Speech is a complex sound that can be described according to its acoustic characteristics. During the past few years, digital technology has been developed that enhances the ability to display, describe, and analyze speech. This department is currently revising a speech science course and laboratory to provide undergraduate students majoring in communication disorders with the application of state-of-the-art digital instrumentation in order to learn about the nature of human speech. In the past, students have not had access to these instruments as part of an integrated laboratory. The instrumentation being used in this project represents the most current technology for studying the characteristics of speech and utilizes IBM-compatible microcomputer systems and integrated hardware. With this instrumentation, students are able to capture, display, analyze, and describe the parameters of speech and voice using detailed experiments in a laboratory-based science course. This reflects a major revision in the existing speech science course because previous information about speech was available solely from lectures and in-class demonstrations. By changing the emphasis to a laboratory-oriented course, the project provides undergraduate students studying communication disorders with opportunities for improved understanding of the scientific bases of speech. In addition, students are introduced to the scientific process through a required research study involving speech analysis. In order to communicate the results of the investigations, the undergraduate students can develop papers and presentations and share them with graduate students and professionals at state and national meetings.
