Can I ask if anyone has experience of dictation software in primary schools?

[Peaceflower]

My ds (9, possibly AS/PDA will be confirmed in the next 3 weeks), hates writing with a vengeance, and some of it is down to his fine motor skills. He is now in Year 4 and made zero progress in writing during Year 3. In every other area he is doing welll and in the top groups

He is very articulate and I wondered if anyone had experience of dictation software. I have discussed this with ds and he is very keen. He told me he has discussed it with his learning mentor and was told they had considered it, but it was too expensive!

I would be extremely grateful for any comments on this. Thank you!

I have bought Dragon software for DS2, to use at home at the moment, getting a digital dictaphone for him to use at school. For best results regular practice is needed so that the program learns his voice (DS2 is a bit mumbly which is not ideal). To be honest I have not made him use it enough to get really good with it yet, It was bought with high school next year and longer essays etc. in mind, i need to get on the case. It definitely has potential but would not work terribly well in a classroom situation IMO, anyone using it would have to go into a separate, quiet room.

DS2 is planning to write fantasy novels with his!

Not yet but our school have ordered this for DS (Yr 4 hypermobile, query PDA) and will not write for anyone ! The EP have suggested it.... will report back when its arrived.

school have suggested using dragon with dd2. i am unconvinced, as she has poor speech for the same reason she has poor fine motor! i'm willing to be proved wrong though... i suspect it may be beyond the wit of a computer programme to recognise words through her dysarthria... i know it does adapt over time, but her speech is so variable i'm not sure it will work. would be interested in hearing experiences too!

Thank you very much for your feedback. I had thought of using Dragon as I've watched a very impressive video demo on it. I have also got it as an app on my IPad.

notpizzaeater I would love to near from you once your ds has tried it.

madwoman interesting that your school uses Dragon, wonder how other children have found it.

Please keep any comments coming. Thanks!