Effects of synthetic speech output and orthographic feedback on spelling in a student with autism: a preliminary study.
Turning on synthetic speech during spelling trials can help nonspeaking students with autism learn new words faster than text alone.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers tested three feedback setups for teaching spelling to one nonspeaking student with autism. The setups were: speech output only, orthographic feedback only, or both together. They used an alternating-treatments design, switching the setup each session to see which one helped the student learn fastest.
What they found
Speech output alone or paired with orthographic feedback beat orthographic feedback alone. The student reached new spelling words faster when the device spoke the word after each response. Plain text on the screen, without the voice, moved learning at a slower pace.
How this fits with other research
Prigge et al. (2013) also used audio to teach job skills to teens with autism. They hid the coach's voice in an earbud and saw quick mastery, echoing the speed boost seen here with synthetic speech. Grow et al. (2017) used the same alternating-treatments design to show that extra instructive feedback can spark new play behaviors, just like extra speech output sparked faster spelling. DiSanti et al. (2020) found that no single rotation plan works for every child when teaching receptive labels; the positive effect of speech here may also vary by learner, so watch individual progress closely.
Why it matters
If you run spelling or sight-word programs for nonspeaking clients, turn on the device's voice output. It costs nothing extra and may cut acquisition time. Pair the spoken word with the written word for the best shot at speed. Track data session-by-session; if gains stall, you can still fall back to text-only trials.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Flip on the speech output in your AAC app before the next spelling trial and record timings to compare with last week's text-only data.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
The effects of speech output and orthographic feedback on spelling performance were evaluated in this preliminary study. A nonspeaking student with autism was taught to spell words under three feedback conditions using a voice output communication aid. In the auditoryvisual condition, the participant received speech output and orthographic feedback. In the visual condition, the participant received only the orthographic feedback. In the auditory condition, the student received only speech output. An adapted alternating treatments design was used to evaluate the effects of the three feedback conditions. Although the participant reached criterion and maintained performance in each of the conditions, the provision of speech output alone and in combination with orthographic feedback resulted in more efficient spelling than the provision of orthographic feedback alone. Although replications with other subjects are necessary, findings suggest that speech output contributes to efficient spelling.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1998 · doi:10.1023/a:1026060619378