Writing with voice: an investigation of the use of a voice recognition system as a writing aid for a man with aphasia.
BACKGROUND
People with aphasia may experience difficulties that prevent them from demonstrating in writing what they know and can produce orally. Voice recognition systems that allow the user to speak into a microphone and see their words appear on a computer screen have the potential to assist written communication.


OBJECTIVE
This study investigated whether a man with fluent aphasia could learn to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking to write.


METHODS
A single case study of a man with acquired writing difficulties is reported. A detailed account is provided of the stages involved in teaching him to use the software. The therapy tasks carried out to develop his functional use of the system are then described. Outcomes included the percentage of words accurately recognized by the system over time, the quantitative and qualitative changes in written texts produced with and without the use of the speech-recognition system, and the functional benefits the man described.


RESULTS
The treatment programme was successful and resulted in a marked improvement in the subject's written work. It also had effects in the functional life domain as the subject could use writing for communication purposes.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the technology might benefit others with acquired writing difficulties.
Department of Human Communication Science, University College London, London, UK. c.bruce@ucl.ac.uk
Carolyn
C
Bruce
Anne
A
Edmundson
Michael
M
Coleman
D001037:Aphasia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D006236:Handwriting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012984:Software; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014956:Writing