Episode 32: Demystifying Voice Banking with Michelle Wheeler, MS CCC-SLP
Michelle Wheeler returns to demystify voice banking on episode 32! Michelle took my rudimentary understanding of voice banking and expanded it to include message banking. With the tools in the resource section below, you can learn how to get your patients started in preserving their voice before becoming lost to progressive neurodegenerative disease processes. Our voice carries so much of our personality, it becomes crucial to preserve what we can to keep our identity strong.
Message banking can be a very rewarding process for the patient and their loved ones. Knowing when to present the information and encourage your patient towards this endeavor is a fine balance. It helps if you, as the clinician, dive into message and voice banking on your own! So check out the resources and make some recordings of your own!
Michelle Wheeler discussed all things adult AAC on Episode 22 “Introduction to the World of AAC & Apps for Adults”
“I have learned the most by doing it! So get your recorders out and start recording!”
Dig deeper with the following resources:
ALS Association of Oregon and SW Washington Chapter - great resources on voice and message banking
With a terrific handout!
ALS Worldwide - excellent article about message banking (good to share with patients and family).
Boston Children’s Hospital - ALS Augmentative Communication Program | Message Banking™ - has a short video about message banking that are really powerful and a video to show the difference between message and voice banking. Scroll down to almost the bottom and there is a link to download 60+ page handout. It is a PDF full of ideas.
Tools for message banking:
TobiiDynavox Message Banking (a partnership with Boston Children’s Hospital and John Costello, MA, CCC-SLP)
Options for voice banking:
Lyrebird - can only use recorded messages on this website (cannot download to AAC device or other device).
ModelTalker - $100 fee for the voice banking service - can contact Team Gleason if you or a loved one are living with ALS in the US, they will offset the cost on your behalf.
Acapela - $99/year or $999 one-time fee
Michelle Wheeler is a speech language pathologist and expert in assistive technology. She has specialized in augmentative communication devices and alternative access since 2005. She is employed through the University of MO Healthcare system, Mizzou Therapy Services-Neuro in Columbia, Missouri. Michelle provides evaluations to adults and children throughout the state and is the evaluator at one of the Medicaid approved sites in Missouri. She has presented at the national conference ATIA, as well as many state and local conferences. Michelle teaches the Augmentative Communication class at the University of Missouri to speech pathology graduate students. Michelle provides guest lectures and lab opportunities in the area of AAC and assistive technology to OT, PT and special education students.
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
Have you subscribed to the podcast? Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts/iTunes and future episodes will magically arrive on your doorstep/iPhone. For Android users, check out the 10 options available to you to listen!
You’ll earn my undying gratitude by leaving a review on iTunes! Reviews help other SLPs find the podcast. Also, I love reading your feedback! Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review,” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Malaho plenty!