CLASSROOM USE OF SPEECH RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY BY MAINSTREAM DEAF STUDENTS

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS FACED BY MAINSTREAM SCHOOL PROGRAMS IS THE LACK OF QUALIFIED SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS AND THE EXPENSE OF THE INTERPRETERS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE. THE PROJECT PROPOSED HEREIN WILL INVESTIGATE THE USE OF SPEECH RECOGNITION EQUIPMENT AND DESIGNATED SPEAKERS AS A POSSIBLE SUPPLEMENT TO SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS IN THE CLASSROOM. SPEECH RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS AND WE BELIEVE IT IS NOW SUFFICIENTLY ACCURATE TO BE APPLICABLE TO SOME CLASSROOM INTERPRETING SITUATIONS. PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT WILL REVIEW AVAILABLE SPEECH RECOGNITION SYSTEMS, DEMONSTATE FOUR OF THESE SYSTEMS, AND CONDUCT ONE MONTH OF CLASSROOM TRIALS WITH ONE SYSTEM TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE APPROACH. THE PROJECT WILL BE CARRIED OUT WITH FULL COOPERATION OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DIVISION OF AUDITORY PROGRAMS, A PROGRAM WHICH SERVES 300 HEARING IMPAIRED STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 3 AND 21.