Telephone Talk: Effects of Vocabulary and Timing on Telephone Conversations Using Synthesized Speech Elizabeth K. Hanson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP University of.

Telephone Talk: Effects of Vocabulary and Timingon Telephone Conversations Using Synthesized Speech

Elizabeth K. Hanson, Ph.D., CCC-SLPUniversity of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD

Caroline Sundheimer, M.A., CFY-SLPSunshine Speech-Language Therapy Services

Phoenix, AZ

ISAAC - Montréal, Québec, Canada - 2008

Acknowledgements

Tina Lombardi

Richardson Independent School District

Dallas, TX

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Hello?

Hello! Is anybody there?

Problems using SGD to talk on the phone Limited telephone bandwidth decreases

intelligibility (Milchard & Cullington (2004) )

Synthesized voice intelligibility worse over the telephone than sound field (Drager, Hustad, and Gable, 2004)

Timing issues… Results:

Hang up Rudeness Unsuccessful call

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Hello?

Hello! Is anybody there?

“The telephone is perhaps my greatest source of frustration.”

Colin Portnuff, 2007

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Attitudes Studies Japan study Content of initial message

(e.g., caller can’t speak and is using synthesized speech)

Timing of message delivery (e.g., 3 sec. delay)

Results: Initial explanation at start improved attitudes toward

caller Presence or absence of delay - no effect

Nakamura, Arima, Sakamoto, & Toyota (1993)

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Attitudes Studies Japan/Wisconsin study Content of initial message

(e.g., brief introduction and request for info)

Results (comparing locations): More positive attitudes in Wisconsin Fewer hang-ups in Wisconsin Explanatory message decreased # hang-

ups in JapanNakamura, Vanderheiden, & Smith (1993)

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Strategic Competence

Using a “floorholder” message

Person using SGD starts with an explanatory message to hold the conversational floor

Cues communication partner to wait

Bedrosian, et al. (2003)

Light (1989b, 1989)

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Purpose

Investigate impact of strategic message and delay times when using synthesized speech during telephone calls.

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Methods

100 telephone calls to businesses advertising in Yellow Pages

Randomly selected Asked for business hours Calls made during the day, to avoid

contacting minors Calls audiotaped for review & reliability

USD IRB#100-07-002-Telephone Talk: Effects of Strategic Communication Messages Using Synthesized Speech

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Technology

Telephone: Uniden landline telephone - speaker mode LG cellular telephone - speaker mode

“MT4” SGD by DynaVox Systems, LLC Voice: DECtalk®“Betty” Speech rate: “30” Volume: “70”

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Conditions

Explanation, no delay “Please wait, I’m using a computer to talk. What are

your hours? …” No explanation, no delay

“What are your hours? …” Explanation, delay

3-second delay “Please wait, I’m using a computer to talk…”

No explanation, delay 3-second delay “What are your hours?”

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Dependent Variable

Successful call = obtained business hours

Unsuccessful call = did not obtain business hours

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Results

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Exp+No Delay Exp+Delay No Exp+NoDelay

No Exp+Delay

# Calls

Success

Unsuccessful

Telephone Call Success by Condition

Results

Outcomes by Condition

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Exp+No Delay Exp+Delay NoExp+NoDelay

NoExp+Delay

Conditions

# Calls

Unsuccessful (hang-up immed.)

Unsuccessful (hang-up mid-way)

Unsuccessful (hostile/wronginfo)Unsuccessful(unintelligible/incomplete)Successful

Results

Unsuccessful Hang-Up Calls

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Exp+No Delay Exp+Delay NoExp+NoDelay NoExp+Delay

# Calls

Hang-up immediatelyHang-up mid-way

Discussion

Absence of explanatory message and or delayed start hurts success rate

Starting call immediately enhances chance of success

Starting with explanatory message enhances chance of success

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Clinical Implications

Teach strategic use of floorholder

Timing issue difficult to control Effect of hostility and hang-ups

on motivation to use telephone

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Limitations

Different phones Different regions DECtalk® still used

but not current

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Content of floorholder… Informative Instructional Personalized

Stakeholder involvement Modify SGD technology?

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

Future

Bedrosian, J.L., Hoag, L.A., & McCoy, K.F. (2003). Relevance and speed of message delivery trade-offs in augmentative and alternative communication. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 46, 800-817.

Drager, K.D.R., Hustad, K.C., & Gable, K.L. (2004). Telephone communication: Synthetic and dysarthric speech intelligibility and listener preferences. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 20(2), 103-112.

Light, J. (1988). Interaction involving individuals using augmentative and alternative communication systems: State of the art and future directions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 54(2), 66-82.

Light, J. (1989b). Toward a definition of communicative competence for individuals using augmentative and alternative communication systems. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 5(2), 137-144.

Milchard, A. J., & Cullington, H. E. (2004). An investigation into the effect of limiting the frequency of bandwidth of speech on speech recognition in adult cochlear implant users. International Journal of Audiology, 43, 356-362.

Nakamura, K., Arima, M., Sakamoto, A., & Toyota, R. (1993). Telephoning with a voice output device: Listener reactions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 9, 251-258.

Nakamura, K., Vanderheiden, G.C., & Smith, R.O. (1993). Attitudes and impressions toward receiving phone calls made with a voice output device in the United States and Japan. Technology and Disability, 2(2), 71-80.

Portnuff, C. (2007). AAC: A user’s perspective. Webcast. Retrieved July 3, 2007 from http://www.aac-rerc.com/pages/news/Portnuff_webcast.htm

Poster #12 ISAAC * 2008 * Montréal 07 Aug 2008, 10:10-11:00 a.m.

References

Results

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

m f m f m f m f

Exp+No Delay Exp+Delay NoExp+No Delay NoExp+Delay

Gender Comparison:Successful Calls

Results

What was different? * Exp NoDelay Vs Exp Delayed Delay Exp NoDelay Vs NoExp NoDelay Explanation * Exp NoDelay Vs NoExp Delayed Explanation & Delay Exp Delayed Vs NoExp NoDelay Explanation & Delay Exp Delayed Vs NoExp Delayed Explanation * NoExp NoDelay Vs NoExp Delayed Delay