3 months to get a speech-to-text app???

[Alexandra]

HI there

There is a new app, that is only $4/month, that recognizes my daughter's speech with great accuracy.  She is unable to write, so this would be her only mode of writing.  The school just told me that every app needs to be vetted by the tech dept., and that this will not happen before end of the school year.  The speech recognition software that the ipad comes with cannot understand her speech.  Questions:

1) is there a way to expedite this process?

2) do schools every allow use pf personal iPads?  This way, I can get her whatever app she needs.  

 

thanks! 

 

[JSD24]

To get a speech to text software program, the 1s step is an AT eval.  This is where the school matches your child with the right program/devise.  Parent needs to give written permission for this evaluation.  The school then has 60 days (this varies by state) to do the eval.  After this is put into the IEP, the school has ~10 days to implement what's in the IEP.  Yes, the school's IT dept would need to do this and they might need to get a software license & get school board approval to add this to a school ipad.

My district has a BYOT policy but many don't.  There is a liability issue too as I've seen where these things end up damaged & they are expensive to repair/replace when they get broken.  You need to follow their rules on this & it will take a fairly long time.

[Teresa A]

Hi @Alexandra 

Just curious, what is the app that you found that recognizes her speech well?  My son has a stutter and hasn't been fond of many of the apps he's tried for speech to text.  Wondering if this might be a viable option for him as well.  Thanks in advance.

[Angela Tyszka]

Honestly, having been through something similar myself, I'm of the mindset to ask for forgiveness rather than permission. I'd send in her personal iPad and ask them to use it until they can go through the proper channels to get her a school device and app. My son's school gave him AT that was inappropriate for years before I finally went out and had an independent evaluation done for a speech device. I sent it to school and told them I'd support them in anyway I could for them to use it but that I wasn't going another year without my son being able to access the curriculum and quite frankly, his voice. 

If they disagree or give you push back I'd ask what they are doing right now to give your daughter access to the curriculum. Are they scribing her work? Allowing her to type? Does she know how to type? If not, are they teaching her? While these could could all be appropriate short term accommodations, it's better to find a way that she can do things herself independently if she has the ability. 

[Teresa A]

I love how you took matters into your own hands and enabled your child with what she needed to succeed.  Yes, I may be teetering on the same action with some writing software I was playing with for my son.  I think it would be useful for him too - just need to get his buy in and then the schools..  It's exhausting work but won't stop until I've exhausted everything/anything to get him AT and skills he needs to succeed.  Thanks so much!

[Alexandra]

Hi Teresa.  I cant figure out how to respond to a specific Q.  So hope this comes through.  Its called Open AI Whisper.  The reason its so accurate in speech recognition is that it takes the entire message as a whole.  Your son would need to make an audio and send it though the app.  It then spits out the transcription. 

[Jenna]

Schools don't want to have to replace broken personal iPads, however, like was asked above- how have they been ensuring that your child has access to the educational curriculum since your child began school? Did they complete an AT eval initially?

I agree w/ Angela and I'd have a conversation with the teacher/support staff and let them know that this is what your child needs; you've provided it; and you'd appreciate them using it in the classroom. I've seen too many children go years without access to appropriate AT. If your child knows how to use the app, let the teachers know that and share success you've seen at home. If you have any friends in the tech office at your district, see if they can help you expedite their review. Another idea is be to reach out to the district's sped director and let them know that you've purchased this, your child needs this based on (whatever private evals/progress data/etc. you have), and that you'd appreciate their help doing anything they can to expedite the process. Sure, the process can take a long time, but if people want to help, things can sometimes happen quickly. You're simply asking for your child to be able to access their educational environment.