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Phonetics: an interactive introduction

Phonetics: An Interactive Introduction is a multimedia program first developed for external students at the University of New England, but now widely used throughout Australia and internationally. This program provides resources that facilitate self directed learning in a range of topics that are likely to be covered in any general introductory phonetics text. The current version, 2.1 was released in Jan 2004.

awards won

Phonetics: An Interactive Introduction was awarded the prize for the Best CD-ROM Project: Exemplary Use of Electronic Technologies in Teaching and Learning in Tertiary Education by ASCILITE in 2000, and was short-listed the same year for the Australian Awards for Excellence in Educational Publishing.

cost

The Phonetics CD is available for AUD $30.00. UNE students should buy it through UNE's United Campus Bookshop . UCB's contact details are

Other interested persons should contact Nicholas Reid directly on nreid@une.edu.au

minimum system and hardware requirements

Available on dual-platform CD ROM, offering equal access to both Windows and Macintosh users.

Macintosh

System 8.6 - 9.2 or OSX
Power PC processor, or Intel Core
2 x Speed CD-ROM drive
12 meg physical RAM (free)
800x600 16 bit colour display

Windows

Windows 98 or newer
Pentium processor or equivalent
2 x Speed CD-ROM drive
12 meg physical RAM (free)
800x600 16 bit colour display

features of the cd

Australian Context Includes some specifically Australian material, with a section on the vowels of Australian English.
Animations Uses computer animations to demonstrate a variety of processes, such as egressive airflow, the 'mucosal wave' action of the vocal folds, the production of click sounds, and speech using esophageal air.
Movies Includes endoscopic film of the vocal folds. You can play movies to see how finetuning the vocal folds creates different voice qualities.
Interactivity Phonetics offers easy clear navigation through a range of topics - you choose where you'd like to go. You are required to think and interact with the program while exploring a topic. Each module includes revision exercises.

content modules

Vocal tract click on parts of the vocal tract to learn about their role in articulation.
Speech sounds click on buttons to associate vowel and consonant sounds with their IPA symbol
Airstream mechanisms learn about different ways that air can be made to move in order to produce speech sounds.
Phonation modes see the vocal folds in action, and discover how different settings produce different voice qualities.
Acoustic analysis discover ways to analyse speech acoustically
Exercises All modules include self test exercises

the author

Nicholas Reid teaches Linguistics at the University of New England, in Armidale, NSW, Australia. He has a strong interest in technology-assisted teaching and learning, and is coordinator of UNE's Master of Arts (Applied Linguistics).

other contributors

academic Helen Fraser is also a lecturer in Linguistics at the University of New England. Helen authored, designed and programmed the module on Acoustic Analysis.
multimedia Programming and graphic design by Malcolm Abel, Ross Hinkley; cover design by Ivan Thornton
instructional design Debi Salmon and Robyn Smyth, The Teaching and Learning Centre of the University of New England, Armidale.

 

For further information contact phone 61 (0)2 6773 3400 or email <nreid@une.edu.au>