19.2762, FYI: Call for Chapters - Book on Synthesized Speech

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LINGUIST List: Vol-19-2762. Wed Sep 10 2008. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 19.2762, FYI: Call for Chapters - Book on Synthesized Speech

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1)
Date: 10-Sep-2008
From: John Mullennix < mullenni at pitt.edu >
Subject: Call for Chapters - Book on Synthesized Speech

 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:07:29
From: John Mullennix [mullenni at pitt.edu]
Subject: Call for Chapters - Book on Synthesized Speech
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Greetings,

I am in the process of putting a book together with my colleague Steven
Stern called: Computer Synthesized Speech Technologies: Tools for Aiding
Impairment. As such, we are inviting people to contribute their expertise
to our forthcoming book in the form of a chapter. We are attempting to
contact people who have research interests on the use of CSS (computer
synthesized speech) technology to aid speech impairments, but besides
people from academic institutions we are open to people who are
practitioners who could write a chapter based on a case study of using CSS
for a person with a particular disorder. Examples of some disorders with
speech impairments are autistic spectrum disorders, Amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (ALS), brain/spinal cord injury, stroke, cerebral palsy, etc. We
are also interested in chapters that deal with the special problems
children and the elderly may have with computerized speech aids.

The procedure that we are following is that we are first soliciting short
proposals for chapters. We will review these proposals and then approve
those which are appropriate. Hence, all proposals may not be accepted.

The formal complete call for chapters follows.  Please feel free to forward
this posting to anyone you wish. Thanks!

Call For Chapter Proposals:
Proposal Submission Deadline: October 30, 2008
Computer Synthesized Speech Technologies: Tools for Aiding Impairment
A book edited by Dr. John W. Mullennix and Dr. Steven E. Stern
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, USA

Introduction

The term ''Computer Synthesized Speech,'' or CSS, refers to speech that is
generated by computer. CSS is often embedded into what are called
Text-to-Speech (TTS) systems, where the user inputs text through a keyboard
and then an output device creates the audible speech. CSS is a valuable
assistive technology for the speaking-disabled and the visually-impaired.

There are various disorders that cause speech impairment, with the speech
impaired user's condition a determining factor affecting the implementation
of CSS. We are looking for several authors to write chapters on the
particular difficulties present when using CSS to assist with different
types of disorders - ranging from congenital disorders to sudden onset
conditions, and including autism, a condition of growing prevalence for
which CSS may offer new avenues of treatment.

The successful implementation of a CSS system is also affected by the
quality of the voice. Some CSS systems are more intelligible, natural
sounding, and comprehensible than others. There is also evidence that
listening to synthetic speech puts a cognitive and attentional strain on
the listener. We are soliciting authors to write chapters examining these
important issues.

Those who work with speech disabled users of CSS need to understand how the
combination of disability and the technology leads to potential
stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. We are looking for authors who
can examine how people relate to the users of synthesized speech,
frequently stereotyping them, and potentially discriminating against them.

In addition, we would like to include chapters that specifically address
how organizations can successfully employ the speaking disabled within the
context of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Objective of the Book

This book will cover a variety of areas pertinent to understanding the
myriad of concerns in the implementation of computer synthesized speech for
practitioners working with speech disabled populations. It is our objective
to simultaneously ground this work in current theory and research. Each
chapter will be geared toward providing information that practitioners
should know, or even better, can use. Objectives of the book include
providing practitioners and future practitioners with information that will
allow them to better assist the speech disabled who wish to utilize this
technology; providing an overview of CSS technology, its history, and its
future potential; examining various speech-related disorders and
impairments and how CSS is used in these cases as a speaking prosthesis for
the speech disabled; assessing how spoken communication between people
(i.e., between a normal speaker and a speech disabled person) is affected
by our ability to perceive and comprehend speech produced by a CSS system;
and understanding how society and organizations view and interact with
speech disabled individuals using CSS.

Target Audience

This book is oriented towards educators, students, and practitioners in the
areas of Psychology, Communication Disorders, Speech Pathology, Computer
Science, Rehabilitation Sciences, Social Work, Gerontology, Nursing,
Special Education and any other discipline where the use of CSS is
applicable. The book's primary emphasis is on providing information based
on scholarly and clinical work that will assist both clinical practitioners
and future practitioners in making informed decisions about applications of
synthetic speech with the speech disabled. 

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

-Current State of CSS Technology
-History of the Technology
-Interfaces for using CSS
-Future Trends in CSS and Input/Output Devices
-Use of CSS in Developmental Disorders such as Autism
-Use of CSS in Degenerative Disorders such as ALS
-Use of CSS in Congenital Disorders such as Cerebral Palsy
-Use of CSS with Central Nervous System Traumatic Disorders such as
Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and 
Spinal Cord Injury
-Use of CSS with Children, The Elderly, and Other Special Populations
-Case Studies of using CSS with Speech Impaired Populations
-Evaluation of Intelligibility and Naturalness of CSS
-Memory and Attention Factors in Listening to CSS
-Limiting Factors in Speech Articulation and Expression Using CSS
-Persuasiveness of CSS Compared to Natural Speech
-Stereotyping of CSS Speech Disabled Users 
-Considerations of ADA Compliance
-Using CSS in the Workplace

Submission Procedure

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before October
30, 2008 a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and
concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will
be notified by November 15, 2008 about the status of their proposals and
sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters of 7,000-9,000 words are expected to
be submitted by February 15, 2009. All submitted chapters will be reviewed
on a double-blind review basis. This book is scheduled to be published by
IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the "Information
Science Reference" (formerly Idea Group Reference) and "Medical Information
Science Reference" imprints. For additional information regarding the
publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com

Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document)
or by mail to:

Dr. John W. Mullennix
Department of Psychology
University of Pittsburg at Johnstown
450 Schoolhouse Road, Johnstown PA, 15904, USA
Tel.: (814) 269-7293 Fax: (814) 269-2022
E-mail: mullenni at pitt.edu 



Linguistic Field(s): Computational Linguistics
                     Psycholinguistics





 






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