Press Releases
SpeechEasy to Provide People Who Stutter with Free and Reduced-Cost Fluency Devices
National Outreach Program Brings Advanced Anti-Stuttering Technology to Those Who Can Benefit Most
Greenville, North Carolina - April 15, 2004 - SpeechEasy, the leading provider of technologically advanced devices that help people who stutter speak more fluently, today announced the launch of a nationwide outreach program. The program involves the subsidization of the cost for a device (and follow up therapy) for 100 selected recipients.
Under SpeechEasy's National Outreach Program, 100 people who stutter will receive devices for free, or at a significantly reduced cost. In addition to the device, they will also receive related follow-up therapy by a certified speech language pathologist (SLP). Structured similarly to programs that provide financial grants to university students, SpeechEasy's National Outreach Program will offer varying levels of subsidization ranging from 100 percent (a $6,000 value) to 60 percent (a $3,600 value). The total value of all devices and services provided will exceed $425,000.
Selection of recipients will be based on several factors, including financial need and potential for life-improving benefits such as social and academic/career advancement. To be considered, prospective recipients must complete an application form and written essay. More information about the National Outreach Program is available on SpeechEasy's Web site (www.SpeechEasy.com). Those without online access can have an application and program overview mailed to them by calling 1-800-891-9396. The entry deadline is June 30, 2004.
"SpeechEasy's National Outreach Program offers people who stutter a unique opportunity to benefit from the most advanced treatment available," said Darwin Richards, president of Janus Development Group - SpeechEasy's parent company. "It's a way for us to give back to the community that has made SpeechEasy the number-one selling fluency device in the nation. It will also help us gather valuable user feedback to further refine our products."
More than 3,000 people who stutter have been fitted with the SpeechEasy device since it was first made available to the public in December 2001. Similar to a hearing aid, SpeechEasy is worn in or around the ear, but rather than amplify sound it alters the way the user hears his own voice - changing the pitch and delaying it slightly to trick the brain into hearing a second voice speaking in unison.
For reasons that are still not completely understood, such "choral" speech alleviates and can even eliminate stuttering. This effect is often observed when people who stutter speak in unison with others, such as while singing in a choir or reciting the pledge of allegiance. People who use SpeechEasy typically experience a heightened sense of confidence, freedom and self-reliance that comes from being able to communicate more effectively.
Stuttering is a speech fluency disorder characterized by frequent repetitions, pauses and prolongations that interfere with the normal flow of speech. It is estimated that more than three million Americans stutter. While the condition most frequently begins early in life as language skills are developed, it can affect individuals of all ages. The precise cause of stuttering is not known, though many researchers believe it may be genetically determined.
About SpeechEasy
SpeechEasy is a portable and inconspicuous fluency-enhancing device that can help people who stutter speak more fluently with less effort. It is available in a variety of styles and models that are custom fitted and programmed for each individual user.
SpeechEasy was developed by a team of communication disorder researchers at East Carolina University, and is marketed exclusively by Janus Development Group. SpeechEasy devices are available via a nationwide network of state licensed, ASHA (American Speech-Language Hearing Association)-certified speech language pathologists. More information about SpeechEasy is available at www.speecheasy.com.
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Note to Editors: SpeechEasy users are available for interview. Please contact Erik Deutsch at (818) 789.9928 for more information about users in your local market.
