Hong Kong special needs students to use speech-to-text software for first time in liberal studies exam
A total of 150 pupils will be allowed to use the technology which could be wheeled out for other exams in future, but not languages
For the first time, about 150 students with special needs will be allowed to use speech-to-text software in the Diploma of Secondary Education liberal studies examination this year.
Speaking at a media lunch on Wednesday, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority general manager Margaret Hui Yuen-ching said that for the exam in early April, students with severe writing difficulties could – instead of writing their answers – answer questions by speaking to a MacBook Air using a speech recognition program developed by IT giant Apple.
Tong Chong-sze, the authority’s secretary general, said that going forward, the authority could extend the plan to other subjects such as history, but ruled out implementing the program for languages.
“For languages, we have to test their writing abilities. If students use the speech-to-text software, it shows that they can speak, but not write,” director for public examinations Christina Lee said.
But she said students were tested for their thinking and discussion abilities in liberal studies, so it was fine if they did not write.