Efficacy of speech intervention using electropalatography with a cochlear implant user

Abstract

Electropalatography (EPG) has become relatively well established as a safe and convenient technique for use in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of children and adults with articulation disorders. EPG's wide applicability is reflected in the range of different cases that has been researched in recent years. Some research has been carried out using EPG therapy for deaf individuals who use hearing aids, however there are no similar studies for cochlear implant users. The purpose of this single case study is to explore the technique of EPG as a therapeutic intervention to treat voiceless velar stop consonant sound production in a deaf child cochlear implant user. EPG therapy was offered as a last resort when traditional therapy failed to achieve specific changes. During therapy, a list of familiar words was practised, using the visual feedback provided by EPG. The client's articulation was assessed using objective (EPG printouts) and subjective (listener ratings) measures at four assessment points. Changes were found to be statistically significant. Generalization of the newly-acquired skills to untaught words containing voiceless velars was also observed. The results are discussed in the broader context of implications of this type of therapy with deaf clients.