Introduction
Language samples are one of the best
methods speech-language pathologists have to measure a
client's language proficiency. Language samples are
gathered from the client, recorded and then transcribed
into a visual format. When compiling language samples,
recordings of the client's speech must be made, which
typically consist of 50 to 100 communication units
(utterances). The first step in attaining a language
sample is to record a client's speech. The next step lies
in the transcription and analysis of the recorded
language sample. The compilation of the language sample
is an incredibly time consuming process; listening to a
recording of the client's speech sample and manually
logging it onto hard copy, either handwritten or word
processed. With normal speaking rates at about 170 words
per minute, the process of typing this sample out
involves a great deal of listening, pausing, and typing.
As time consuming as this transcription process is, a
method to expedite the transfer of data into a format
more easily dealt with would be a welcome
thing.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to study
the effectiveness of using a computer dictation program,
Dragon Naturally Speaking (DNS), to expedite the language
sample analysis procedure. DNS is a voice recognition
program that transcribes verbal output into written text.
The feasibility of using DNS in the clinical environment
depends on two factors; 1) the ability of the program to
accurately transcribe a client's speech, and 2) to do so
with a minimal amount of individual
configuration.
Method
A speech sample was recorded and
manually transcribed (see attached, Form IA). The
researcher then began the initialization sequence
required of DNS. After installation and the first
training session, the written sample was then verbally
input to the computer using DNS, utilizing the
researchers voice. This sample was read twenty five
trials. The number of errors was tallied for each trial,
and percentage of accuracy were calculated. This
procedure was then repeated four more twenty-four trials.
A note on DNS: DNS is a voice transcription program which
is designed to learn the speech patterns of a specific
individual and accurately record them. Initially, a user
must complete a brief training session with DNS. A
training session involves the user to read a written text
(chosen by DNS) out loud to the computer. The principle
DNS revolves around is at the more training sessions a
user completes, the more accurate DNS will be at
transcribing their speech . The version used for this
research was Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred USB,
Version 5.0.A note on the computer: DNS was operated on a
PC under Windows 98. The relevant technical
specifications for the PC are as follows: Pentium II
350Mhz processor with 384 MB of PC lOO - z
SDRAM.
Results
Table 1
|
Sample
|
T1
|
T2
|
T3
|
T4
|
T5
|
Mean Error
Rate
|
Accuracy
Rate
|
Training
Time
|
Cumulative
Time
|
|
1
|
30
|
32
|
32
|
36
|
38
|
33.6
|
93.55%
|
5.08 min
|
5.08 min
|
|
2
|
34
|
30
|
29
|
32
|
32
|
31.4
|
93.97%
|
10.21min
|
15.29
min
|
|
3
|
30
|
30
|
31
|
28
|
29
|
29.6
|
94.32%
|
4.01min
|
19.3 min
|
|
4
|
25
|
26
|
25
|
25
|
26
|
25.4
|
95.12%
|
23.25
min
|
42.55
min
|
|
5
|
25
|
23
|
25
|
22
|
23
|
23.5
|
95.49%
|
24.28
min
|
67.23
min
|
Discussion
It took 23 minutes and 6 seconds to
manually transcribe this language sample with 100%
accuracy. It took 5 minutes and 1 seconds (5 minutes and
8 seconds training time not included in this measurement)
to read sample 1 to the computer to achieve 93.55%
accuracy. Over the course of the five training sessions
with Dragon Naturally Speaking, it took 67 minutes and 23
seconds to read the sample to the computer to achieve
95.59% accuracy. The difference and gain between the
first and twenty-fifth trial was 62 minutes, 15 seconds
with a gain of 1.94% in accuracy.
The potential for this method to save
time is difficult to dismiss. The margin of error exists,
but only to a small degree. If this procedure were to be
used in a clinical setting, the benefits of it's use
would easily outweigh any difficulties associated with it
(i.e. learning to use the program, training with DNS, and
the margin of error). Overall, it seems that this
technique is a beneficial time saving method which busy
speech pathologists would find useful.
Form IA - Manual
Transcription
This story is called october
sky
but I don't know why
there's a kid like say
he was like 16 years old
and
he played for football and he real
horrible at it but then
he got home everybody's on the yard
cause
there's a satellite up in outer space
going past his house
when he saw it then the next day made
him interested to make rockets
little ones.
so he'd launch them off
his first one he was right in the back
yard front his back yard
it took him a while to build it
and
when he light it he had some friends
over then
when they're backing up when he turns
it
you think this is ok to get really
close from it until
the rocket exploded part of their gate
broke until
their mom said do that somewhere else
but not where in your neighborhood so but then
then
his dad work in the mine he's like
the
he's the owner of it
he's the boss and so
they were working behind it behind the
behind his mine talk about
behind his office couple feet away
from it well
there's a metal thing that can go
behind it but
when they light it they went behind
the metal behind a wall it was all metal until
the rocket then it went up in the air
just like
its going like straight but
it Uke a jet fast cut guys apart half
his finger off
the the guy just stand there like
until the rocket went in the garbage can
his dad comes out and tells his son to
go somewhere else far far away from town and from his
mine and
he found the rocket then he threw it
back in the garbage again throw away until then
then
they going far & away like seven
mile away
he just goes by himself until his
friend drop over
they'll help carry all the stuff for
him until
they riding on a truck and back of
their pickup someone else's
when they went to the mile they found
a place quiet place to go until
at his dads workers one of the workers
was like one of his friends sons
was not son but was not like a kid but
was like 36 years old and like
they hang around each other sometimes
and
he guys a mechanic and he can
do
he's like a blacksmith he told
he asked him to help make a like a
little fort thing like there's
a little small one they can go in and
and when they launch rocket they can protect
them
at nighttime they're stealing like
logs at a log place they were stealing some
and
after they did that then they build
like a real small cabin and
that's the fort for them and
so
their first rocket they launch over
there there's there's
a brown guy brown brown people and his
son went and
there was a dad
when they launch launch it
their dad the kids dad was right by
the drivers door so
Time to transcribe: 23:06 # of
Utterances: SO # of Words: 521
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