Did you know that a new Voice Typing tool is available in Google Docs (since September 2015) providing speech recognition as a option when using Google Chrome Browser? I may be the only one who was not aware of this new tool, readily available in Google Docs!
Easily available, this tool can be turned on in Google Docs from the Tool menu. Selecting the Voice Typing option in the menu activates the tool. It’s as easy as that!
The microphone is then available requiring a click to begin voice recognition within the document.
The command Ctrl + Shift + S (Cmd + Shift + S on a Mac) on your keyboard can also be used to activate the voice recognition tool. The microphone toggles on and to when clicked. A functioning internal microphone or external mic is required for voice recognition.
A few voice commands are available for punctuation and very basic navigation. The following commands were listed in Google support :
- “Period”
- “Comma”
- “Exclamation point”
- “Question mark”
- “New line”
- “New paragraph”
Correct mistakes while voice typing
If you make a mistake while you’re typing with your voice, you can move you cursor to the mistake and fix it without turning the microphone off. After correcting the mistake, make sure to move the cursor back to where you want to continue voice typing. You can also right-click words underlined in grey to see a list of suggestions.
Voice recognition is only available for the following languages: English, French, Russian, German, Italian and Spanish.
Accuracy
Initial trial using Google Doc’s Voice Typing tool found accuracy to be at 99% (accuracy in 301 of 303 words). Using my computer’s microphone with verbiage about occupational therapy and assistive technology recognized most of my vocabulary. Misinterpreted words were offered by selecting the word with my cursor, and right clicking. A list of words was generated that could be selected for correction listed. In the 303 words produced errors were: vocation for location and ergonomics for ergo nomics . It was easy to correct the errors using the select and right click with the cursor. I wish my iPhone voice recognition could translate at this rate of accuracy. The word ergonomics has not been correctly recognized after many, many occurrences. I found my first trial using Voice Typing in Google Docs quite impressive!
More Information
For more information about Google Doc’s Voice Typing and trouble shooting can be found at: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/4492226?hl=en
Here is a short YouTube on Voice Typing:
Have you or your students used this tool? How accurate has it been for your students?
More for your OT eTool Kit!
Carol