Inclusion of Deaf Students in Computer Science Classes using Real-time Speech Transcription

Computers increasingly arc prevalent in the classroom, with student laptops becoming the norm, yet some beneficial uses of this widespread technology are being overlooked. Speech recognition software is maturing, and possesses the potential to provide real-time note taking assistance in the classroom, particularly for deaf and hard of hearing students. This paper reports on a practical, portable and readily deployed application that provides a cost-effective, automatic transcription system with the goal of making computer science lectures inclusive of deaf and hard of hearing students. The design of the system is described, some specific technology choices and implementation approaches are discussed, and results of two phases of an in-class evaluation of the system arc analyzed. Ideas for student research projects that could extend and enhance the system also are proposed.