Sentences recorded by four speakers with dysarthria and two control speakers were presented to listeners at three different rates: habitual, a 30% slower rate and a 30% higher rate. Rate changes were made by digitally manipulating the habitual sentences. Thirty young normal adult listeners rated the sentences for intelligibility (per cent correct words) and acceptability (via 9-point equal interval scale ranging from "terrible" through "excellent"). Intelligibility for each speaker remained unchanged across rate changes. Acceptability improved as rates increased for the two more intelligible impaired speakers. For the less intelligible impaired speakers, ratings were better and similar for the habitual and fast speaking rate conditions. Results are discussed in terms of the objective nature of intelligibility ratings vs. the subjective ratings of acceptability.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine whether a free, video-based simulation activity implemented in a first-year graduate speech-language pathology class would improve students' confidence with assessment and treatment of persons with aphasia across health care settings. Method Assessment of a fictional patient with aphasia was presented for four settings: acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, home health, and outpatient rehabilitation in video format. Goals were written collaboratively, and therapy techniques were practiced in small groups with direction from clinical instructors. Pre- and posttests assessed change in students' confidence with assessment and treatment of patients with aphasia across health care settings. Students also listed the factors a speech-language pathologist should consider that would impact a patient's functional rehabilitation in any health care setting. Results Students' confidence improved from pre to post for each clinical skill and health care setting presented in the simulation activity. The simulation activity did not, however, affect the speech-language pathology students' ability to identify factors that would impact a patient's functional rehabilitation across health care settings, such as patient motivation and comorbidities. Conclusion Overall, the results suggest that a free, accessible video-based simulation can be used to facilitate student learning, when challenges such as cost and accessibility limit the use and implementation of simulation and standardized patient experiences in university settings.