Effects of audio-visual information on the intelligibility of alaryngeal speech.
BACKGROUND
There is minimal research on the contribution of visual information on speech intelligibility for individuals with a laryngectomy (IWL).


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this project was to determine the effects of mode of presentation (audio-only, audio-visual) on alaryngeal speech intelligibility.


METHODS
Twenty-three naïve listeners were randomly presented 176 phonemically balanced sentences produced by three alaryngeal (tracheoesophageal, esophageal, electrolaryngeal) and one typical, laryngeal speaker in both audio-only and audio-visual modes of presentation.


RESULTS
Overall, results showed a small (3%) but statistically significant higher speech intelligibility score for audio-visual stimuli compared to audio-only stimuli as well as a significant interaction effect between mode of speech and mode of presentation. Within mode of speech, electrolaryngeal speech was the only mode that benefited significantly from the inclusion of visual information (10% increase). Overall intelligibility showed similar patterns both within audio-only and audio-visual modes of presentation: typical laryngeal and tracheoesophageal speech modes were significantly more intelligible than both esophageal and electrolaryngeal.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that listeners may benefit more from visual information from speakers with poor baseline speech intelligibility. Results also show similar intelligibility between typical, laryngeal and tracheoesophageal modes of speech. Results should be interpreted with caution, however, as only one speaker from each mode of speech was included. Further research is required to determine the nature of the increase.


OBJECTIVE
Readers will (1) increase their understanding of the potential impact of visual information in the perception of alaryngeal speech; (2) identify potential factors that may augment or hinder speech perception; and (3) discuss how individual modes of alaryngeal speech may be affected by audio-visual information.
Evitts
Paul M
PM
Department of Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology and Deaf Studies, Towson University, Towson, MD, United States. pevitts@towson.edu <pevitts@towson.edu>
Portugal
Lindsay
L
Van Dine
Ami
A
Holler
Aline
A
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001307:Auditory Perception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013071:Speech, Alaryngeal; D013072:Speech, Esophageal; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult