BITS Lab vs Articulate R

Many children, adolescents, and adults struggle to eliminate speech errors affecting the American English 'r' sound. Research suggests that these errors can in some cases be eliminated through biofeedback, where learners view a dynamic visual image of their speech and attempt to match a target representing correct production. staRt ("Speech Therapist's App for /r/ Treatment") aims to make biofeedback treatment for /r/ widely accessible to practicing speech-language pathologists. Features: - Tutorial explaining how to interpret and use the biofeedback display - "Free play" mode where users match their real-time visual-acoustic display to a target representing correct production of ‘r’ - "Quest" mode presenting syllables/words for 'r' practice; complexity increases or decreases in an adaptive fashion based on recent performance - "Quiz" mode for use in measuring baseline performance and tracking progress - Visual rewards reinforcing improvements in performance - Clinician dashboard tracking progress over the course of treatment

This application is a great clinical tool for a speech therapist, but it can also be used by parents to help children practice the "r' sound. English language learners will also find this app helpful for pronunciation practice. The app consists of 150 images with optional spoken words and text, providing “r” practice through auditory bombardment or flashcard drilling. A fun and visually appealing matching game keeps users motivated to practice their articulation while they play. Articulate R was created by an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist. It is intended for anyone who needs practice using the R sound, also known as rhotic, liquid phoneme /r/. The app is suitable for those who omit, distort or substitute other sounds for R. It is also helpful for children who vowelize the /r/ or use the phonological process of liquid gliding. Words have been chosen which give the user practice in R production in various phonetic contexts, including: • initial /r/ 1 syllable • initial /r/ multisyllabic • inter-syllabic /r/ 2 syllables • inter-syllabic /r/ 3+ syllables • initial /br/ • initial /pr/ • initial /kr/ • initial /gr/ • initial /dr/ • initial /tr/ • initial /fr/ • vocalic /r/ (ar) • vocalic /r/ (air) • vocalic /r/ (er) • vocalic /r/ (ear) • vocalic /r/ (ire) • vocalic /r/ (or)