Feasibility of real-time transcription in the clinical setting

This study evaluated a computer-based approach to transcription in the clinical setting: transcription done in real time. Real-time transcription entails orthographically transcribing the language produced by a child, using a computer and a standard transcription format, while the child is engaged in a conversation. Twenty-minute language samples from 20 preschool children were transcribed both in real time and from au diotape and compared on several quantitative measures of language production. On average, 90% of the words and utterances transcribed from audiotape were captured in real time, with there being no significant differences in either intelligibility or MLU between the two transcription methods.