[senit] Voice recognition

Hi Dave

Let me just add this... 

To make this work you need a number of things to exist. 

There has to be motivation on the part of the student. They need to want to 
write and have a real personal desire to get things "down on paper." 

You need a trainer who is experienced. 

You need the right equipment - a USB noise-cancelling mic or headset that 
the student is comfortable with/happy to wear/use, and of course a fast 
enough computer with enough RAM. 

You need patience in the training - both in the formal part (take it an as 
small chunks of time as necessary) - and in the informal part (dictating 
names, things they want to talk about, to build the recognition dictionary). 

You need to "start small." Have them dictate into other software, for 
example, into web forms or even dictating numbers into Excel. Let small 
successes build up. 

Unless the student cannot use his/her hands at all, make sure the "backup" 
data entry is right. I usually combine VR with properly selected keyboards 
(often ABC or Dvorak) and an individually fit mouse. Correction is the most 
time consuming thing (and thus frustrating) to do by voice. 

All that said it can be life-changing. My favorite was a nine-year-old who 
could not move his fingers independently - could not hold a pen or type on a 
keyboard, and was going fully insane in the classroom. He took two weeks to 
get ViaVoice down, then spent the next two weeks just sitting in his 
"sound-blocked" corner telling his story. When he was done with that, he 
came out and started to participate in the class. 

Ira Socol 

Ann writes: 

> Hi Dave
> I would be most grateful for a copy of that report. Every now and again I
> have to assess a pupil where VR has been recommended by an optimistic person
> - usually a someone who will never have to get involved in the
> practicalities. I have got it going successfully, in school but out of
> class, ONCE. However, that was with a very intelligent boy with a great deal
> of motivation and back up - not the usual scenario.  
> 
> Regards
> Ann McDevitt
> Independent IT and SEN Consultant
> -----Original Message-----
> From: senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
> [mailto:senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Mitchell, Dave (ChS,
> LBSS)
> Sent: 13 September 2006 09:22
> To: senit at lists.becta.org.uk
> Subject: RE: [senit] Voice recognition 
> 
> Chris 
> 
> I would say the technology works.... but not in class... 
> 
> ...  with ongoing support from adults who understand what is required.... by
> students who can take substantial responsibility for setting up their PC
> each time they want to use it (get it out of the bag, open applications, put
> on headset.....) and can correct errors (or use other supportive software to
> assist them..; see WWW Keystone or Clarosoft products)  .... used at home or
> in sessions out of class in school ..... 
> 
> you can see I am adding lots of qualifications to my initial assertion..... 
> 
> I have a report of a small scale study completed for BECTa some years ago
> but not published using portable digital recorders with Dragon Naturally
> Speaking... its a cautionary tale. want a copy? 
> 
> Dave Mitchell 
> 
> Principal Teacher
> Assistive ICt & AAC 
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 

Ira Socol
Special Education Technology Scholar
CEPSE
College of Education
Michigan State University 