Access to acoustic information
Gail Gegg Rosenberg · The Hearing Journal · 2003
Two important questions must be asked when one is considering assistive technology for a student with hearing loss under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Both address communication access needs: (1) “What are the student's needs regarding acoustic access to information?” and (2) “What are the student's needs regarding access to acoustic information?” The answers may be very different and involve consideration of different technologies.FigureThe iCommunicator™ program, a patented communication access technology, provides access to acoustic information. The software program efficiently converts speech to text and/or video sign language in real time. The speaker uses an FM system to provide input to the computer, and the program performs the translation process. Translated text can be saved for future reference. End users can couple personal hearing assistive technology (e.g., booted hearing aid, FM system, cochlear implant speech processor) to the computer to hear computer-generated speech. The program also converts human speech or text to computer-generated speech. The iCommunicator technology was developed in response to a 16-year-old student and his mother who came to Interactive Solutions, Inc., seeking a solution that would provide independent communication. This interactive solution, which entered the marketplace in 2000, was designed as an alternate service delivery model and not specifically as a replacement for sign language interpreters. Sign language is presented in English word order to improve the association between the spoken, written, and signed word and to enhance literacy. PARTNERSHIP FORMED Interactive Solutions engaged industry partners to provide the best speech-to-text translation. The iCommunicator, V.3.1, software program uses Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional, V.6.0, as the underlying speech/voice-recognition engine. Speech input is provided using the LightSpeed 360 FM system with an upgraded noise-canceling microphone. The LightSpeed system, calibrated for maximum speech translation accuracy, was selected because of its low noise level. The LightSpeed system is compatible with other assistive technologies transmitting on 216 MHz. Version 3.1 includes the new iText tool, which allows end users to simply point and click to have e-mail, web pages, word documents, and other software applications signed and/or spoken through the iCommunicator program. Candidacy criteria were developed to help audiologists and other members of educational planning teams determine if the iCommunicator program is appropriate for a specific student. The iCommunicator program is successful when the end user is motivated to use the technology and speakers embrace the need to provide access to acoustic information and are willing to create a speech/voice-recognition file. SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS Anecdotal evidence has shown that among some students who used the iCommunicator as an assistive technology reading-comprehension scores improved faster than would be expected. The youngest independent user, a second grader with progressive hearing loss, benefited from the augmentation provided by the iCommunicator program, as it allowed her to continue to have access to the general education curriculum and to achieve above-average grades. A fourth-grade student, whose mother had been serving as her interpreter, became a successful independent user and her mother was able to return to her career as a high school teacher. Other students have used it in the classroom setting and also for tutoring, speech-language therapy, and counseling sessions. To achieve positive outcomes using the iCommunicator requires a good match between the communication access needs of the user and the features and capabilities of this technology. For more information visit www.myicommunicator.com.