Video Voice Speech Training System - Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of speech problems can Video Voice help with?	For just about every speech error, Video Voice has a game or display that can be useful in correcting it. Most have multiple uses, in fact. For more information on the available options, see Formant Displays, P-A-R Displays and Fun & Games. You can even see sample screens for every game and display by clicking on pictures or related links.
What age levels can Video Voice be used with? Is it only for young children?	Video Voice is very broad-reaching speech therapy software, and can be helpful for work with both adults and children. Some of the games will appeal more to kids than adults, and some displays are more suited for work with adults. One hearing-impaired program with Video Voice uses it with children as young as 18 months, and finds it a valuable tool for establishing vocal awareness. Therapists working with geriatric caseloads report that it helps Parkinson's patients develop better breath control or post-stroke clients regain volume and durational control of vocalization. With adolescent or early adult ages, Video Voice provides an entertaining facility for the repetitive drill work required for automaticity of sound production. Whatever the age or speech disorder, you're sure to find numerous applications for therapy work!
I'm an itinerant therapist and work in several schools. Can I use Video Voice at all of them?	Absolutely! Video Voice is free to use in as many places and on as many computers as you wish. If you would like for students you work with to be able to do at-home practice, encourage their parents to download and install the software, too.
Can I program in my own voice targets or do I have to use yours?	Not only can you program in your own voice targets, you must do so. We don't preprogram any sounds or words. Differences in individual speakers' voices, combined with dialectical characteristics, make providing models that every speaker can match very difficult. We leave it up to you to decide what is an appropriate or acceptable production, and what the targets should be. Programming models is easy, too - just say them into the microphone, then click Save. During a therapy session, you can also instantly change any model to reflect the speaker's target production.
Will Video Voice work with languages other than English?	Although the user interface of the full version is currently in English only, Video Voice is actually language independent. The visual feedback can easily be used for any language, and therapists in a variety of different countries have found this speech therapy software helpful in speech development and remediation with their caseloads. The new International/Simplified operating mode features substantial localization for French and Spanish. It also supports non-Latin based keyboard languages such as Arabic, Hindi, and others for user names and speech targets, although data cannot be stored in that mode.
How do you handle differences in voices, such as male vs. female or adult vs. child?	There are a couple of approaches to handling intrinsic differences between speakers. For articulation work, your initial models can simply be a starting point, because you can quickly and easily replace models with the speaker's own, acceptable productions. Or, you can enlist someone else to voice the targets for you, one whose voice is more similar in quality. Therapists who work in schools can usually get another child to participate in the process, with very little effort. In the games and displays that focus on pitch control, Video Voice has sampling ranges from extra low to high, and you choose the pitch range that best fits a given speaker. The low ranges are appropriate for adult male speakers, while the higher ranges should be used with children.
How hard is learning to use Video Voice? Do I have to be a computer expert? Do you offer training?	We've worked hard to make this speech therapy software as easy to use as possible. Most functions are therapist-adjustable, so operation can be customized to different people's needs. You don't have to memorize anything, though, because Video Voice has several visual cues to help you. Color-coding indicates adjustable options, the cursor graphic changes to a hand to indicate "clickability," and tool tips which explain function pop up whenever you dwell over a button or control. The program is also extensively documented internally via context-sensitive Help which makes learning to use it easy. The Help Me Choose facility provides interactive selection of games and displays for the most common speech goals, and Solutions link to several printable pages that offer numerous suggestions for work. On-site training is not available, but if you need assistance, help is just a toll-free phone call away. You'll reach real people with real answers, and we're happy to answer your questions and operational walk-throughs as needed.
My child has speech problems. How do I know if Video Voice is right for him?	Share information about Video Voice with your child's speech therapist and ask for her assistance in determining if it may be helpful in resolving his particular speech errors. You can the software with your child at home, but we do recommend that you involve a speech professional so you'll have guidance for using it most effectively.