SALT-NZ Clinical Version $99A Clinical Tool for Assessing Language Production through the Analysis of Language Samples |
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SALT-NZ for Windows® 2000, XP, Vista, 7 are versions of the SALT 2010 software supplied by SALT Software LLC and customized for our New Zealand and Australian customers. These versions of SALT differ primarily in the default settings. The dd/mm/yyyy date format is used and the New Zealand reference databases are selected by default. SALT-NZ is a result of a long-term collaboration with Gail Gillon and Marleen Westerveld from the Department of Communication Disorders at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. The software is despatched on behalf of SALT Software LLC from Dr. Westerveld's research lab at Griffith University, eliminating the high cost of overseas shipping.
What is included?
- SALT-NZ 2010 Clinical software with transcription editor, standard reports, and reference databases for age-matched comparisons. All of the SALT reference databases are included - those included in both the English version and the Bilingual (Spanish/English) versions.
- The SALT User Guide is included as a pdf file, accessible from within the software. This guide contains case studies and step-by-step instructions for eliciting, transcribing, and analyzing language samples.
What are the steps?
- Elicit a language sample
Although there are guidelines to follow when collecting a sample, there are no restrictions as to the sampling context, the number of speakers, or the length of the sample. There is extensive help built into the SALT software, with suggestions for collecting language samples that are representative of the speaker's language and can be compared to age-matched peers selected from the SALT reference databases. Language samples are usually recorded, either audio only or audio/video. Consider going digital for better sound quality and more playback options.
- Transcribe the language sample
Type the transcript into the computer using some type of controlled playback system and following the SALT transcript-entry conventions. An easy-to-use editor is included as part of the SALT software for typing in the transcript and checking it for transcript-entry errors.
You are given many options in entering transcript data. Although there are certain "musts", examples of some of the options that are available include: adding identification information and comments, marking bound morphemes, pauses, overlapping speech, unintelligible segments, omissions, mazes (filled pauses, repetitions, reformulations), elapsed time, and errors.
- Calculate standard measures
Select from a variety of standard analyses. These analyses, when selected, are displayed on the screen and you have the option of printing them. You may also edit the analyses and cut or copy them into your reports. Some of the information from the standard analyses include:
- Syntax - MLU in words and morphemes; Brown's linguistic stage and expected age range; and types of utterances including distribution of incomplete, unintelligible, and nonverbal utterances
- Morphology - lists and frequencies of bound morphemes, including those omitted in obligatory context
- Lexicon - lists and frequencies of words, total number of words, number of different words, type token ratio, and frequencies for particular sets of words, including question words, negatives, conjunctions, auxiliaries, and pronouns
- Fluency and Rate - types of mazes (fillers, repetitions, reformulations); distribution of mazes by length of maze and by length of utterance; speaking rate in words per minute; and number and length of pauses within and between utterances
- Discourse - analysis of speaker turns by length in terms of consecutive words and utterances; utterance categories including imitations, responses to questions, and spontaneous speech
- Compare to age-matched peers
Compare your transcript to a database of normative language measures. An individual may be matched on age, grade, gender, sampling context, and transcript length. Matched records are selected from the database and mean, range and standard deviation statistics are given for many of the analysis variables. The SALT reference databases are included with the software:
View case study examples of how SALT can be used for assessment.
Price: $99
2-5 copies: $89 each
6-10 copies: $79 each
11+ copies: $73 each
Site licenses are available. Email sales@saltsoftware.com for details.
System Requirements:
64 MB of RAM
Hard disk with 40 MB of available space
Windows® 2000,XP,Vista,7
Adobe Reader® 6.0 or later (may be downloaded from the web)