Using ClaroRead With Dragon Speech Recognition

ClaroRead has a number of features that can help you to use Nuance’s Dragon speech recognition software (formerly called Dragon NaturallySpeaking).

Using ClaroRead’s text-to-speech with Dragon’s speech recognition gives you a powerful solution for interacting with your computer.

Note: While Dragon includes limited text-to-speech functionality through its Read That command, it’s not as sophisticated as ClaroRead – for example, Dragon does not highlight text as it reads it.

Dictate Button

ClaroRead lets you start and stop Dragon dictation, all from the ClaroRead toolbar:

Click Dictate to turn on Dragon’s microphone, dictate your text or commands, and then click Dictate again to turn off Dragon’s microphone. The Dictate button shows the current state of Dragon’s microphone – On, Off, or Asleep.

You can use the full range of Dragon commands without having to open the DragonBar – needing only a single toolbar keeps your desktop cleaner, less distracting, and therefore easier to use.

To enable the Dictate button, turn it on in ClaroRead’s View settings.

Echoing Dragon Voice Input

ClaroRead Windows can echo back each word or phrase that Dragon recognises. This helps user confidence, as well as dictation accuracy, by confirming that Dragon has recognised your speech correctly. Or if it hasn’t, you’ll know immediately so that you can correct the mistake.

To use this feature:

• In Dragon, turn on the Results Box (Tools > Options > Appearance).

• In ClaroRead, go to Advanced Speech settings and make sure that “Echo Dragon voice input” is selected. It’s on by default.

Now, when you dictate, Dragon shows what it has recognised in its Results Box. ClaroRead then automatically reads out the contents of the Results Box.

The echo feature works best with a headset (or microphone and headphones) – otherwise, Dragon might recognise ClaroRead’s speech!

Reading Training Text

If you have difficulty reading Dragon’s training text, for example when setting up a new microphone, you can use ClaroRead to read that text aloud so you can then say it back to Dragon.

First, go to ClaroRead’s Advanced Speech settings and make sure that “Speak when mouse selects” is selected. It’s on by default.

Now, when Dragon prompts you to read text (for example, during a microphone check), select that text and ClaroRead will read it aloud.

Controlling ClaroRead with your Voice

ClaroRead’s main toolbar buttons have keyboard shortcuts, which you can access using Dragon. For example, when dictating into Word, you can say “press F seven” to click ClaroRead’s Play button and start dictating from the cursor.

ClaroRead’s keyboard shortcuts include:

• F7 – Play

• F8 – Stop

• F9 – Check Word

• F10 – Show Homophones

• F11 – Clear Homophones

If you need to disable ClaroRead’s keyboard shortcuts, that is, if you want to use one of your application’s keyboard shortcuts instead, press F6 first. For example, if you need to use Word’s F9 keyboard shortcut (to update document fields), you need to say “press F six” and then say “press F nine”.

See ClaroRead Keyboard Shortcuts