Benefits of Speech Recognition in Education
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2021, 15% of all public students received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Yale University reported that 20% of the U.S. population has dyslexia. U.S. News & World Report states that although the real number is not known, it is estimated that between 10% and 30% of American students suffer from dysgraphia. These 2 disabilities hinder a student’s ability to read and write, respectively.
But did you know that research has shown that by using speech-to-text technology, students’ grades were 17% higher? Speech-to-text software–such as Nuance® Dragon® Professional and Dragon Home–has been helping both students and educators boost success.
Nuance® Gives Teachers, and Students the Power
Although students with physical disabilities benefit the most, all students and their teachers can take advantage of Nuance speech-to-text products such as Dragon Professional Individual, Dragon Professional Anywhere, and Dragon Home.
Research shows enabling students with STT technology helps them organize their thoughts better and generates a written output that is a more faithful representation of their true language skills.
The Power of Learning: Benefits for Students
- Voice commands – With just their voice, students can dictate, edit, launch and use applications, such as Office, search engines, emails, and social platforms.
- Increased collaboration – Students working on group projects, which require constant communication, can dictate emails and text messages and get in touch with their partners or their teachers.
- Search the Web – While dictating their project, the student can search the internet for information on the subject at hand. For example, a student writing about the future colonization of the Moon can voice-command their search engine by saying something like, “Search the Web for Apollo lunar missions.”
- Voice edits – Dragon allows students direct voice commands to edit, format, delete, import passages, and more. For example, a student just has to say “Italicize From the Earth to the Moon.”
- Read aloud – The student can voice-command the program to read what has been written so far, which not only helps in catching mistakes but also strengthens the student’s reading comprehension skills.
To list the advantages of speech recognition software would be too long; suffice it to say there’s ample research that shows enabling students with speech-to-text (STT) technology helps them organize their thoughts better and generates a written output that is a more faithful representation of their true language skills.
Help Students to Learn: Benefits for Educators
- More Accurate Evaluations – Students struggle to write, whether it’s simplifying their words to avoid spelling and grammar issues or having practically illegible handwriting. It is an inescapable fact that writing causes students anxiety. By using the power of their voice, they can demonstrate their full capabilities. Plus, the teacher does not have to “decipher” what the student wrote.
- Better Grades – STT helps with spelling, grammar, punctuation, and more, which allows the student to focus on the accuracy and quality of their answers and/or essay. Additionally, when students edit their work, they learn from the grammar issues encountered; a win-win situation for all.
- Teacher Speed – The teachers themselves can use STT to create lesson plans, exams, evaluation forms, report cards, messages to parents, and so much more. Teachers can cut their own writing time by a third.
- Increase the Independence for Students with a Disability – Students with dyslexia or dysgraphia (as well as other disabilities), which find it arduous to complete a written assignment, will immensely benefit from putting spoken word to text. Students can put what’s on their minds on the document without difficulties and gain empowerment and independence.
- Mobility – Both educators and their students can take advantage of full mobility with Nuance Dragon Anywhere Mobile App, included at no additional cost, and work with the software on their favorite mobile device.
Motivating Students with a Disability
- Hands-free Computer Use – Regardless of any manual or visual impediment, adding STT software to the computer belonging to a student with a disability will provide them with a more efficient manner of using said tool. Additionally, it is less taxing—physically and cognitively—for the student.
- Increases Productivity – By eliminating anxiety, stress, or mechanical difficulties, students will be more prone to participate, more eager to express their thoughts and knowledge, more receptive to learning, and more willing to unleash their creativity.
- Improves Output – Some students with a disability will encounter endurance limits, memory demands, and/or writing fatigue, but eliminating the physical act of putting words to paper will shift the focus from handwriting to expressing their thoughts and increase learner engagement.
- Addresses Frustration – Although there can be students who could find the dictation process frustrating (it strains the student’s ability to self-monitor, self-correct, and memorize commands), it is also an efficient tool to teach and reinforce that there will be times when one has to work outside one’s comfort zone.
- A Happier Student – By allowing the student to participate without hindrance, they will gain more confidence, be more willing to participate, and, basically, be a happier student. The student will recognize that the playing field is leveled.
- And more.
How You Can Help
As a Value-Added Reseller of Nuance® Dragon® voice-recognition software, you are in the perfect position to address academia and all your education clients and offer the benefits and advantages of utilizing the power of voice.
The eDist Support Team strives to provide our partners with top-of-the-line industry-specific support. Or if you need help increasing your client base to include education, please contact us.
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