, SR technology development has been focused on typical (neurologically intact) speakers to support writing. This article describes the history and development of SR technology, how it has been used by individuals with dysarthria, and includes a case study illustration of the use of a novel SR technology as a speech practice tool. Case study participants included two individuals with differing onsets and dysarthria due to traumatic brain injury. Results indicated that both were able to make acoustic/perceptual changes during speech practice sessions, and one participant demonstrated generalization of changes to habitual speech. Limitations and future directions of current SR technology as a speech practice tool are discussed.