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Speech-to-text is an accommodation that lets a student speak their ideas into a device that types the words for them, helping to bypass challenges with handwriting, typing, or spelling.
Speech-to-text, also known as dictation or voice typing, is a type of assistive technology (AT) that converts spoken words into typed text. The student speaks into a microphone connected to a computer, tablet, or smartphone, and software types what they say on the screen. This allows a student to capture their thoughts in writing without being slowed down by the physical act of typing or handwriting.
This accommodation can also be provided by a human scribe, where the student dictates their answers or story to an adult who writes it down for them. The goal is the same: to create a bridge between the student's thoughts and the written page when a disability makes writing a significant barrier to showing what they know.
Speech-to-text is especially beneficial for students who have difficulties with writing due to disabilities such as Specific Learning Disability (SLD), dysgraphia, dyslexia, and orthopedic impairments (OI).
Writing is a complex task that involves many skills at once: forming ideas, organizing them, choosing the right words, spelling them correctly, and physically writing or typing them. For some students, one part of this process is so difficult that it creates a bottleneck, preventing them from succeeding. Speech-to-text helps by removing a specific barrier.
For a student with dysgraphia or an orthopedic impairment (OI), the physical act of handwriting can be slow, painful, and tiring. Speech-to-text bypasses this fine motor challenge. For a student with dyslexia or a specific learning disability (SLD) in spelling, the constant worry about spelling can stop them from using more complex words they know how to say but not how to write. By handling the spelling, speech-to-text frees them up to focus on their ideas.
For any student who struggles with the mechanics of writing, this tool can reduce their mental workload, allowing them to focus on the higher-level task of composing their thoughts. This can help kids demonstrate their true knowledge and thinking skills rather than being limited by writing mechanics.
This accommodation is most effective when the goal of an assignment is to assess a student's knowledge or ideas, not their handwriting or spelling skills. It helps level the playing field when there is a significant gap between what a student can say and what they can get down on paper.
Consider using speech-to-text for tasks like:
By using this tool, the IEP team can evaluate the student's ability to organize thoughts, use vocabulary, and understand content separately from their ability to handwrite or spell.
Speech-to-text is a tool to get around a problem; it does not teach the underlying skills of writing. It will not teach a student how to organize an essay, use correct grammar, or develop a topic. Therefore, it is an accommodation, not a replacement for specialized instruction in writing.
This accommodation is not appropriate for assignments where the specific goal is to practice or assess handwriting, spelling, or keyboarding skills. It may also be less effective if a student struggles with organizing their thoughts verbally or if they are in an environment that is not conducive to speaking aloud, such as a noisy classroom.
Students also need to be taught how to use the software effectively. They must learn to speak clearly, dictate punctuation (e.g., saying "period" and "comma"), and, most importantly, review and edit the text the computer produces, as errors are common. It may take time for some students to get used to speaking their thoughts instead of writing them.
Speech-to-text technology is widely available and comes in several forms:
The IEP team should collect data to see if the accommodation is effective. You know it's working when you see clear improvements in the student's written work when using the tool compared to when they are not. Look for:
The team can compare a 5-minute writing sample done by hand with a 5-minute sample done with speech-to-text to measure the difference in output. The goal is for the student's writing to more closely match the quality of their spoken language.
Be aware of potential challenges. The technology can be frustrating if it makes a lot of mistakes, especially in a noisy classroom. The student may need a quiet space to use it effectively.
Watch for signs of frustration or reluctance to use the tool, which may indicate a need for further training or additional support. A student might feel self-conscious using the tool in front of their peers.
Most importantly, it's crucial that the student learns to be an active editor of their work. They must review the dictated text and make corrections, which is a skill that needs to be taught. Ensure the tool works correctly and is available when needed.
Research shows that for students with learning disabilities, using speech-to-text can increase the length and improve the quality of their written work. It is considered an evidence-based practice for bypassing the mechanical barriers to writing. However, experts emphasize that it is a compensatory strategy, meaning it helps a student get around a challenge rather than building the underlying skill. It is most effective when combined with direct, explicit instruction in writing strategies, spelling, and grammar.
Understanding the topic is one thing; using it in a meeting is another. SENTINEL·IEP gives you plain-language reference and a companion that follows the conversation in real time — so you can recognize this when it comes up and know what to ask.