SpeechTutor....now for home therapy

Clinics and hospitals have successfully employed Glottal Enterprises' SpeechTutor system as a research tool and an aid in clear speech development.  Now, SpeechTutor offers the same tools needed to reduce nasality and improve pitch at home. Based on 30 years of research and application, Speech Tutor provides clinic-level power and accuracy in a home therapy system.

Comfortable mask, easy software     Easy-to-set-up and easy-to-use, this new system from Glottal Enterprises features a soft, comfortable OroNasal mask for speech input and Windows software for analysis and practice using a desktop or laptop computer. The mask separately measures and records nasal and oral airflows, and the clinically proven software visually displays nasalance or pitch during speech.  

Who can use SpeechTutor?     Speech Tutor works as a professional therapy supplement and as a standalone system. It is most appropriate for speech disorders in children and adults related to neurological conditions, cleft palate, hearing impairments and speech training after a cochlear implant. The system is also valuable in learning to speak a new language and in singing instruction. 

Affordable, effective therapy booster   Developed as a supplement to professional therapy, the affordable Speech Tutor system makes professional sessions more effective. Therapists can assign activities, pre-record models and review practice recordings. With practice, learners stay on track and progress is easier. 

Convenient system needs only a desktop or laptop computer    SpeechTutor can be used anywhere there's a desktop or laptop multimedia computer (Windows XP). Just install the software, plug in the OroNasal mask and begin.

Getting started is quick and easy    The student selects a mode--Nasality or Pitch-- and then chooses the Practice or Compare to Model theactivity. The screen options are similar for Pitch and Nasality modes, so it's simple to move between them. 

Measuring Nasality

The Nasality mode of the Speech Tutor has two screens, Nasality Practice and Compare to Model that can be chosen by clicking on one of the two tabs at the upper left part of each screen.  On either screen, at the lower right part of the screen, set the choice for the Correction level to match the type of handle you are using – Mask or Separator.

When starting the Speech Tutor, the Nasality mode will open, and the Nasality Practice screen displayed.  The chart on this screen displays the last 5 or 10 seconds (user selectable) of nasalance values recorded after the Start button is clicked.  After starting the recording, the Start button changes to a Stop button and can be clicked to stop recording and capture the last 5 or 10 seconds of the recording.  Five seconds is the default interval, but ten seconds can be selected by clicking on Options at the lower left.

Real-time feedback, rapid progress
Beginning with the Nasality Practice activity, the student can produce sounds, words or complete phrases, speaking into the OroNasal mask. Transducers in the mask handle record sounds and these are represented on the computer screen. Students see how a velar posture or a pitch change compares to an on-screen target or to a model pattern. This clear feedback lets students find out immediately if they are practicing correctly.

On the Nasality Practice screen, a bar graph indicates the level of nasalance being produced. Visual targets can be set, allowing the student to see and aim, in sounds produced, for the target. Average nasalance over a complete phrase or sentence is also calculated and displayed.

Measuring Pitch

Similarly, in the Pitch Mode the student can work with Compare to Model and Pitch Practice activities. Another important performance measure, time within target range, is also measured in the Pitch mode. As on the Nasality Practice screen, the Pitch Practice screen is selected by clicking on the tab at the upper left, and, when Start is clicked on, records continuously until recording is stopped. (As on the Nasality Practice screen, the Stop key appears to replace the Start key during recording.)  When recording is stopped, only the last 5 or 10 seconds is retained, that is, the length of the Time scale, as set under Options.

In the Compare to Model activity, as in the nasality mode, an on-screen graph represents a pre-recorded model or a student-created model, which the student can attempt to improve on.

The OroNasal Mask System

The unique OroNasal mask has long been a preferred device of clinics, hospitals and research centers for measuring voice airflow with high fidelity and minimal speech distortion. The SpeechTutor pitch and nasality training system optimally uses the OroNasal mask for speech input but can also use the separator handle.

What's so special about the OroNasal mask?

The unique OroNasal mask has long been a preferred device of clinics, hospitals and research centers for measuring voice airflow with high fidelity and minimal speech distortion. The SpeechTutor pitch and nasality training system uses the OroNasal mask for speech input.

What's so special about the OroNasal mask?

Everything! The OroNasal mask is...

Soft and flexible, fitting comfortably over nose and mouth; The OroNasal mask is well-suited for long periods of use and easy for children to accept.

Innovative and accurate, based on the clinically proven Glottal Enterprises voice-transparent circumferentially vented (CV) mask design. For speech recording, the OroNasal mask has transducers and electronics built into the handle. Voice muffling is virtually eliminated and nasalance measurement is more accurate than with a dual external microphone system (which is more dependent on ambient noise and requires adjustment for variable mechanical parameters such as microphone position). Pitch measurement is also more accurate, since the mask airflow signal has a much stronger fundamental frequency component than does a microphone signal.

Non-invasive, so there's no hard plate pressing on the student's mouth (as in some other systems for recording nasalance) and nothing goes in the mouth. The OroNasal mask fits over both nose and mouth and separates airflows with proprietary pneumotach technology to reduce cross-sound-leakage between nose and mouth.

User-controlled, the mask works without the uncomfortable, awkward head straps or harnesses used in competing systems. The student simply holds the mask in place when ready to use it.  Interruptions that occur during practice are easily accommodated.

The OroNasal mask, in demand at hospitals and clinics for its accuracy, comfort, and ease of use is now available for use at home as part of the SpeechTutor system.

Frequently Asked Questions about Speech Tutor

Why does SpeechTutor focus on nasality and pitch?
Errors in the control of nasality and pitch are common in the speech of the hearing impaired because these important parameters of speech are not effectively communicated visually and are also not communicated well through a cochlear implant. Nasality control is also important for those who are learning new speech motor coordination after a cleft palate repair. SpeechTutor is able to provide reliable and clear visual feedback on these important parameters of speech.


Can SpeechTutor be integrated with what I do at the therapist's?
Yes! That is one of the primary uses for the SpeechTutor system. Your therapist can record models for phrases or sentences for you to practice between therapy sessions. Recordings made on any computer and saved as as digital audio files can be easily loaded into the SpeechTutor system.  Remember that learning new motor skills takes lots of practice between therapy sessions, and the SpeechTutor can tell you if your practice is getting you to your therapy goal. So the SpeechTutor works as a team with you and your therapist.

Can I use it on my own, without professional therapy?
Though the guidance of a trained professional is very important, you can use SpeechTutor independently. Helpful hints are supplied when you purchase the system to get you started. You can create model patterns by recording the speech or singing of anyone you would like to emulate.

Will the SpeechTutor system be extended to training for other speech parameters in the future? 
In research and clinical environments, the circumferentially vented (CV) mask used in the SpeechTutor system has already been used for recording other parameters of speech, especially those involving the control of airflow in speech and singing. Glottal Enterprises is developing home-therapy products for training in other speech parameters using the SpeechTutor mask and electronics pack.

Where can I buy SpeechTutor and what does it cost?
SpeechTutor can be purchased directly from Glottal Enterprises and from our distributors. For more buying information or to buy today please contact us.

How long does it take to install the software?
Installing the system is simple: plug the mask cable into the computer and launch the software from the CD-ROM. The entire process takes about one minute.

How long does it take to learn how to use SpeechTutor?
With its highly intuitive user interface, the system can be used productively within the very first hour of practice.

What if I try the SpeechTutor and it is not right for me?
Don't worry! We want every user to be a satisfied, successful user. We proudly offer a 30-day, money-back guarantee on every purchase, so you can try SpeechTutor risk free.

Divider Handle

Partition-based handle		Use of partition-based handle

For SpeechTutor users who are interested in tracking only vowel Nasalance, and not Nasal Emission in consonants, Glottal Enterprises can now supply a separator-style measurement handle that is interchangeable with the dual-chamber oronasal mask.  For researchers interested in making comparisons, this comfortable, hand-held separator offers a measurement solution comparable to that of some competing systems for measuring Nasalance.  A main-screen selector on the latest version of SpeechTutor enables the user to change instantly beween a mask and a partition.  Owners of older versions of SpeechTutor can upgrade their software free of charge when purchasing a partition-style handle.  Contact us if you would like more information about this option.