Instead of writing or typing, students can now use their voices to input text, write papers and emails, search the Web, or control their PC.  With Dragon NaturallySpeaking 10 by Nuance, you can now talk to your computer and watch the words appear.  Mac users can try MacSpeech Dictate, which uses the Dragon speech recognition engine by Nuance.  Both products run about $200, require minimal training, and include a microphone headset.

While a helpful time-saver for many, speech-to-text software can be a lifesaver for students with vision problems or non-verbal learning disabilities (NVLD).  For text-to-speech software, which scans content pages and reads them out loud, take a look at Kurzweil Educational Systems’ Kurzweill 3000.  Reviews are positive, but we would like to hear from any readers who have tried these systems.