DRAGON PROMOTIONAL OFFER TO SUPPORT DYSLEXIA AWARENESS WEEK

10% discount from 3 November to 31 December 2014 on Nuance’s Dragon family

In advance of Dyslexia Awareness Week (3rd November – 9th November), Nuance Communications has announced that it is offering a 10% discount on Dragon Naturally Speaking 13 Home Premium and Professional editions, and Dragon Dictate for Mac 4, in order to help encourage an equal learning and working environment for people of all abilities. Dragon’s speech recognition technology and play-back function helps to make it easier for people with dyslexia to share their knowledge and creativity, without being hindered by the conventional keyboard and mouse. The offer for customers in the UK and Ireland is available through Nuance’s online store and its authorised reseller partners. It begins on 3 November and ends on 31 December 2014.

Dyslexia Awareness Week – which is arranged by the British Dyslexia Association – aims to raise awareness of dyslexia and the resources available to help people with the condition. It is estimated that one in 10* of people is thought to be dyslexic. Without access to solutions like Dragon, their ability to communicate effectively can be compromised, impacting success in the classroom or workplace. Research suggests that use of speech recognition by students who are dyslexic generates significant improvements in reading, decoding, spelling and comprehension. In recognition of this, some education institutions, like Oxford University, allow Dragon to be used in controlled exam conditions by students with learning requirements.

One of many recent example of how Dragon creates an equal pathway to success in education, is student Aidan Clancy. A pupil at Ripon Grammar School, Aidan has severe dyslexia and dyspraxia. This summer, he secured three A-grade A-levels while using Dragon to complete his exams. Talking about the challenge of transferring his thoughts to the PC using a conventional keyboard, he said, “We thought there must be a solution using technology. We found out about voice recognition software and I re-sat my A-levels using it and did so much better. The technology allows me to put down on paper what’s in my head. I’m nowhere near as tired after an exam and no longer get the headaches.”

As well as being well-suited to people with dyslexia, Dragon – which boast accuracy rates of 99% – helps with the needs of those exhibiting early signs of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) , or students who are English language learners. This is because Dragon offers a complete voice solution by touching on virtually every aspect of the computing experience – making it easy to navigate, command and control your computer by voice, and supporting fast, accurate dictation for both local applications, such as Microsoft Word, and web applications, including email and social media. Dragon’s ‘Read That’ feature lets students listen and follow what is being read on the screen, which reinforces word pronunciation. Meanwhile, its ‘Play That Back’ feature enables users to hear their own voices, self-assess their writing, and make edits and corrections. Furthermore, by leveraging the latest advancements in Nuance speech recognition science and technology, the Dragon family is faster and more accurate than ever before.

Commenting on the promotional offer, Jonathan Whitmore, UK, Ireland and Middle East Regional Sales Manager, Nuance Communications, said: “Dyslexia Awareness Week reminds us of the challenges that people with all assistive requirements face every day when it comes to sharing their thoughts and knowledge. For them, the keyboard and mouse can hamper what they’re able to achieve academically or professionally. Dragon introduces them to a new world of opportunity, which we hope more people will be encouraged to embrace via the current promotional offer on Dragon.”

Dragon’s ability to assist students has been recognised by disability campaigning organisation RADAR, which recently merged with a number of charities to form Disability Rights UK. RADAR honoured Nuance with the ‘Technology Provider of the Year’ award for Dragon NaturallySpeaking software at its ‘People of the Year’ Awards. This accolade reflects Nuance’s commitment to developing and supporting desktop speech and imaging solutions that helps to transform people’s personal and professional lives.

Explaining why Dragon was chosen as the winner of the ‘Technology Provider of the Year’ category, RADAR’s former CEO and current CEO of Disability Rights UK, Liz Sayce, said: “Dragon NaturallySpeaking stands alone as a product that has proven itself time and again to be a brilliantly effective alternative interface between a PC and its user. Dragon has provided people with the independence and freedom to search the internet, keep in touch with family and friends, and pursue their education or work interests and activities. We applaud Nuance’s determination to bring the benefits of Dragon to as many influential people as possible, to heighten awareness of what for many is an essential life-line to the connected world.”

For many years, people from all walks of life have used Dragon to be more productive, save time and capture their ideas at the speed of thought – at home, in the office, the courtroom, the classroom, the exam room, or even on the road. Globally, Dragon’s power and performance has been reflected in the many awards and accolades it has already won, recognising the multiple benefits it brings to PC and Mac users of all abilities.