C-AuDiT (Computer-Assisted Pronunciation and Dialogue Training) is a research project focusing on the development of a technology that helps language students to train their spoken language skills while interacting with an e-learning computer system. The emphasis is on pronunciation training and dialogue exercises. E-Learning allows students to improve their language skills wherever they want and whenever they want. The only requirement is a PC or a laptop computer. Currently, commercial e-learning focuses on teaching written language. Although speech is an essential part of our communication, it is often neglected in e-learning. Exercises that involve listening to audio recordings or watching video films only train passive speech understanding skills. The design of e-learning exercises where students can actively interact with a computer via speech involves using and improving cutting edge speech technology. digital publishing and the Institute of Pattern Recognition (Lehrstuhl für Mustererkennung, LME) of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg founded a research cooperation to take on this chanllenge. The main goals of the C-AuDiT are imroving current pronunciation scoring techniques and developing exercises for natural language dialogue training. C-Audit is funded within the program "KMU-Innovativ" by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Head: Dr. Karl Weilhammer

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Team: Batliner, Anton
Hönig, Florian
Nöth, Elmar

Start: 2008-01-01
End: 2009-12-31