The principal investigator developed and has employed in private practice over the past three years a microcomputer-aided stuttering therapy program using an Apple //e, software, and hardware configuration, which has demonstrated high effectivity in producing fluent, normal sounding speech in adolescents and adults who stutter, as well as high efficiency. The program is easily administered with a minimum of training by any qualified speech pathologist. Phase II funding will be used to perform validation and normative studies with the new system which was developed under Phase I, and to compare results with those performed under Phase I using the original system. The new electronic components will be thoroughly tested, and field test sites (three of which are now in place) will be supported. Professional workshops will be held both in the United States and abroad. Phase II software development will include a program version for children between the ages of 5 and 9 years, game programs for drill, a home practice program for both children and adults, and conversion for use with the IBM-PC, thus widening the potential commercial market. Experimentation with hardware and software for the addition of frequency analysis to increase the applicability for voice disorders is also planned.
