Document Creation with Dragon Dictation and Google Education Apps via iPod Touch

A student of ours has been very reluctant to "write".  He struggles with getting his thoughts out of his head when writing and or typing.  We have had some success because of Google Education Apps and Dragon Dictation on the iPod Touch.  Now that Google Docs can be edited in the Safari browser, it has really made using Dragon Dictation a lot easier for us!

1.  Use Safari and log into your Google Education Apps account. 

2.  Minimize the browser and open Dragon Dictation.

3.  Speak into the app.  Do not try and talk into Dragon Dictation for more than 2 or 3 sentences.  Feel free to do every sentence on its own.  Every few minutes or so, click Copy in the app. 

4.  Minimize the Dragon Dictation app.  Open Safari again.

5.  Paste directly into your Google Doc the work that you have done from Dragon Dictation. Editing Google Docs in Safari on the iPod Touch is very minimalist.  You can't do much but edit the text. 

6.  Log out of your account and head to a laptop or desktop computer for full editing when you get a chance.  Don't forget to share your document with your teacher as well.

Link to Company: http://www.dragonmobileapps.com/

Link to iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dragon-dictation/id341446764?mt=8

Text to Speech / Speech to Text / Text Completion

What have you used successfully for Text to Speech, Speech to Text, and Text Completion apps? These are the best in the following categories that I have come across but it would be great to hear from the community about what you think is the best.  Is there an app that does everything well?  I listed each of the pair of apps alphabetically and not in order of quality. 

Speech to Text:

• Dragon Dictation:  http://www.dragonmobileapps.com/
• Shoutout: http://shout-out.mobi/iphone.php

I tend to use Dragon Dictation a lot when I am just taking notes or driving.  It works very well and it is free. You don't have to train it either!  I don't think it is great for students who do not annunciate enunciate very well at all.  If the student has a speech impediment, it is difficult to use. 

Shoutout works great as it is tied into social networking apps so you can speed that process up quite a bit!  I have had good luck with the quality of the text as well but I am careful to annunciate enunciate  well!

Text to Speech:

• iPhone Baldi: http://www.animatedspeech.com/iphonebaldi.html
• Speak it: http://www.future-apps.net/main/Future_Apps.html

I have tested these apps but I have not come across a lot of use yet with students. They work as well as they are described.  I am told that these are the best available by colleagues in our field.  Is that accurate?

Text Completion:

• Text Expander:  http://smilesoftware.com/TextExpander/touch/index.html
• Typ-O: http://typ-o.com/

Text Expander is very nice becuase there are multiple applications across different platforms.  Once you get rolling with it on one platform, it will come naturally on others.  You can really speed up your productivity as a result.  Now, I just need to get good at using it!

The Typ-O company line says, "Typ-O finds your word (and the next one) in its vast model of common English words and phrases. Listen to your word before you select it. Hear your words and your sentences, before you email or SMS them. Typ-O knows the most common spelling mistakes, and will often suggest words even if you have misspelled them."  I can see some interesting potential with helping kids with word choice as well. 

Have you had success using these apps with students?  How can we determine the best?  IEAR would really like to hear from you all if you have something to add to this discussion.