With the backdrop of Dyslexia Awareness Month upon us, we are reminded of the discussions we have with parents, students and those individuals who struggle with reading and writing; discussions that truly demonstrate the powerful impact our Dragon speech recognition solutions have on people’s daily lives.
We often talk about how Dragon speech recognition solutions help individuals and organizations tap into their productivity; enabling them to get more done by voice each day. But it’s an area that’s just as relevant, if not more significant, that makes me marvel at the small role we are able to play in helping to transform people’s daily lives. And with Dyslexia Awareness Month upon us, it’s the discussions we’ve had with individuals who struggle with learning issues, like dyslexia, that have left a powerful and lasting impact.
Thought to be one of the most common language-based learning issues that affect reading, writing, and spelling, the International Dyslexia Association estimates that, worldwide, dyslexia impacts over 700 million children and adults. For these individuals, the inability to clearly articulate their thoughts creates barriers to performing simple, everyday tasks – like reading and writing; making what you and I may take for granted, a huge hurdle to cross.
I think of discussions with teachers like Cathi Graveline of the Foothills Academy in Calgary, the Academy’s Assistive Technology Specialist, who, with students as young as 8 years old, fight the daily battle to learn. Arming these students with tools like an iPad and Dragon, Graveline, along with countless other educators, are helping them achieve what we all want for our children – independence, success, and confidence.
This month I’m reminded of the countless conversations my team and I have shared with individuals with learning issues like dyslexia, all of whom expressed gratitude for helping them break down barriers to reading and writing. But truth be told, it’s we who should be most grateful; grateful in the fact that, day in and day out, we can play a small role in helping people communicate more easily in their daily lives – all with a simple word.