Dragon dictate is a nice concept but what I have ran into over the years is that even with improvements this is a piece of technology that only works best if and when the student has good speech skills. It also takes time to set up and if you are using the downloadable software you have to train it to your voice which means the student has to set and read from passages and even though you can scale down the reading level it still can be difficult for the student to read the passages fluently. I feel it is just a case base case thing and isn't meant for every student. The version for the iPad is nice to but again can cause frustration with the autocorrect and speech skills.
It is a nice tool for using for book reports and note taking or to even dictate the answers to a test like spelling or essay answers.
My experience has not been good with the iPad. It may be that I need more experience with it. This year, however, I have students that either speak clear enough or that it's a mumble until the last fe words.
(I found a keyboarding error the first time I published, so I deleted the comment and am adding this one.) I tried to set up Dragon Dictate on the iPad for a cerebral palsy student who has difficulty speaking and writing. I was so hopeful this would be the ‘miracle’ program that would help him write his papers. The student’s speech is so labored, we couldn’t make it work for him. I was very disappointed!
Carol King I am not familiar with any the above examples regarding note taking. A few years ago the other 2 sped teachers in the building had a reading pen they used but I do not know if it was successful or not. I know it got stolen and was never returned. In my reading class I use McRel note taking techniques. I use alot of graphic organizers like Thinking Maps. This year we are practicing taking notes using the outline method. They are struggling but we are also practicing reading those notes when we have discussions and review. Reading notes in outline form is easier because the information is more precise and clear.
I used the reading pen in the past. It worked ok for some students. What I found was students who really needed it could make it work. I could only make it work part of the time. I was frustrated with the reading pen.
I have never used the reading pen, but I think that it sounds like an interesting things. I think that it would be neat to try with a student that I thought could handle it.
Reply to Amy: I recently evaluated a student from a parent referral. He did not qualify but one of the strategies we discussed with his mom was Dragon Dictate. I have never heard of that before. Fortunately this student does not have any speech concerns, just handwriting. So it might be a good program for him!
I enjoy using the iPad for taking notes in the note section. Unfortunately, we don't have kids that type well enough to take notes using the iPad. The part that I have used and disregarded was Dragon Dictate. I used it 11 years ago on the stand alone computer several times. For some reason, the iPad doesn't work well in our building or it is taking too long to get it working properly. It's rather disappointing that something isn't user friendly on the iPad to pick up a lecture from across the room. If anyone knows of anything, I'd like to know. What I've used in the past is a small voice recorder from Radio Shack. It worked slick. Unfortunately, it got lost in the transfer of materials from one class to another. I gave up on my Reading Pen quite a while ago. At the time I didn't need it and another teacher used it. Not a problem. With all of the technology, it all takes time to figure out how to use it yourself and then get the student adept at manipulating the technology.
I too, would love to know of something on the iPad or iPod that would record a class lecture. I have a student with low vision and I think this would be very helpful for her and several other students.
I've not played with it much yet, but Voice Record Pro allows you to use the iPad like a tape recorder and transfer your audio files through Dropbox or Google Drive.
I'm not sure this fits as well under note taking, but I've tried Dragon Dictate for a student who has good speech, but has trouble remembering his thoughts long enough to get them written in paragraph form. He "tells his story" to the iPad and edits it there and his thoughts are more complete and elaborate then if he wrote them out as the first step. I've also found the Inspiration app. helpful for him.
I tried Dragon Dictate with a student who struggled with writing his thoughts down. Dragon Dictate did not work for him because his speech was not clear and he did not speak loudly. He got frustrated with Dragon Dictate very quickly because it did not "say" what he had said.
We tried Dragon Dictate with one of our students as well, and thought this was going to be the answer to all of the difficulties this kiddo was experiencing. However, it sounds like we ended up going through the same issues you did regarding speech difficulties. From reading everyone else's posts though, it seems like this is a pretty common problem with the app. Maybe the creators will take notice and eventually make an update to help alleviate this issue.
I have heard of the programs mentioned, but have never really used them before. The students and I have used the ipad for notes. For me it is a great tool, but sometimes it is harder for the students. I have students who do a lot of things orally with me and then go back through what was written to see if they like it or want something changed. This has worked best for me as some of my kids are anti technology in any form.
I have used Dragon Dictate with one of my 5th grade students. We chose to use Dragon Dictate because writing is so laborious for him. We put it on the iPad for him to use and he absolutely loves it. He uses it in his core subjects to answer questions. When he is finished, he emails the answers to his teachers. It has worked so well for him this year. He tried it in math and it didn't work for him because of the math vocabulary. I would like for him to continue using this next year also.
I talked about this in the Apps for Writing section too, but thought it definitely pertained to this area as well, so am sharing it on here also. The National Center for Learning Disabilities posted an entire list of apps that they personally tried out, thought worked well, and were also user friendly for students with dysgraphia and other writing difficulties. Here's the website:
I'd recommend taking a look if you have time. This list includes everything from audio recordings, to therapeutic hand exercises, to your own customizable abbreviations. I'm not kidding you, this list has almost anything you could think of to try out with kiddos who are having trouble with notetaking.
Salvus App Solutions offers an extensive range of services in an industry of mobile app testing. Salvus App avails you with solutions related to software testing and other services like SEO, ASO, CPI Promotion, Technical Support services, etc. We assure that we always proffer our clientele a more efficient and less costly way of testing their applications and software. It is the topmost testing company having its clients worldwide and we have always delivered projects on time with quality reporting. Services name : mobile app promotion, mobile app testing, software testing, app testing, CPI promotion, ASO, SEO,Technical Support, Live chat support. IT Services
Dragon dictate is a nice concept but what I have ran into over the years is that even with improvements this is a piece of technology that only works best if and when the student has good speech skills. It also takes time to set up and if you are using the downloadable software you have to train it to your voice which means the student has to set and read from passages and even though you can scale down the reading level it still can be difficult for the student to read the passages fluently. I feel it is just a case base case thing and isn't meant for every student. The version for the iPad is nice to but again can cause frustration with the autocorrect and speech skills.
ReplyDeleteIt is a nice tool for using for book reports and note taking or to even dictate the answers to a test like spelling or essay answers.
My experience has not been good with the iPad. It may be that I need more experience with it. This year, however, I have students that either speak clear enough or that it's a mumble until the last fe words.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete(I found a keyboarding error the first time I published, so I deleted the comment and am adding this one.)
DeleteI tried to set up Dragon Dictate on the iPad for a cerebral palsy student who has difficulty speaking and writing. I was so hopeful this would be the ‘miracle’ program that would help him write his papers.
The student’s speech is so labored, we couldn’t make it work for him. I was very disappointed!
Carol King
ReplyDeleteI am not familiar with any the above examples regarding note taking. A few years ago the other 2 sped teachers in the building had a reading pen they used but I do not know if it was successful or not. I know it got stolen and was never returned. In my reading class I use McRel note taking techniques. I use alot of graphic organizers like Thinking Maps. This year we are practicing taking notes using the outline method. They are struggling but we are also practicing reading those notes when we have discussions and review. Reading notes in outline form is easier because the information is more precise and clear.
I used the reading pen in the past. It worked ok for some students. What I found was students who really needed it could make it work. I could only make it work part of the time. I was frustrated with the reading pen.
ReplyDeleteI have never used the reading pen, but I think that it sounds like an interesting things. I think that it would be neat to try with a student that I thought could handle it.
DeleteReply to Amy:
ReplyDeleteI recently evaluated a student from a parent referral. He did not qualify but one of the strategies we discussed with his mom was Dragon Dictate. I have never heard of that before. Fortunately this student does not have any speech concerns, just handwriting. So it might be a good program for him!
I enjoy using the iPad for taking notes in the note section. Unfortunately, we don't have kids that type well enough to take notes using the iPad. The part that I have used and disregarded was Dragon Dictate. I used it 11 years ago on the stand alone computer several times. For some reason, the iPad doesn't work well in our building or it is taking too long to get it working properly. It's rather disappointing that something isn't user friendly on the iPad to pick up a lecture from across the room. If anyone knows of anything, I'd like to know. What I've used in the past is a small voice recorder from Radio Shack. It worked slick. Unfortunately, it got lost in the transfer of materials from one class to another. I gave up on my Reading Pen quite a while ago. At the time I didn't need it and another teacher used it. Not a problem. With all of the technology, it all takes time to figure out how to use it yourself and then get the student adept at manipulating the technology.
ReplyDeleteI too, would love to know of something on the iPad or iPod that would record a class lecture. I have a student with low vision and I think this would be very helpful for her and several other students.
DeleteI've not played with it much yet, but Voice Record Pro allows you to use the iPad like a tape recorder and transfer your audio files through Dropbox or Google Drive.
DeleteI'm not sure this fits as well under note taking, but I've tried Dragon Dictate for a student who has good speech, but has trouble remembering his thoughts long enough to get them written in paragraph form. He "tells his story" to the iPad and edits it there and his thoughts are more complete and elaborate then if he wrote them out as the first step. I've also found the Inspiration app. helpful for him.
ReplyDeleteI tried Dragon Dictate with a student who struggled with writing his thoughts down. Dragon Dictate did not work for him because his speech was not clear and he did not speak loudly. He got frustrated with Dragon Dictate very quickly because it did not "say" what he had said.
ReplyDeleteWe tried Dragon Dictate with one of our students as well, and thought this was going to be the answer to all of the difficulties this kiddo was experiencing. However, it sounds like we ended up going through the same issues you did regarding speech difficulties. From reading everyone else's posts though, it seems like this is a pretty common problem with the app. Maybe the creators will take notice and eventually make an update to help alleviate this issue.
DeleteI have heard of the programs mentioned, but have never really used them before. The students and I have used the ipad for notes. For me it is a great tool, but sometimes it is harder for the students. I have students who do a lot of things orally with me and then go back through what was written to see if they like it or want something changed. This has worked best for me as some of my kids are anti technology in any form.
ReplyDeleteI have used Dragon Dictate with one of my 5th grade students. We chose to use Dragon Dictate because writing is so laborious for him. We put it on the iPad for him to use and he absolutely loves it. He uses it in his core subjects to answer questions. When he is finished, he emails the answers to his teachers. It has worked so well for him this year. He tried it in math and it didn't work for him because of the math vocabulary. I would like for him to continue using this next year also.
ReplyDeleteI talked about this in the Apps for Writing section too, but thought it definitely pertained to this area as well, so am sharing it on here also. The National Center for Learning Disabilities posted an entire list of apps that they personally tried out, thought worked well, and were also user friendly for students with dysgraphia and other writing difficulties. Here's the website:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education/apps-students-ld-dysgraphia-writing-difficulties
I'd recommend taking a look if you have time. This list includes everything from audio recordings, to therapeutic hand exercises, to your own customizable abbreviations. I'm not kidding you, this list has almost anything you could think of to try out with kiddos who are having trouble with notetaking.
Salvus App Solutions offers an extensive range of services in an industry of mobile app testing. Salvus App avails you with solutions related to software testing and other services like SEO, ASO, CPI Promotion, Technical Support services, etc. We assure that we always proffer our clientele a more efficient and less costly way of testing their applications and software. It is the topmost testing company having its clients worldwide and we have always delivered projects on time with quality reporting.
ReplyDeleteServices name :
mobile app promotion, mobile app testing, software testing, app testing, CPI promotion, ASO, SEO,Technical Support, Live chat support.
IT Services