Abstract: A voice-over instructional system comprising an instructional recording having a plurality of completed works, each completed work including an example section as an example for the student to follow, and a performance section consisting of a background-only track; and a script including the words and director's notes for each of the plurality of works. The performance section preferably immediately follows the example section for each work. It is also preferable to divide the recording into separate works including a first selection that includes both the example section and the performance section; and a second selection immediately following the first selection having only the performance section for the work. In a second aspect of the invention a voice-over instruction method is provided that utilizes the voice-over instructional system.

Abstract: An audio-visual work and method of its creation which work has writings placed on the pictures of the work so that as each word or other utterance is heard a writing to be associated with the hearing is coordinated with seeing by emphasis or otherwise of the writing such that the future presentation of either the utterance or the writing shall evoke the other in the mind of the original viewer-listener. Each word will when appropriate appear in a legible perspective adjacent to the mouth of the utterer. The work can be displayed linearly or under computer control of the viewer-listener along with additional educational materials. Selected use of groups of words highlighted or not may be used.

Abstract: A treatment system for reducing stuttering uses an auditory feedback modification technique to train the stutterer's speech motor control system to be more stable. The auditory feedback modification is based on a model of speech motor control in the human brain that incorporates a variation of observer-based control and Smith prediction. In addition, the Kalman gain of the model is set by comparing the speech muscular control signals sent to the person's vocal tract to the corresponding auditory speech sounds the person actually hears. It is believed that the speech motor control system of a stutterer has set the Kalman gain too high, thereby creating an unstable control system that in turn causes stuttering. A feedback modifier feeds back the stutterer's speech to the stutterer with a perturbation that is small enough to pass a validator function that is believed to be part of the speech motor control system.

Abstract: A educational card game for teaching phonetic pronunciation of words and letters. The educational card game includes a plurality of cards, each of the plurality of cards includes a face side and represents a different letter of the alphabet. The letter of the alphabet represented by each card is printed in a central portion of the face side and a point value assigned to each card is printed in a corner of the face side. A device for storing data representing an oral pronunciation of each letter printed on each of the plurality of cards is included to provide a correct oral pronunciation of each letter on each card. The data representing the phonetic pronunciation of each letter is assigned a respective location within the data storage device.

Abstract: An audio frequency converter apparatus which includes an input amplifier, first threshold sensor, connected to an output of the input amplifier, for cutting off a voltage supplied by the input amplifier at a threshold, after rectification, and second threshold sensor, connected to the output of the input amplifier, for adding at a threshold the voltage supplied by the input amplifier after rectification. The second threshold sensor has a time constant which is at least equal to that of the first threshold sensor. A voltage controlled oscillator is connected to the output of the first threshold sensor to provide an oscillating output having a frequency that decreases with an increase in the output of the first threshold sensor.

Abstract: A computer toy for infants that promotes normal speech development by facilitating the infant's experimentation with babbles and other elementary sounds. Additionally, the toy provides an enriched environment for language learning by prompting the infant with a repertoire of verbal sounds including phonemes, syllables, and simple spoken words. The toy includes a microphone input device for detecting vocalizations by an infant and an audiovisual output device for providing feedback to the infant including the immediate playback of the infant's own vocalizations, and a control means for transforming detected vocalizations into instructions for use by the audiovisual output device.

Abstract: A learning aid is provided which allows the user to selectively mute one part of a prerecorded multipart drama and substitute his or her voice for that muted part. A recorded copy of a composite of the unmuted prerecorded portions of the drama, the user's voice, and additional sound effects may thus be created. A voice sensitive microphone allows the period of time for the user's part to be flexibly varied and prerecorded control signals provide visible cues to the user that the part selected is imminent.

Abstract: An information reproducer which includes reading device for a reading visual information and sound information printed on a printing sheet, a storage device for storing the visual information and the sound information read by the reading device, a display device for selectively displaying the stored visual information on a screen, a visual information designating device for designating a partial area of the visual information displayed on the display screen, a connecting device for connecting the partial area of the visual information designated by the designating device with a part of the sound information corresponding thereto, and a sound information reproducing device for reading, from the storage device, and reproducing the sound information connected with the designated visual information.

Abstract: A pronunciation comparison method permits a user to directly and repeatedly compare the user's own sound with sound which is reproduced from a recording medium. The sound signal which is reproduced from a recording medium, as well as the user's own sound signal, in attempt to emulate the reproduced sound, are both recorded in a sound storage medium. Then the reproduced sound and user sound are output sequentially from the storage medium via a speaker so that the user may directly compare the two sounds. The sequential outputting of the reproduced sound and user sound may be repeated any number of times, the number of repetitions being selected by the user.

Abstract: A document interpreting system comprises a book having the co-ordinate array of a graphics tablet embodied in it, conveniently in the front cover and rear cover thereof, an electronics module comprising a microcontroller connected to the co-ordinate array, a pointer for pointing to arbitrary areas on an open page of the book, and a speech circuit for causing speech or other sounds to be emitted corresponding to the area of the page which is being pointed to.

Abstract: Several parts of speech, including sentences, words and phrases, in multiple languages, Japanese and English, for instance, are stored in a ROM; and some of the parts of speech include an addition-permitting flag indicating that a word or phrase can be added to these parts of speech. Words and phrases that may be added to the stored syntactical structures are also stored in the ROM. In response to user input, a desired syntactical structure is read from the ROM and displayed. When the displayed syntactical structure has an addition-permitting flag, a predetermined symbol near the displayed syntactical structure is displayed, and a desired word or phrase is read from the ROM and added to the displayed syntactical structure in response to a user input. Upon depression of a key, the resulting syntactical structure is translated into another language.

Abstract: A computer system with a speech recognition component provides a method and apparatus for instructing and evaluating the proficiency of human users in skills that can be exhibited through speaking. The computer system tracks linguistic, indexical and paralinguistic characteristics of the spoken input of users, and implements games, data access, instructional systems, and tests. The computer system combines characteristics of the spoken input automatically to select appropriate material and present it in a manner suitable for the user. In one embodiment, the computer system measures the response latency and speaking rate of the user and presents its next spoken display at an appropriate speaking rate. In other embodiments, the computer system identifies the gender and native language of the user, and combines that information with the relative accuracy of the linguistic content of the user's utterance to select and display material that may be easier or more challenging for speakers with these characteristics.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for improving the speed an accuracy of recognition of speech dialects, or speech tansferred via dissimilar channels is described. The invention provides multiple models tailored to specific segments or dialects, and/or speech channels, of the population. However, there is not a proportional increase in recognition time or computing power or computing resources needed. Probability density functions for the acoustic descriptors are provided which are shared among the various models. Since there is a common pool of probability density functions which are mapped or pointed to for the different acoustic descriptors for each different dialect or speech channel model, the memory requirements for the speech recognition apparatus and method are significantly reduced. Each model is comprised of triphonemes which are modelled by discrete probability distribution functions forming hidden Markov models or statistical word models.

Abstract: Upon selection of an expression for pronunciation training, a look-up operation is performed in a speaker database (15) to obtain a predetermined model for comparison with a voice of a user received at an input (11). A speech modeling element models speech of a native speaker. The voice input is applied to the modeling element (102-107) and an analysis is carried out of the comparison, in correlation and in duration, between a phoneme or sub-word of the input and a phoneme or sub-word of the native speaker to provide a score, including a score for the correlation and a score for the duration. The score is analyzed with respect to a score for a predetermined speaker in an analysis element (40). An indicator device (16) coupled to the output of the analysis element indicates the result in a graphical illustration. A tracking tool indicates state of progress of the voice of the speaker.

Abstract: A system where a child or other individual arranges one or more computer-recognizable characters on a working platform to spell words or provide a mathematical result in response to computer generated questions or prompts, the system then indicating whether the words or mathematical result is correct.

Abstract: An interactive learning device in a laid open book format for toddlers and preschoolers, having a plurality of advantageous features. The device has keys in the form of raised letters of the alphabet that are depressed to make a voice processor circuit recite the letters. The learning device receives a card that spells out a word, and the speech processor circuit, upon the depressing of the keys that correspond to the letters constituting the word, pronounces the word phonetically, both letter by letter and by the entire word. The device provides numerous feedback mechanisms for reinforcing learning, and is of a portable, compact shape.

Abstract: A method and a system is disclosed that provide means to enable individuals with speech, language and reading based communication disabilities, due to a temporal processing problem, to improve their temporal processing abilities as well as their communication abilities. The method and system include provisions to elongate portions of phonemes that have brief and/or rapidly changing acoustic spectra, such as occur in the stop consonants b and d in the phonemes /ba/ and /da/, as well as reduce the duration of the steady state portion of the syllable. In addition, some emphasis is added to the rapidly changing segments of these phonemes. Additionally, the disclosure includes method for and computer software to modify fluent speech to make the modified speech better recognizable by communicatively impaired individuals. Finally, the disclosure includes method for and computer software to train temporal processing abilities, specifically speed and precision of temporal integration, sequencing and serial memory.

Abstract: A language learning system comprises a video recording and playing system for playing a recording media, such as a VCR tape, which records a first voice signal of a first speaker and a second voice signal of a second speaker. The video recording and playing system has a first channel and a second channel which are exclusively responsive to the first voice signal and the second voice signal, respectively. A channel selecting device selects at least one of the first voice channel and the second voice channel so that at least one of the first voice signal and the second voice signal is reproduced. As a result, the user can practice conversation with the selected speaker in place of the non-selected speaker.

Abstract: A voice recording/reproducing apparatus suitable for use in a language laboratory operates with a disk on which are recorded text segments comprising sentences and a table of contents containing text and sentence addresses. Automatic sensing of the division points between sentences in each of the text sections can be performed. Only the end portion of a sentence may be readily reproduced, and the division point following the sentence may be finely adjusted. Desired audio data may be quickly retrieved by rough retrieval operations, in which the time code is advanced or reversed by a large amount, followed by fine retrieval operations, in which the time code is advanced or reversed by a small amount. One of several pronunciation practice modes may be selected. A reduced reproduction speed capability allows a student to hear fine pronunciation of words with an invariant pitch.

Abstract: A speech training aid compares a trainee's speech with models of speech, stored as sub-acoustic word models, and a general speech model to give an indication of whether or not the trainee has spoken correctly. An indication of how well the word has been pronounced may also be given. An adult operator enters the word to be tested into the training aid which then forms a model of that word from the stored sub-word speech models. The stored acoustic models are formed by first recording a plurality of words by a plurality of trainees from a given list of single words. These recordings are then processed off-line to give a basic acoustic model of an acceptable or correct sound for each phoneme in the context of the pre-and proceeding phonemes. The acoustic models are Hidden Markov Models. The limits of acceptable pronunciation, applied to different words and trainees, may be adjusted by variable penalty values applied in association with the general speech acoustic model.

Abstract: Apparatus for interactive language training including a trigger generator for eliciting expected audio responses by a user;an expected audio response reference library containing a multiplicity of reference expected responses, the multiplicity of reference expected responses including a first plurality of reference expected responses having acceptable pronunciation and for each of the first plurality of reference expected responses having acceptable pronunciation, a second plurality of reference expected responses each having different pronunciation errors;an audio response scorer which indicates the relationship between the expected audio response provided by the user and the reference expected responses; anda user feedback interface which indicates to the user the pronunciation errors in the expected audio responses provided by the user.

Abstract: The invention provides a speech therapy system, comprising a first channel including a microphone, and a first analog-to-digital (A/D) transducer for transducing voice signals from the microphone into digital form, a second channel including at least one respiration sensor attachable to a user's body for detecting breathing motion, and a second A/D transducer connected to the sensor for transducing breathing motion signals into digital form. The system further includes a processing, video display and voice output unit, to which the first and second channels are connected, for the simultaneous display of voice and breathing motion patterns while effecting the sounding of the voice signals.

Abstract: A cards and dice game to develop public speaking ability is disclosed. The game provides a single die which is rolled to determine the order of play. Timing and grammar judges are selected. The players take turns as speaker in sequence. Each player begins each turn by selecting a card from a stack of cards, wherein each card has a plurality of speaking topics on the card. The player then rolls the die to determine which speaking topic on the card is to be used. The player receives 1 point for every second of speech. A maximum speaking time of 3 minutes and 180 points is allowed. Points are deducted by the grammarian for speech fillers such as "ummms" and "ahhhs", and for pauses. Ten points are lost where the speaker strays from the topic.

Abstract: An audio-visual work and method of its creation which work has writings placed on the pictures of the work so that as each word or other utterance is heard a writing to be associated with the hearing is coordinated with seeing of the writing such that the future presentation of either the utterance or the writing shall evoke the other in the mind of the original viewer-listener. Each word will when appropriate appear in a legible perspective adjacent to the mouth of the utterer. The work can be displayed linearly or under computer control of the viewer/listener along with additional educational materials.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for training stuttering students to speak fluently is described. The student practices various speech exercises as part of a detailed plan which lasts several weeks and which gradually trains the student to speak more and more complex word patterns with an aim of retraining the stutterer to speak fluently.

Abstract: The invention extends the capability of conventional computer speech recognition programs to reliably recognize and understand large word and phrase vocabularies for teaching language comprehension and oral production skills. At each step of a teaching program, information is supplied to the user such that some responses in the language being taught are correct (or appropriate) and some are incorrect (or inappropriate), with these respective sets of responses judiciously selected to teach some language aspect. A subset of allowable correct and incorrect responses is selected such that a speech recognition subprogram readily discerns certain allowable responses from other allowable responses, including each incorrect response being discriminable from each correct response. The meanings of at least the correct allowable responses are made clear by aural or visual information, such as graphic images, printed text, or translations into the user's native language.

Abstract: A children's speech training aid compares a child's speech with models of speech, stored as sub-word acoustic models, and a general speech model to give an indication of whether or not the child has spoken correctly. An indication of how well the word has been pronounced may also be given. An adult operator enters the word to be tested into the training aid which then forms a model of that word from the stored sub-word speech models. The stored acoustic models are formed by first recording a plurality of words by a plurality of children from a given list of single words. These recordings are then processed off-line to give a basic acoustic model of an acceptable or correct sound for each phoneme in the context of the pre- and proceeding phonemes. The acoustic models are Hidden Markov Models. The limits of acceptable pronunciation applied to different words and children may be adjusted by variable penalty values applied in association with the general speech acoustic model.

Abstract: A puppet for demonstrating the preferred positioning of oral anatomical structures (e.g., mouth, tongue, hard palate, incisor teeth) when making various audible phonetic sounds. Generally, the puppet comprises a puppet body having an upper jaw, a lower jaw, an oral cavity, a tongue, and at least one tooth extending downwardly from the upper jaw. A hand insertion passageway is formed in the puppet body and leads into a plurality of digit-receiving spaces or pouches formed in the upper jaw, tongue and lower jaw. Thus, the user's hand may be inserted into the puppet such that selected digits of the user's hand become positioned within selected ones of the digit-receiving spaces. Thereafter the digits of the user's hand may be moved or manipulated to cause the desired movement and relative positioning of the oral anatomical structures.

Abstract: An audio frequency converter apparatus which includes an input amplifier, first threshold sensor, connected to an output of the input amplifier, for cutting off a voltage supplied by the input amplifier at a threshold, after rectification, and second threshold sensor, connected to the output of the input amplifier, for adding at a threshold the voltage supplied by the input amplifier after rectification. The second threshold sensor has a time constant which is at least equal to that of the first threshold sensor. A voltage controlled oscillator is connected to the output of the first threshold sensor to provide an oscillating output having a frequency that decreases with an increase in she output of the first threshold sensor.

Abstract: A prompt-providing adaptive speech tutor toy, is characterized by a programmed sequence of prompts in standard speech evoking a user's voice response of a word or phrase. Initially, a vocalized password provides a wake-up call during sleep mode to activate a start sequencer. This turns on the system. The user selects a category. A sequence of prompts and responses follows. Each response is accepted by a user input transducer, electronically treated to eliminate environmental noise and to put the response in a digitized form for computer evaluation. Computer evaluation follows. Frequency domain information from the user pattern is compared against frequency domain information from a standard pattern. Time domain information from the user pattern is compared against time domain information from a standard pattern. The comparisons are concatenated into a comparison score and this is checked against a threshold.

Abstract: An all-audio, hands-free and eyes-free interactive tutor provides time-efficient and reduced-boredom instruction by varying a course of instruction based on the correct and incorrect responses of the user so as to frequently repeat and provide positive feedback for poorly-learned items of knowledge, to periodically refresh well-learned items and to suggest that rest be taken or to switch to easier material whenever too many human errors have occurred. The audio interactive tutor includes an audio input module, in the preferred embodiment a voice recognition unit based on a finite state grammar, an audio output module, a course of study and a user model. In a preferred embodiment, the course of study provides for human error control as well as for voice recognition unit error control, which synergistically cooperate to render the tutor substantially fault-tolerant and therewith enables the employment of commercially-available but not excessively accurate voice recognition units.

Abstract: This invention includes a speech training system that allows a student to enter any utterance to be learned and have the articulatory model movements required to produce the utterance displayed on a CRT screen. The system accepts a typed utterance, breaking it down into a set of speech units which could be phonemes or syllables and the onset and offset of the speech units. The set of speech units is sent to a synthesizer, which produces a set of parameters indicating the acoustic characteristics of the utterance. The acoustic parameters are converted into articulatory parameters emphasizing the frequency and nasality required to produce the typed utterance. The speech units and onset and offset of each are used to generate tongue-palate contact patterns required to produce the typed utterance. The articulatory parameters are displayed on the CRT screen. The acoustic parameters are also sent to a formant synthesizer which converts the parameters into speech output.

Abstract: A method of transforming time-domain data to frequency-domain data by means of digital numerical models of damped oscillators, and a spectrograph implemented using said method.

Abstract: A hollow tubular device to assist patients during speech therapy a main body portion of a tubular configuration having a hollow interior with an interior surface and having an exterior surface, the main body portion being formed of a plastic material; a pair of parallel end caps at each end of the main body portion, the end caps being circular in shape with a thickness essentially the same thickness as the side wall; and an centrally disposed aperture extending through each end cap.

Abstract: A speech synthesizer (3) produces prompts in the voice of a native speaker of a language to be learned to which the student replies or imitates. A phrase recognizer (1) employs keyword recognition to generate from the student's prompted response an original speech template spoken by the student. Thereafter, interactive dialogue takes place. The student's progress in that dialogue is monitored by measuring the deviation of the student's current speech from his original speech template. When this deviation is sufficiently large so that the recognizer (1) no longer recognizes what the student is saying, the system retrains and updates the student's speech template. In another embodiment, the system includes a display which shows the native speaker's mouth shape while the words to be imitated are spoken by the speech synthesizer (3). Also provided are a video pick-up and analyzer for analyzing the shapes of the student's mouth to give the student visual feedback.

Abstract: Apparatus for interactive speech training having an audio specimen generator for playing a pre-recorded reference audio specimen to a user for attempted repetition by the user and a reference audio specimen library in which reference audio specimens are stored and to which the audio specimen generator has access. The audio specimen library contains a multiplicity of recordings of speaker dependent audio specimens produced by a plurality of speech models. A speaker independent parameter database stores a plurality of speaker independent references which are different from the reference audio specimens stored in the reference audio specimen library. The speaker independent references are classified according to at least one of age, gender or dialect, but is independent of other speaker characteristics within each category. An audio specimen scorer scores a user's repetition audio specimen by comparison of at least one parameter of the user's repetition audio specimen with a speaker independent reference.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for teaching reading and spelling. Specifically, the invention delineates the rules governing the syllabic division and letter sounds of one, two, three, four and five syllable words. The method employs an unique system of integration of these syllabic rules, phonograms, four sets of consonant clusters and single consonants for teaching a learner reading and spelling with either a manual or computer program.

Abstract: Announcements from a voice messaging system that either prompt a user for action or provide information to a user are constructed independent of the language in which the announcement is provided to the user. In particular, each announcement is treated as a "semantic expression" having an announcement identifier. This announcement identifier is mapped into a plurality of rules, each rule providing instructions on how to construct the announcement for a particular language. The rules can recursively call other rules to provide additional flexibility in constructing a particular announcement.

Abstract: An interactive speech pronunciation system for teaching pronunciation and reducing the accent of a user includes a memory for storing a plurality of presequenced lessons, an input interface for allowing a user to select predetermined ones of the presequenced lessons, a processor for executing program steps corresponding to the lessons selected by the user, and a monitor for displaying visual indicators to the user of the system. The speech pronunciation system further includes an audio input device, for recording sounds spoken by the user, an audio output device for transducing signals fed thereto to pre-recorded sounds and a speech processor for providing stored signals to the audio output device.

Abstract: The data entry portion of a voice messaging system is constructed to be language, culture, or market segment independent. In particular, the design of the voice messaging system is based upon "semantic expressions," which are used to evaluate any language, culture, or market specific data that is entered by a user. In particular, each type of data entry is treated as a "semantic expression" having an identifier. This identifier is mapped into a plurality of rules, each rule providing instructions on how to interpret the input data for a particular language, culture, or market segment. The rules can recursively call other rules to provide additional flexibility in interpreting information that is entered by a user.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for language teaching is provided, which includes use of a microphone for receiving a statement by a person in the language sought to be learned. A first signal is created, and the first signal is subjected to a first processing step to create a second signal. The second signal contains the first signal in a modified form, in a predetermined manner according to the envelope curve derived from selected pass bands of the language sought to be learned. The first signal is subjected to a second processing step to create a third signal which contains the first signal modified according to the harmonic content of the statement and according to the characteristics of the language. Finally, either the second or third signal is sent to the person, depending upon whether the amplitude of the first signal is above or below a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: This invention includes a speech training system that allows a student to enter any utterance to be learned and have the articulatory model movements required to produce the utterance displayed on a CRT screen. The system accepts a typed utterance, breaking it down into a set of phonemes. The set of phonemes is sent to a synthesizer, which produces a set of parameters indicating the acoustic characteristics of the utterance. The acoustic parameters are converted into articulatory parameters emphasizing the frequency, nasality, and tongue-palate contact required to produce the typed utterance. The articulatory parameters are displayed on the CRT screen. The acoustic parameters are also sent to a formant synthesizer which converts the parameters into speech output. The system measures a student's production and then evaluates the student's production against the parameters of the typed utterance for its similarity. Feedback on the similarity is displayed on the CRT screen.

Abstract: A method of screening communication functions in a human subject comprises (a) presenting a verbal auditory stimulus to the subject, and then (b) scoring a response to the verbal auditory stimulus, with the response being an expressive response, a receptive response, or both. These steps are then cyclically repeated to provide an evaluation of the subject's response to a plurality of verbal auditory stimuli. Once the evaluation is complete, the evaluation is used to determine whether the subject should receive further diagnostic testing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, subjects are deliberately confounded during the receptive portion of the test.

Abstract: A doll, apparently capable of learning through a combination of human speech and touch interaction, includes a speech generator for generating upon actuation the currently indexed sound in a predetermined sequence of sounds. The sequence of sounds evidences a stepwise learning process defined by a plurality of learning steps, each step being composed in turn of a predetermined subsequence of wrong sounds followed by correct sounds. A speech detector detects human speech when energized and, in response thereto, indexes the subsequence of sounds to the next sound within the current step and actuates the speech generator and, at the end of each step, indexes the sequence of sounds to the first sound of the next step and causes the speech generator to request the selected touch. A touch detector detects a selected touch when energized and, in response thereto, actuates the speech generator.

Abstract: A multichannel sound recording and playback device is described, which comprises a integrated circuit memory unit for storing messages, a microphone for feeding messages to the memory unit, a speaker for transmitting messages from the memory unit, message actuation devices uniquely associated with the different messages, and control circuitry (logic gates) for enabling and/or disenabling the memory unit and microphone, and for causing transmission of a given message when that message's actuation device is actuated. A preferred form of memory unit is an electrically erasable read-only analog memory IC chip, which permits very low power consumption (less than 100 microamps) during standby. A method for improving language and communication skills of a child is also described, using the device of the invention with pictures affixed to the message actuation devices.

Abstract: A method and device that facilitates production of r sounds in humans who have difficulty pronouncing them. An appliance is placed adjacent the posterior edge of the hard palate that lowers the effective roof of the palatal vault. The appliance preferably extends between the last erupted posterior maxillary teeth on each side of the dental arch, and lowers the palatal vault of the occlusal plane of the teeth between which the appliance extends. The position of the appliance in a subject's mouth can be manipulated by a handle, or the appliance can be fixed in a subject's mouth using dental clasps.

Abstract: A complemental series of handheld, tactile devices in kit form to assist in behavioral modification training techniques as well as utilizing the techiques of "resisted movement" and "successive approximation". Each positioner device is handheld, with one portion protruding from the lips and the other portion loosely fitting on the patient's hard plate. Different shapes are introduced to the tongue and lips on each respective device. A commonalty within the interdependent positioner devices is presented by an elongated palatal base defining a convex upper surface to engage the palate, a manipulable handle projecting from the base and the respective devices are further characterized in configuration.

Abstract: A sound-coded system for teaching beginning reading using four sound descriptors which allows one letter or digraph to represent each sound without altering the traditional orthography, or correct American English spelling, of the original words. The sound descriptors correspond to the long vowel sounds, the single-sound digraphs, the silent or misleading letters, and the sounds made with a slight throat utterance. The simplicity and reliability of sound-coding makes decoding of unfamiliar words a game for beginning readers. A particularly preferred method of use is in the context of a book wherein the opaque text pages are interleaved between transparent pages.

Abstract: A learning apparatus in which a memory contains a first plurality of data units and a second plurality of data units each of which is related to a unit of the first program. Switches are provided for switching between the first and second pluralities of data units and for switching between the units within the selected plurality. Reading means are provided for reading a designated unit of data from the memory, based on a signal from the operation switch, thus making it possible to access and reproduce any desired program or articles related to the program. In another embodiment, a control memory holds the addresses of the data units, and the reading means obtains the address of the selected data unit from the control memory and reads the data at that address. The apparatus is uniquely suited for audio teaching material, such as languages, but may be used with any information which may be organized into logically related units.

Abstract: An interactive information delivery system for use in computer-based training is disclosed. The system has a laser disc player which reads training materials from a laser disc to produce high-quality video pictures and training text, etc. Operation of the laser disc player is controlled by a computer which accepts student input data from a keypad. Responsive to the input data, the computer issues commands such as ON, PAUSE, OFF etc. to the laser disc player, thus allowing the student to interact with the system.