Assessing speech perception is vital for understanding a child's auditory abilities and predicting their speech, language, reading, and cognitive capabilities. Accurate measurements of a child's ability to perceive phonetic patterns, words, sentences, and connected discourse, can be obtained through speech discrimination assessments (Mendel, 2008). The Kendall Toy Test (KTT) is widely used speech discrimination test in paediatric audiological assessments. However, the ‘live voice’ method presents challenges in consistent delivery, monitoring sound levels, and maintaining a child’s attention. To overcome these challenges, we developed a semi-automated version of the KTT, digitally presenting words under computer control at precise sound levels while tracking scores to determine threshold. This study aimed to examine the validity, reliability, and practical implications of the semi-automated KTT. This study was assessed by examining the hearing of 25 participants, comprising 13 adults tested under two conditions: with bilateral ear plugged, simulating hearing loss and without ear plugged. Additionally, 12 children participated.

We hypothesised a strong correlation between the semi-automated KTT and live voice KTT version. Additionally, we expected minimal test-retest differences within the same session for the semi-automated KTT, indicating good reliability.

The investigation revealed a robust correlation (Kendall’s Tau B = 0.67, P <.001) between live voice KTT and semi-automated KTT, supporting their strong association and responsiveness to hearing loss. Test-retest reliability was strong for adults (average difference: 0.45 dB) and suggesting good within-session reliability. In children, minimal variation (1.07 dB) indicated potential impacts of distractions, loss of interest, or fatigue. Moreover, the observed reliability in varying conditions positions the semi-automated KTT as a reliable diagnostic tool, offering consistent results even in different testing environments. The semi-automated KTT emerges as efficient, reliable, and user-friendly tool for clinical audiologists.