Speech Accessibility Project Now Recruiting in Canada

Author: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
Published: 19 Oct 2024 - Updated: 4 Nov 2026
Publication Type: Announcement

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This information reports that the Speech Accessibility Project at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign opened recruitment in Canada in October 2024 for adults with Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Down syndrome or a history of stroke, alongside its ongoing work in the United States and Puerto Rico. Funded by Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft, the project gathers recordings of speech affected by disability so that voice recognition systems can understand a wider range of voices. By then it had collected more than 400,000 recordings and published its first research paper, which used Parkinson's recordings to make a speech recognizer 30 percent more accurate. The expansion matters to Canadians with these conditions, their caregivers and speech professionals, who had been asking to take part since the project began.*

At a Glance

1 - Canada has more than 100,000 people living with Parkinson's disease.
2 - The project shares data with organizations that sign its data use agreement.
3 - LSVT Global recruits Canadian adults with Parkinson's and related conditions such as MSA and PSP.
4 - Project leader Mark Hasegawa-Johnson said people in Canada had been contacting the team since the project started.

Topic Definition

Speech Accessibility Project: The Speech Accessibility Project is a research initiative led by the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and funded by major technology companies that records speech from consenting people with conditions such as Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, ALS, Down syndrome and stroke. The recordings are used to train and test automatic speech recognition so that voice assistants, dictation and other speech tools work better for people with diverse speech patterns.

Overview

The project is now recruiting Canadian adults with Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Down syndrome and those who have had a stroke. Funded by Big Tech companies Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is using the project to train voice recognition technologies to understand people with diverse speech patterns and disabilities. The project is also recruiting adults in the United States and Puerto Rico.

"The accessibility community in Canada has been an inspiration to me because of their consistent, positive, enthusiastic support for one another," said Mark Hasegawa-Johnson, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Illinois and the project's leader. "People in Canada with Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome have been reaching out to us since the beginning of the Speech Accessibility Project. I'm very happy that we are finally able to invite them to participate in the projects."

The project has collected more than 400,000 recordings. Its collaborators also published their first peer-reviewed paper in 2024. They used recordings from participants with Parkinson's disease to make an automatic speech recognizer 30% more accurate.

The project is also sharing data with several other organizations that have signed off on the project's data use agreement.

One of the project's many partners, LSVT Global, is recruiting Canadian adults with Parkinson's, (including those with related neurological conditions like MSA, PSP, CBD, and post-DBS).

"With more than 100,000 individuals with Parkinson's disease in Canada, we are eager to invite these individuals to contribute their speech to this significant project," said LSVT Global co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer Lorraine Ramig. "They too will share in the satisfaction of improving automatic speech recognition and thus quality of life for Parkinson's disease."

Related Information

Speech Accessibility Project Now Recruiting People With ALS: The Speech Accessibility Project has expanded its recruitment and is inviting U.S. and Puerto Rican adults living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to participate.
Speech Accessibility Project Now Recruiting Adults With Down Syndrome: The Speech Accessibility Project is now recruiting U.S. adults with Down syndrome with the aim to make voice recognition technology more useful for people with diverse speech patterns and different disabilities.
Speech Accessibility Project Recruiting People Who Have Had a Stroke: The Speech Accessibility Project has begun recruiting U.S. and Puerto Rican adults who have had a stroke. Those interested can sign up online.

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)

What is LSVT Global?

LSVT Global is an organization that trains clinicians in LSVT LOUD and LSVT BIG, therapy programs designed for people with Parkinson's disease to improve voice and movement.

How does Parkinson's disease affect speech?

Parkinson's often makes the voice quieter, flatter and less clear, with speech that may speed up or trail off. Speech therapy can help people speak louder and more clearly.

What are MSA, PSP and CBD?

Multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration are rare conditions related to Parkinson's disease that can also affect movement and speech.

Can participants record in French?

Language options depend on the project's current recruitment, so people should check the project website or contact the team for details.

Do participants need special equipment?

Participants usually record using their own computer, tablet or phone and an internet connection, following prompts on the project platform.

What is a data use agreement?

It is a contract that sets rules for how an organization may use shared data, including privacy protections and limits on sharing it further.

Does better speech recognition help people with cerebral palsy?

Yes, many people with cerebral palsy have speech that standard systems misunderstand, and training on their voices can make voice control and dictation more usable.

Where can Canadians get help with speech difficulties?

Family doctors can refer people to speech-language pathologists, and provincial health services and disease-specific charities often offer therapy or support programs.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: A 30 percent gain in accuracy from one group's recordings shows how quickly speech recognition can improve when it is trained on the voices it has been failing. Opening the project to Canada adds both more speakers and more variety, including French and English speakers and a wider range of accents. For people whose speech is changing because of Parkinson's disease, ALS or stroke, more accurate recognition can mean keeping control of phones, computers and home devices without relying on others. Canadians interested in taking part should check the project website for current eligibility, and partner organizations such as LSVT Global can help people with Parkinson's sign up.*

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally issued as a press release by Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and published on 19 Oct 2024. Last updated on 4 Nov 2026. This content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.