Using Speech Recognition Software to Increase Writing Fluency for Individuals with Physical Disabilities

Abstract

Students with physical disabilities often have difficulty with writing fluency, despite the use of various strategies, adaptations, and assistive technology (AT). One possible intervention is the use of speech recognition software, although there is little research on its impact on students with physical disabilities. This study used an alternating treatments design to compare the use of speech recognition software to word processing on first draft writing with students with physical disabilities. Areas examined were fluency, accuracy, type of word errors, recall of intended meaning, and length. The results of this study indicated that fluency and length were greater for all participants with speech recognition compared to word processing, but accuracy was lower using speech recognition.