Voice recognition software as a compensatory strategy for postsecondary students with learning disabilities

Research indicates that persons with disabilities who obtain some level of postsecondary education are more likely to be employed compared to those who have no postsecondary education experience. The problem is that often people with disabilities are not able to overcome the barriers that exist in obtaining postsecondary education. When they do enroll in postsecondary education they often experience difficulty staying in, and completing their programs. The purpose of this research was to determine if assistive technology, in the form of voice recognition software, could assist in overcoming some of the barriers that exist for people with learning disabilities. The study sought to determine if voice recognition software was an effective compensatory strategy for students with learning disabilities in postsecondary education and the experiences of these students in relationship to their use of the software. Follow-up data will be collected to determine if the software is an effective compensatory strategy for the participants in their future employment.