A feasibility study on the use of a voice recognition system for training delivery

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1990-04-05

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Virginia Tech

Abstract

This feasibility study examined the possibility of using an independent voice recognition system as the input device during a training delivery requirement. The intent was to determine whether the voice recognition system could be incorporated into a training delivery system designed to train students how to use the Communications Electronics Operating Instructions manual, a tool used for communicating over the radio network during military operations.

This study showed how the voice recognition system worked in an integrated voice based delivery system for the purpose of delivering instruction. An added importance of the study was that the voice system was an independent speech recognition system. At the time this study was conducted, there did not exist a reasonably priced speech recognition system that interfaced with both graphics and authoring software which allowed any student to speak to the system without training the system to recognize the individual student's voice. This feature increased the usefulness and flexibility of the system.

The methodology for this feasibility study was a development and evaluation model. This required a market analysis, development of the voice system and instructional course ware, testing the system using a sample population from the Armor School at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, and making required alterations. The data collection approach was multifaceted. There were surveys to be completed by each subject: a student profile survey, a pretest, a posttest, and an opinion survey about how well the instruction met expectations. Data was also collected concerning how often the recognition system recognized, did not recognize, or misrecognized the voice of each subject. The information gathered was analyzed to determine how well the voice recognition system performs in a training delivery application.

The findings of this feasibility study indicated that an effective voice based training delivery system could be developed by integrating an IBM clone personal computer with a graphics board and supporting software, signal processing board and supporting software for audio output and input, and instructional authoring software. Training was delivered successfully since all students completed the course, 85% performed better on the posttest than on the pretest, and the mean gain scores more than satisfied the expected criterion for the training course. The misrecognition factor was 12%.

An important finding of this study is that the misrecognition factor did not affect the students' opinion of how well the voice system operated or the students' learning gain.

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