Software has FHS class talking with computers

Business students at Fremont High School are learning a new technique that allows them to create documents without ever touching a keyboard.

Dragon Naturally Speaking 7, a voice recognition software program, is now being used in instructor Wanda Samson's advanced keyboarding applications class. During the first quarter of the school year, 84 FHS students "trained" computers to recognize the sound of their voices and respond to verbal directions.

Senior Dustin Thompson demonstrated Dragon's voice recognition capabilities at the October meeting of the Fremont Public Schools board of education. Reading calmly from a script into a headset microphone, Thompson talked his wireless laptop computer through a series of commands which translated into printed sentences on a large screen in front of the boardroom.

According to system developer Karl Barksdale, Dragon voice recognition software allows students and teachers, once adequately trained, to voice-write between 110-170 words per minute.

Thompson wasn't quite that prolific, but still aptly demonstrated the software that is especially suited to those afflicted with cumulative trauma disorders like carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive stress/strain injuries.

"It is also good for helping poor readers," Samson wrote in a memo to the board. "Voice recognition allows students to practice reading to the computer. Poor readers are often poor writers. Talking to the computer will build confidence in both reading and writing."

Although this is the first year voice recognition software has been used in the FHS business classroom, Samson took instructional training in the system in 2001. A grant covered the cost of that training.

Samson then taught other FHS teachers to use the program, but no one was able to begin training students because school computers at that time were not equipped to handle the software.

With funds obtained in 2003 through the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, the FHS business department was able to purchase 11 laptop computers with wireless capability that are now being used for the voice recognition classes.

When asked their opinion of the software, Samson's students' answers varied.

Some enjoyed the more "personal" interaction with their computers, noting the systems only respond to voice levels to which they have been programmed.

"If you yell at (the computer), it won't work," said one student.

Others like the system because it automatically spells words correctly and in the right context, causing fewer errors and faster completion of work.

Thompson said because voice recognition software is designed for people with repetitive stress injuries, it may come in handy some day.

"I'm expecting to have some wrist problems later in life," the senior said.

FHS isn't alone in its newest business curriculum endeavor.

According to Peru State College professor Judy A. Grotrian, 44 percent of Nebraska's full-time business education instructors (71 percent) are trained in speech recognition technology. As a result of their efforts, speech recognition already was being taught in 24.2 percent of Nebraska's 6-12 schools in the spring of 2003. An additional 29.4 percent are planning on implementing it soon.