Glossary
Terms used in accessibility research and practice. Each entry has a definition, common aliases, and category tags.
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- Dysphonia(also: voice disorder, phonation disorder)
- A voice disorder characterized by abnormal pitch, loudness, quality, or resonance of the voice resulting from impaired function of the larynx or vocal cords. Dysphonia can range from mild hoarseness to complete voice loss (aphonia) and may be caused by vocal cord nodules,…
- Spasmodic Dysphonia(also: Laryngeal Dystonia, SD)
- Spasmodic dysphonia is a neurological voice disorder characterized by involuntary spasms of the laryngeal muscles during speech, causing interruptions in voice production. The most common form, adductor spasmodic dysphonia, causes the vocal folds to close too tightly, producing…
- Tracheoesophageal puncture(also: TEP, tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis, TE puncture)
- A surgical procedure that creates a small opening (fistula) between the trachea and esophagus to restore voice production after total laryngectomy. A one-way valve is inserted that allows exhaled air to pass into the esophagus, where vibrations in the pharyngoesophageal segment…
- Voice prosthesis(also: speech prosthesis, voice restoration device)
- A device that enables speech production for people who have lost their natural voice, typically due to laryngectomy or severe laryngeal damage. Voice prostheses include external devices like electrolarynx (which produces vibrations held against the neck or inserted into the…
- Voice rest(also: vocal rest, voice therapy)
- A prescribed period of reduced or eliminated voice use, typically following laryngeal surgery, vocal cord injury, or to treat voice disorders. During voice rest, patients may be instructed to whisper or remain completely silent, relying on written communication, AAC devices, or…
- Whispered Speech(also: Whisper, Whispering)
- A mode of speech production in which the vocal folds do not vibrate periodically; sound is generated by turbulent airflow through a narrow glottal opening. Whispered speech lacks a fundamental frequency and carries lower acoustic energy, which makes it harder for humans and for…
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