The Verbotonal Research Laboratory(VRL) was established by Professor Carl W. Asp in 1967, in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In the early 1960s, Professor Asp studied The Verbotonal System with Professor Petar Guberina; since that time, Asp and Guberina have conducted collaborative research.

       The Verbotonal System is both a treatment and diagnostic model for improving auditory-listening skills, auditory/vestibular memory, voice quality, dialect, spoken language, articulation, central auditory processing and communication skills of both hearing-impaired and normal-hearing children and adults.
       The treatment model includes body movements, speech rhythms, suprasegmental development, neuroplacity, residual hearing, optimal-field-of-hearing(OFH), perceptual transfer, optimal octaves, low frequencies, wide-band amplificants, 5-channel filter systems, and vibrotactile input with the modern digital technology of Listen/SUVAG training units.
       The diagnostic model includes the Tennessee-Test of Rhythm and Intonation Pattern(T-TRIP) and the Tennessee Tonality Test of word and sentence(T-TTWS) and other assessment procedures. The treatment is based on maximizing the auditory-listening skills, and mainstreaming the children in regular school and society situations. The children are successful aural-oral communicators and hearing-aid users.  The treatment is implemented by trained/certified teacher-clinicians.
       A similar treatment/diagnostic model is used with hearing-impaired adults, who also become successful aural-oral communicators and hearing-aid users.
The treatment model also includes second(foreign) language learning, which students are speaking intelligibly in the second language, are good communicators and are mainstreamed into the society/culture of that language.
       In 1970, Dr. Asp became the first President of the Verbotonal Society of America. Some of his former students are certified Verbotonal Trainers, while numerours others use the system daily as professionals. The Society currently offers membership and certification
       The outgrowth of the VRL has been successful programs in public schools, private clinics, and other Universities.  Some of these are:

Knox County Public School System:
 Verbotonal Program
 Madeline Kline, Supervisor (MovetoHear@aol.com)
 Cathy Davis, CCC-A, Fort Sanders School

Miami - Dade County Public School System:
 Verbotonal Program
 Dennis Hoffman,Supervisor

Sophia University: Verbotonal Center
 Professor Claude Roberge, Director

West Virginia Medical School
 Kaz Koike, Ph. D., CCC-A (kkoike@wvu.edu)

For more information concerning the Verbotonal System and Research, please contact us.
e-mail to Carl Asp: casp@utk.edu