What is the length of training to become a skilled voicewriter?
There are so many variables that affect the length of  time, the most important of which is the amount of time available for practice on a weekly basis. If someone can devote 12-15 hours per week, there is a strong likelihood that completion can be accomplished in less than a year. 

 Is financial aid assistance available for students?
Any school offering the federally funded financial aid programs incurs many added costs to be able to offer that assistance, plus having to be nationally accredited. Those costs have to be added on to the tuition costs for students. The director of this school operated a degree-granting, fully accredited institution for 16 years, but now chooses to keep tuition costs to the lowest level possible so students aren’t accumulating more debt. Voicewriting students who choose to receive financial aid assistance are obligated to pay that debt whether they gradiate or not, and the payback time can be as much as ten years. Even though the interest rate is low, the total amount of interest paid over that ten years is substantial.

What are some characteristics needed in order to be a successful voice writer?
The obvious ones are determination, thus making learning this skill a high priority. Anyone with lazy speech patterns will be discouraged from beginning  The software must be able to recognize clearly enunciated words with a minimum of slurred words of phrases that are run together. The voicing technique needed has been described by some as being almost robotic in sound, and not the normal conversational speech pattern. Prospective students are encouraged to have a phone conversation with the director, so the director can make an informal evaluation.

Who are good candidates for this training?  Some successful candidates are those wishing to re-enter the workforce, or someone with the desire to increase their earning potential. Dropout students from traditional steno training schools would likely be able to reach their original goal through this method.  Court reporters who suffer from repetitive stress disorder or carpal tunnel syndrome would find learning this skill does not require a lot of keyboard usage that may have caused the problem in the first place. Anyone with a physical disability that doesn't impair their speaking voice could benefit from this since skill development and employment can be operational from home

Isn’t it fairly simple to just talk into the speech recognition program? Developing good voicing technique is a learned skill especially since mastery of speeds of 200 wpm and above is needed in these professions. It is different from conversational speech. Some people take longer than others to master the skill of listening, repeating, and enunciating clearly at increasing speeds. The VCI program starts students at about 130-140 wpm allowing them to develop that skill, then push them along as fast as possible when they demonstrate the realtime accuracy of each speed level.

How is ‘realtime’ voicewriting different from voicewriting or maskwriting? When adding the word “realtime” we are establishing that speech recognition software is being used so the text can be displayed instantly, as opposed to voicewriters or maskwriters who record the spoken words into recorders for later transcription.

Do we have to voice homonyms differently in order to get the right translation? Speech recognition software uses artificial intelligence to determine which word is appropriate in the sentence. As each word is translated the software has analyzed the previous two words for context.

How large is the resident dictionary in most speech recognition software programs? The speech engine we prefer is IBM ViaVoice that has been incorporated into the expanded speech recognition software.  It contains almost 300,000 words including all geographic locations, many proper names, and some medical terms. Additional words can be added as needed, especially when encountering foreign names. Dragon Naturally Speaking drops down the text to the screen in blocks of words rather than instantaneously.

If some initial training was done on Dragon, for example, can the voice files transfer? It is possible, however, complete transfer is not always assured.

Why is it recommended that students start training from the beginning on the speech recognition software?   The focus must always be on developing the realtime skills that are needed in most careers.  Professional voicewriters have a distinct advantage when producing the end product in realtime. Beginning from the beginning on SR software actually shortens a student's training time.

Is there placement assistance for graduates? The director of VCI has many years of experience in the educational fields of these various fields, thus has many contacts. Once a student has acquired a skill that the director feels is acceptable, assistance will be given for the student to intern with certain companies or individuals, but students are encouraged to develop their own resources in their geographic area. Placement cannot be guaranteed.  

How soon before unmanned speech recognition software replaces human voicewriters?  It is not likely for several more decades.  Humans are needed for instantaneous insertion of punctuation and speaker identification at the appropriate places to attain accurate translation and readability.  There will always be speakers that mumble, or do not speak loudly, or clear enough for the microphones and computer to pick up his/her speech and convert it to text accurately, or people who talk over each other.  In those scenarios it would be impossible for a speech recognition system to separate out the words or accurately translate the speech..

Am I ready for distance learning?   (Circle the letter that best represents you)

1.     My computer skills allow me to:  A.   Print, use the Internet with ease, download and feel comfortable with new software.    B.   Use programs with assistance, use the Internet at a basic level and feel comfortable asking questions.  C.   Type documents, use the Internet at a very basic level, and feel awkward with new programs.

2.    I use the Internet:  A.   Daily  B.   Sometimes  C.   Rarely

3.    My personality could is best described as a person who:  A.   Often gets things done ahead of time, because I am self-motivated. B.    Needs reminding to get things done on time, but consider myself goal oriented. C.    Puts things off until the last minute or doesn't complete them, because I have many interests.

4.    I have: A.   10 – 15 hours per week to devote to coursework. B.   5 – 10 hours per week to devote to coursework. C.   1 – 5 hours per week to devote to coursework.

5.    Feeling that I am part of a class is:  A.   Not particularly a requirement for me.  B.   Somewhat important to me.  C.   Something necessary for me.

6.    Classroom discussion is:  A.   Rarely helpful to me. B.    Sometimes helpful to me. C.    Almost always helpful to me.

7.    As a reader, I would classify myself as  :A.   Good.  I understand text on my own, without much assistance. B.   Average. I sometimes need assistance. C.   Slower than average.  I often need help reading new materials.

8.    When I don’t understand something, I usually: A.   Am comfortable approaching the instructor and asking questions. B.   Am not comfortable approaching the instructor, but will ask questions anyway. C.   Rarely admit that I don’t understand and typically do not ask instructors questions.

9.    When an instructor gives directions for assignments, I prefer: A.   Figuring out the instructions myself. B.    Trying to follow the directions on my own, then asking for help as needed. C.    Having the instructions explained to me.

10. Will you be able to set aside some time to participate in online discussions with classmates or the instructor? A.   Yes. I can budget my time for this course. B.   Sometimes.  I am a very busy person. C.   Maybe.  My schedule changes often.

Total your score: Add 3 points for each "A" that you circled, 2 for each "B," and 1 for each "C." If you scored 20 or more, a distance-learning course is a real possibility for you. If you scored between 11 and 20, distance-learning courses may work for you, but you may need to make a few adjustments in your schedule and study habits to succeed. If you scored 10 or less, distance learning currently may not be the best alternative for you; talk to your instructor. Why these considerations?

1. Distance-learning students must have a good understanding of how to use a computer, how to solve problems with a computer and use technical assistance, how to use the Internet, how to install and use Windows, ViaVoice, and other possible software programs.
2. Online-learning requires students to be able to know how to download software from the Internet such as Windows Media or Adobe Acrobat, how to easily use search engines such as Google, how to download software from the Internet, and how to navigate through a website using provided links.
3. Distance-learning courses give students greater freedom of scheduling, but they can require more self-discipline than traditional classes.
4. Successful students have at least 10 hours to devote to focused learning to make the necessary progress.
5. Some people learn best by interacting with other students and instructors. Others learn better by listening, reading and reviewing on their own. Distance-learning courses provide less opportunity for group interaction than most typical on-campus courses.
6. Some students prefer the independence of Distance Learning; others find the independence uncomfortable and miss being part of the classroom experience.
7. Distance Learning requires you to work from written directions.
8. Students who do well in distance-learning courses are usually comfortable contacting the instructor as soon as they need help with the course
9. Print materials are the primary source of directions and information in distance-learning courses.
10. Most people who are successful with Distance Learning find it difficult to come to campus on a regular basis because of their work, family or personal schedules. But setting aside specific time for assignments, discussions, IM discussions etc. are important.