Research

*This section showcases speech research in general and not necessarily
research conducted by the SRC*

instructor molding a patients mouth to make correct mouth movements

PROMPT INTERVENTION: A RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL

PROMPT intervention was associated with notable improvements in speech motor control, speech articulation, and word-level speech intelligibility.

visual chart of speach motor development

SPEECH SOUND ERRORS: PHONOLOGY VS. SPEECH MOTOR

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Articulatory “gestures” and principles of movement coordination can explain patterns of speech sound errors across subtypes of speech sound disorders in children.

an instructor with a young female patient smiling

IS MORE THERAPY BETTER?

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A critical question in speech-language pathology is would children receiving more therapy demonstrate better benefits? Therapy dosage (e.g. number of sessions a week) yields different outcomes in children depending on disorder subtype.

light blue translucent brain image with a dark blue background

SPEECH THERAPY AND BRAIN CHANGES

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“What does speech therapy actually do? Do we somehow change how the brain works?” Dr. Aravind Namasivayam (University of Toronto) proposes that “speech motor intervention does alter children’s brain structure, connectivity and function.”

instructor fingers molding a young patients mouth

ELECTROMAGNETIC ARTICULOGRAPH TECHNOLOGY AND TACTILE CUEING

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How to objectively assess a speech-language pathologist’s ability to provide accurate tactile cues? The innovative use of the state-of-the-art Electromagnetic Articulograph technology provides insights on skill differences in providing tactile cues.

elderly patient with parkinsons being monitored

THE SPEECH MOVEMENT DISORDER IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE

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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder that affects not only gross movements but also movements involved in speech production.

NON-INVASIVE BRAIN SIMULATION & SPEECH APRAXIA

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Dr. Nakamura-Palacios is pioneering a ground-breaking neuromodulation approach for the treatment of speech apraxia in young adults with Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome; T21).

ADULT NEUROMOTOR DISORDERS: BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN HEAR

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While expert’s auditory-perceptual judgement remains the gold standard for clinical speech assessments, quantitative measures have shown promise for detecting critical subclinical changes in the speech system that are not captured by our ears.

CAN YOU IDENTIFY A SPEECH DISORDER?

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Children may have difficulty when learning to speak. Identifying a speech disorder early can make a huge difference to the child. What are the early signs of a speech disorder?.

SPEECH MOTOR SKILLS AND STUTTERING

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30 years of research by Dr. Pascal van Lieshout and colleagues suggest that persons who stutter may have a limited ability to acquire and perform speech movements efficiently (i.e. limited speech motor skills).