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Disordered speech and voice may limit access to everyday voice activated devices (e.g., mobile phones, computers). These devices have automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems that have been trained on non-disordered speech. This makes it frustrating for individuals with speech disorders such as those accompanying Amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Down Syndrome and Parkinson’s disease (PD) to utilize these devices. Project Euphonia is an initiative by Google to make speech technology more accessible to individuals with non-standard speech. The first step in this process is to gather large numbers of speech samples from disordered speakers in order to train speech recognition systems. This paper reports initial work to collect speech data from individuals with PD to contribute to this project. 

Given the role of voice in language expression, we pose that optimizing vocal function may lead to improved language production. Verbs are often impaired in individuals with PD and it is thought that damage to the motor system, given its connection action verbs, underlies this lexical effect. If this is the case, then treatment improving vocal motor function may also improve access to action verbs. Following an intensive 4-week voice treatment, individuals with PD produced fewer utterances and had decreased mean utterance length, but they also produced more words, morphemes and verbs per utterance. Thus, intervention improving vocal loudness was associated with improved verb use and production of more complex syntax in PD. 

For years, in-person group exercise classes for people with PD following LSVT LOUD and LSVT BIG treatments have been offered as a motivating way to encourage maintenance of treatment gains. During COVID-19, stay at home orders eliminated access to classes for many. This seminar will present our detour from in-person to virtual teleLOUD for LIFE and teleBIG for LIFE classes. Practical application of technology, guidelines for delivery, and feedback from participants will be presented.

This session will (a) examine how speech therapists are using an evidence-based, Parkinson’s specific treatment (LSVT LOUD) in atypical parkinsonism, other movement disorders, aging conditions and childhood/adolescent populations, and (b) explore therapists’ perceived outcomes and challenges in applying LSVT LOUD beyond Parkinson’s disease. These clinical implementation data will inform needs for future research and ongoing clinical support for therapists.