Using speech-to-text technology to empower young writers with special educational needs.
Res Dev Disabil
; 135: 104466, 2023 Apr.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2265326
ABSTRACT
This article reports the first group-based intervention study in the UK of using speech to-text (STT) technology to improve the writing of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Over a period of five years, thirty children took part in total from three settings; a mainstream school, a special school and a special unit of a different mainstream school. All children had Education, Health and Care Plans because of their difficulties in spoken and written communication. Children were trained to use the Dragon STT system, and used it on set tasks for 16-18 weeks. Handwritten text and self-esteem were assessed before and after the intervention, and screen-written text at the end. The results showed that this approach had boosted the quantity and quality of handwritten text, with post-test screen-written text significantly better than handwritten at post-test. The self-esteem instrument also showed positive and statistically significant results. The findings support the feasibility of using STT to support children with writing difficulties. All the data were gathered before the Covid-19 pandemic; the implications of this, and of the innovative research design, are discussed.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Disabled Persons
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
Limits:
Child
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Res Dev Disabil
Journal subject:
Mental Disorders
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
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