Interactive multimedia courseware of vowel training for the hearing impaired

This paper introduces the background, the main contents and the knowledge structure of the interactive multimedia courseware for the hearing impaired students in vowel training. This paper focuses on the basic ideas of the courseware design and development, such as the elements of teaching system, the design of system architecture, the analysis and selection of system development tool software. The development of interactive multimedia courseware for the hearing impaired was not only to minimize problems associated with the lack of education media for general courses at school for the Deaf but also to be an alternative way to supplement teaching by instructors. Therefore, this courseware was used the technique of dynamic computer graphics to establish an animation display system. It can display the relation among the basic element of the articulators. The position and the change of nose chamber, mouth chamber, toungue, pharynx, velum and lip during a speech will be shown from different profiles. These make sure that the subject with hearing impaired students can catch the accurate speech technique. The sample group consisted of 10 hearing impaired students who were studying in 9^th grades at Setsatian School (Under Royal Patronage) for the Deaf. They were divided equally into two subgroup: the control group and the experimental group. Learning effectiveness was evaluated by comparing its learning results with traditional method. Based on the result of the pre-test and post-test scores using the T-test statistical method at 0.05 significant level, there appeared to be favorable progress in learning of this course for both group but the experimental group had more significantly increased learning than the control group.