What is the primary purpose of the DTTC therapy approach?

• A. To re-establish accurate motor programs for meaningful utterances through hierarchically cued imitation with gradual cue fading and intensive practice.
• B. To train non-speech limb movements to improve cross-domain motor control.
• C. To focus on increasing reading comprehension in individuals with AOS.
• D. To reduce overall speech rate without targeting motor planning.

Answer: (D)

DTTC focuses on rebuilding the motor planning and sequencing needed for accurate speech production. It uses a dynamic cueing process—models, tactile and verbal prompts, and gradually fading supports—delivered through intensive, repetitive practice to help the speaker form stable motor programs for meaningful utterances. This approach targets how the mouth plans and sequences movements for speech, not simply how fast someone talks. Reducing overall speech rate by itself doesn’t address the motor planning and articulatory coordination DTTC aims to restore. Similarly, DTTC isn’t about training non-speech limb movements or boosting reading comprehension; those aren’t the goals of this therapy. The emphasis is on re-establishing accurate motor programs for speech through guided, hierarchical cueing and lots of practice.