John Ferraro

Purpose of ProductAssists students with and without disabilities.Provides students with organizational and

vocabulary skills.Ease student frustration.Accelerates and efficiently student products.Excellent use of teacher feedback.

Who is this product for?

Students with low and high level incident disabilities.

Students who are below average note takers.

Students who need occupational therapy.

Product Tools

Availability to SchoolsProduct is available on NYC DOE Web site.Can be purchased at software stores and web

sites.

Dragon’s CostPurchasing Dragon from the DOE site is

relatively cheaper at a price of $121.(CD only)

Nuance offers the product for $899 with a $299 upgrading fee.

Other sites may offer product at discounted rate.

How does it work?Getting Started:

User build’s program vocabulary by speaking into fixed or Bluetooth microphone.

Voice is then trained into program for 15 hours.

As data is incorporated into program, program becomes more accurate.

How does it work? Cont.

Using the Program:Student or teacher speaks into microphone.Spoken words appear on screen with

capability to edit if necessary.Playback work for proof reading.

Demonstration of Dragon:http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=6PgLQWeGoXsThe above link is a video from YOUTUBE. This

video is of a blogger demonstrating the use of Dragon

NaturallySpeak.

Outcomes and Benefits:Students can produce work at a faster rate.Those with disabilities can organize and

express thoughts clearly.More efficient than an interpreter when using

a foreign language.Provides all students with vocabulary

reinforcement.Product is available through store or online

purchase.

Outcomes and Benefits cont.Runs on all operating systems (Microsoft and

Mac).Can transmit on most internet browsers (IE,

Firefox, and Safari).

Drawbacks:

Grammar not 100% accurate.Program can cause distraction to other

students.Program may pick up background noise.Students may not want to speak out loud.

Insurance:Product is covered under Section 508 of

American Disabilities Act.

Opinion:Dragon Naturally Speak is a great program

for all students. It’s benefits outweigh the drawbacks and price, which can be accommodated. The product much like a lesson will take students and faculty time to adjust to using.

Sources:http://www.webster.edu/arc/accommodations/

technology.shtml#dragon (Webster University, St. Louis)

http://www.nuance.com/company/accessibility/

http://www.pepnet.org/confpast/1996/pdf/robison.pdf (Nuance)

http://www.consumersearch.com/voice-recognition-software