ABSTRACT

People with aphasia often have reading impairments that affect participation in daily activities. Text-to-speech (TTS) devices are technology-based supports that can facilitate processing of written materials. The purpose of this study was to gather information about the reading behaviors and TTS technology perceptions of people with aphasia who had first learned about system features and options. Sixteen people with chronic aphasia participated in single, one-on-one instructional and guided practice sessions using TTS systems. They answered close-ended questions about current reading behaviors and materials and ways they believed these would change given TTS system access. Participants reported reading at home and community locations. Most read calendars, newspapers, magazines, and mail. Participants who did not read lengthy materials – such as newspapers, magazines, and novels – indicated their interest in these materials would likely increase given TTS support. Although participants did not predict substantial comprehension changes given TTS support, most expressed interest in the technology after learning about it. Thus, people with aphasia perceive TTS systems as helpful for comprehending lengthy materials. Given modest predictions about comprehension benefits, presenting TTS as one of several support strategies is an appropriate recommendation.

 抽象的

失语症患者通常存在阅读障碍，影响日常活动的参与。文本转语音 (TTS) 设备是基于技术的支持，可以促进书面材料的处理。本研究的目的是收集有关首次了解系统功能和选项的失语症患者的阅读行为和 TTS 技术认知的信息。 16 名慢性失语症患者参加了使用 TTS 系统的单人一对一教学和指导练习课程。他们回答了有关当前阅读行为和材料的封闭式问题，以及他们认为在 TTS 系统访问后这些行为和材料将会发生改变的方式。参与者报告了在家中和社区场所的阅读情况。大多数人阅读日历、报纸、杂志和邮件。不阅读冗长材料（例如报纸、杂志和小说）的参与者表示，由于 TTS 支持，他们对这些材料的兴趣可能会增加。尽管参与者并未预见到 TTS 支持后理解能力会发生重大变化，但大多数人在了解该技术后表示了对该技术的兴趣。因此，失语症患者认为 TTS 系统有助于理解冗长的材料。鉴于对理解效果的适度预测，将 TTS 作为多种支持策略之一是一个合适的建议。