In today’s episode, we welcome Heather Hodges, a leading voice in the Speech Accessibility Project, to discuss the groundbreaking initiative aimed at making speech recognition technology more inclusive for everyone. The Speech Accessibility Project is an interdisciplinary initiative led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, supported by major tech companies: Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft.

Heather shares insights into the project's mission to enhance successful communication for individuals with diverse speech patterns, including those with disabilities. We explore the innovative approaches being taken to collect and analyze speech data, and the potential impact of improved speech technology on daily life. Heather also discusses how listeners can get involved and contribute to this important effort.

Guest: Heather Hodges, MA, CCC-SLP

Host: Elizabeth Peterson, MA, CCC-SLP

Theme Song: Think LOUD for Parkinson’s by Kindred Spirit and Leo Sayer, a new song and video inspired by LSVT LOUD® speech treatment, developed to raise awareness for Parkinson’s worldwide. It is available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon with proceeds being split between UK charity Cure Parkinson’s and the Parkinson’s Foundation in the US.

Production Team: CS Design Studios

Participate or learn more about the Speech Accessibility Project: go.illinois.edu/SAPregistration

Download the flyer to spread the word about the Speech Accessibility Project!

Check out the latest research on SAP: Hasegawa-Johnson et al (2024, JSLHR) Speech Accessibility Project

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