Junior Researcher project: When a Child Doesn’t Sound Like a Child
Children with complex communication needs who are unable to speak—or who can only produce limited sounds or words—often rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). A common AAC tool is a speech-generating device, also known as a speech machine. These are typically tablets that produce synthetic speech from typed words or symbols. For many children, this becomes their primary means of expression and the voice through which they are recognized in school, daycare, and social life. In Denmark, most children using speech machines are given adult voices to communicate with, often sounding like a 40-year-old man or…