Voice recognition software allows users to control a computer through speech and dictation. It has benefits like hands-free use and eliminating spelling errors, but also drawbacks like noise interference and requiring training to individual voices. The document discusses using voice recognition software in classrooms, noting it could help students draft work more quickly but that they would still need to edit output for organization and grammar.

1. Dragon
NaturallySpeaking
Voice Recognition Software

2. Why Voice Recognition
Software?
Voice recognition is being used to:
 Enhance customer experience in call
centers
 Increase user satisfaction in mobile
phones
 Create hands-free, in-vehicle voice
recognition systems

3. Bringing Voice Recognition to
the Classroom

4. Benefits & Drawbacks
Benefits
 Allows user to operate a
computer by speaking
to it
 Free up cognitive
working space
 Allows dictation of text,
commands
 Eliminates handwriting
& spelling problems
 Always spells correctly
Drawbacks
 Requires large amount of
memory to store files
 Difficult to use in classroom
setting due to noise
interference
 Each user required to train
software to their voice
 Makes errors – doesn’t
always recognize words
correctly
 Assists with one stage of
writing process – not a
solution

5. Got the software, What now?
 Once we get the software in our
classrooms and it is loaded onto our
students’ computers, we need to know
what to expect from this software.
 Preparing ahead of time for problems and
confusions can help lessen your stress and
the time you spend correcting the
problem.

6. Good News vs. Bad News
Good News 
 Students don’t have
to use a keyboard to
input information
 Software learns to
recognize a
student’s unique
speech patterns
 Software spells every
word correctly
Bad News 
 Software has to be
trained to recognize
user’s voice
 Users must speak
distinctly for the
software to work well
 Software spells every
word it recognizes
correctly. Typically, it
recognizes 5-20%
incorrectly.

7. Good News vs. Bad News
(cont’d)
Good News 
 Students can write as
quickly as they speak,
100+ words per minute
 Students can produce a
large amount of writing
which they can then
edit.
Bad News 
 While users may talk that
fast, what they produce
will probably be
disorganized and
grammatically incorrect
 Users must edit and
proofread their own
work.

8. Voice Recognition Software
 Voice recognition is becoming more and
more popular in various areas of society,
such as cell phones and cars.
 While it has many advantages, the
software is not perfect. It doesn’t always
recognize words correctly.
 While it won’t help students write quality
work, it can help them get their work
written.