Dragon Naturally Speaking
Joseph Persival Macasero and Taushi Lee
Dragon Naturally Speaking is a kind of speech recognition software developed and sold by Nuance Communications. Dragon Naturally Speaking has been used as speech recognition software since 1997 when Dragon Naturally Speaking 1.0 was released. Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 provides a computer user to talk or speak to their computer which then creates text on the screen or execute a certain command. It can be used to dictate words to create text in Word, communicate via email, write letters enter search terms into Google or create a PowerPoint slide.
How to Obtain the Device
Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 for PC has Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 Home, Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 Legal, Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 Premium and Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 Professional can be obtained from Nuance (www.nuance.com/dragon/index.htm). Nuance also has Dragon for Mac which include Dragon Dictate as well as other MacSpeech Dictate software for Mac. Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 price ranges from $99.99 to $599.99 depending on the edition.
Product Features:
Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 has the following features: (http://nuance.com/ucmprod/groups/dragon/@web-enus/documents/collateral/nd_004125.pdf)
· Recognition Accuracy which turns voice into text with 99% accuracy.
· Recognition Speech which makes words appears faster and has faster response to commands.
· Can easily be installed.
· Correct text by voice with new enhanced correction and menu and spelling window.
· Accuracy tuning with enhanced accuracy center that includes nothing but speech which eliminates um/ah utterance.
· Dictation box
· Better user interface with enhanced DragonBar with contextual messages for improved usability and feature discoverability; new Dragon Sidebar presenting commands and tips; redesigned Profile Creation Wizard with focus on ease of use; more readable text for enrollment and microphone check
· Editing and formatting text by voice
· Command and control wherein it has the ability to “click by voice” an application’s menus and dialog box elements. It can be used to click/move/drag the mouse by voice. It can command, press keys or key combinations by voice. It has global commands for launching applications and folders, switching to a specific window, or tabbing multiple times.
· Internet can be accessed by Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox with menu tracking and natural language commands.
· It is compatible with word processing programs such as MS Word, WordPad, OpenOffice Writer, and Word Perfect.
· Email can be accessed by using Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail, and Mozilla Thunderbird.
· Other Microsoft Office applications such as Excel for spreadsheets and PowerPoint for presentation can also be accessed using Dragon Naturally Speaking 11.
· Dragon Voice Shortcuts is available for web search, email and desktop search usage.
· A text to speech feature wherein a synthesized voice reads out loud text you designate.
· Advanced correction/editing with the ability to playback speech in documents.
· Multiple dictation sources with the ability to create multiple dictation sources (more than one type of audio input device) sharing a vocabulary.
· Mobile dictation which allows transcription from digital recorders.
· Wireless Dictation using specific Bluetooth wireless acoustic model.
· It has the ability to import/export custom word lists and user profiles.
· The text and graphics custom commands can easily create or import commands to insert frequently used text and/or graphics by voice.
· It can create or import sophisticated and powerful voice commands (with or without VBA-style scripting) to automate routine tasks.
· It has enterprise administration tools and transcription tools.
How to use Dragon Naturally Speaking 11
· The user should have completed the voice training program and understand the dictation process.
· The user wears a headset fitted with a microphone or a supported Bluetooth device connected to the computer.
· The Dragon toolbar appears and the Dragon is told to start or to “wake up”.
· The user speaks into the microphone to say a command or words and command is executed or text appears.
Limitations Assisted by the Device
Dragon Naturally Speaking can assist students with difficulties in the area of neuromotor functions. It assists students that have limitations with their gross motor skills, fine motor skills and graphomotor skills wherein writing is a difficulty for the student. The program assists students who are unable to manipulate writing tools and require an alternative system. This program may be useful for students with difficulties with writing mechanics such as spelling and grammar. This is useful to students who have language processing difficulties such as lack of phonological processing, morphological sense, sentence formation, and discourse production. This software is also helpful to students who have difficulty with the writing process and getting their ideas written down. This can assist students with English as their second language with word spelling and proper English grammar. This program, together with another computer program, was able to assist people with visual impairments as reported in Special Education Technology British Columbia Stories (http://www.setbc.org/success/2009-10/matt.html). However, the software is not as easy to access and may cause some students frustration. Students need to be able to complete the voice training program to understand the dictation process. Students need learn how to use the voice program and remember verbal prompts. Students should also be able to learn how to use the speech program with other applications. This program does not provide access nor is compatible with some computer programs and applications.
Skills Needed to Learn and Use the Device
Based on Hierarchy of Experience
1. Sensation: Students should see the equipments to be used such as the headphones with microphone or the compatible Bluetooth device and the computer especially the monitor. The student s should also be able to see the words or the executed command as they appear on screen as they speak. They should also be able to hear the sound or the voice produced as the program reads the text that appears on screen since Dragon Naturally Speaking can read text as they appear on screen as one of its features.
2. Perception: The student must be able to perceive the difference between the headset from the microphone or a Bluetooth device, and computer monitor. He or she must be able to understand that this collection of items will help him or her in completing a writing assignment, or representing his or her thoughts and using specific computer programs and applications by voice command. Different commands or words as they appear on the screen as well as when the computer reads the words to the user should also be perceived. The students should also be able to identify words and the correct spelling of words as they appear on the screen as well as the different programs or application being accessed when using Dragon Naturally Speaking.
3. Imagery/Memory: The student must be able to first access the assignment or task to be done in his or her working memory, creating an image of what he or she is being asked to do, then proceed to initiate the assignment utilizing the Dragon Naturally Speaking software. Memory is vital in using this program which would use the active working memory, while in the process of using the programs, as well as the short and long term memory when remembering what commands to say in order to make the program work. When using the Dragon Naturally Speaking program, a student should be able to remember the command or verbal prompts to be used to open different programs or when browsing the web or accessing different Microsoft Applications as well as making emails. The student should also be able to understand and remember the dictation process when using this program.
4. Symbolization: The mere fact that the student utters words to be encoded or executed on the computer screen is a form of symbolization. Students need to be able to say a command or a text for them to be able to use the program. The students must also have an idea of what the end product should look like. They should be able to see and decipher texts as they appear on screen as they speak. Students should be able to recognize words and commands as they occur. They should also be able to see and discriminate the different commands the computer is executing as they speak.
5. Conceptualization: The student must learn how to operate the Dragon Naturally Speaking software wherein he/she needs to undergo the voice training program and understand the dictation process. This process is reported to be difficult and challenging to the beginning user. The student needs to be able to understand and correct words as they appear on screen. The user should be able to differentiate and understand the different programs/applications wherein he/she can use the program and how the program works in each application.
Resources:
http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/ATBasics/Curriculum/Writing/speechRecognition.php
http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/reviews/11295.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Naturally_Speaking
http://www.facebook.com/dragonnaturallyspeaking
http://lateralaction.com/articles/dragon-naturallyspeaking-speech-recognition/
www.nuance.com/dragon/index.htm
http://nuance.com/ucmprod/groups/dragon/@web-enus/documents/collateral/nd_004125.pdf
http://www.setbc.org/success/2009-10/matt.html