Abstract: A system and method for user-defined control of the operation and appearance of a computerized instant messaging service and associated user interface is disclosed, providing ease of use, control over presentation and access to instant messaging services, particularly for unsighted and other users requiring assistive technologies. A instant messaging (IM) application includes an active sessions list (ASL) comprised of algorithmically ordered identifiers of all communicants in current active chat sessions with the user. The list is presented on the desktop and focused by a predefined first hot-key. By selecting identifiers from the list and activating a predefined second hot-key, chat windows associated with the communicants are opened and focused for receipt of responsive messages from the user.

Abstract: A note facility which documents the progress of a student in producing human speech. The facility stores a set of notes in a note file in a computer memory. Each of the set of notes contains textual information generally descriptive of the human speech produced at a given time during the training. A set of speech samples is also stored and attached to selected ones of the set of notes. Each of the speech samples is a digitized version of the human speech produced. The facility analyzes the human speech produced at least one of the given times to produce speech statistics which are presented to the user interface. The speech statistics can be stored in a note and the statistics note attached to the set of notes containing the descriptive text. Navigation through the note file can review each of the notes for the subjective opinion of the student's progress, statistics of an objective acoustic analysis of the speech and listen to the speech file on which the opinion is based.

Abstract: Selecting human speech samples for a speech model of human speech is preformed. The system presents a graphic representing a human speech sample on a computer display, e.g., an amplitude vs. time graph of the speech sample. Through user input, the system marks a segment of the graphic. The marked segment of the graphic represents a portion of the human speech sample. The system plays the portion of the human speech sample represented by the marked segment back to the user to allow the user to determine its acceptability for inclusion in the speech model. If so indicated by the user, the portion of the human speech sample represented by the marked segment is selected for inclusion in the speech model. The system also analyzes the portion of the human speech sample represented by the marked segment for acoustic properties. These properties are presented to the user in a graphic of the analyzed portion representative of the acoustic properties, e.g.