The best magazine
A: The training is actually what sets TypeWell apart from other transcribing systems. One thing, though, is that transcribers need to be sharp to start with. The school-level qualification that you asked about is really about topic and vocabulary knowledge, more than general education level. Once you understand the cognitive processes involved in m4m transcription, it becomes obvious that a transcriber must understand the topic of a lecture.
I know the requirements for entry into TypeWell training can be stringent.
Q: How difficult is it to learn via the TypeWell online training program?
A: The training is the most critical part of the TypeWell software system. It allows trainees to come up to speed relatively quickly because it is high-tech and customized to each trainee. That’s really the secret to producing qualified transcribers. As a professional transcriber, I appreciate the responsiveness of TypeWell for information, technical support, and general queries, even though years have passed since I graduated. They are very focused on the quality of transcribers –- and ultimately, the quality of services provided to consumers. So while they are very supportive of trainees, they hold the line on transcript quality so that only qualified transcribers graduate.
TypeWell training is not just about learning how to type quickly using an abbreviation system. It is about capturing a speaker’s meaning accurately; learning to transform even most dense information into clearly worded sentences; quickly identifying questions or cues from the speaker and communicating those to the reader; and a host of other skills that are needed to provide high-quality communication access.
Q: Could a competitor easily imitate TypeWell?
A: The TypeWell software itself is a pretty advanced technology with years of refinement. I imagine it would be hard to imitate, since it’s got such a large built-in dictionary with over 200,000 words and interlocked features that allow us to transcribe fast. It has been refined over the years (now up to version 5, with new features that allow transcribers to quickly type math/science equations and use the software remotely).
Q: Anything else you would like to add about TypeWell?
A: Your readers may be interested in knowing about the difference between communication access and information access. I consider note taking to be just information access, while communication access requires a much more faithful recording of what was said, and how it was said. The ideas are presented in full sentences. Speakers are identified. Major points are written rich detail. This way, the reader gets the feel of the whole context, in addition to the content.
Related Blog Posts on TypeWell
TypeWell has been discussed on the About.com Deafness blog in these blog posts:Deaf College Student Fights for Adequate Accommodations
CART Versus TypeWell. Does a College Have the Right to Choose?
Competition for CART
Speech to Text
Sources:
TypeWell, http://typewell.com.
email interview, April 2009
Source: ...