We present a data-to-speech system called D2S, which can be used for the creation of datato -speech systems in different languages and domains. The most important characteristic of a data-to-speech system is that it combines language and speech generation: language generation is used to produce a natural language text expressing the system's input data, and speech generation is used to make this text audible. In D2S, this combination is exploited by using linguistic information available in the language generation module for the computation of prosody. This allows us to achieve a better prosodic output quality than can be achieved in a plain text-to-speech system. For language generation in D2S, the use of syntactically enriched templates is guided by knowledge of the discourse context, while for speech generation pre-recorded phrases are combined in a prosodically sophisticated manner. This combination of techniques makes it possible to create linguistically sound but efficient system...

This proposal paper is being presented in partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. requirements of the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Delaware. In this paper, I discuss a user modeling architecture for ICICLE, a natural language system intended for use as a writing tutor for deaf learners of written English. This proposed design, intended to model dynamic aspects of a learner over the passage of time, the acquisition of new knowledge, and multiple sessions with the system, includes components to track the history of interaction with a given user as well as a very complex, dynamic model of user interlanguage grammar and domain knowledge. It has been based on research in language acquisition and in the acquisition of cognitive skills. The focus of the work described in this proposal is the development of the model of interlanguage status, which will be used in the analysis of user language production and in the generation of user-tailored explanations. Conte...