Technology challenges us to keep up with it, adapt to it, and grow with it. This may seem to be an overwhelming challenge, but the benefits are too far-reaching to ignore. One technology that is growing at an extremely rapid pace is computer speech recognition. Developed as a dictation tool for business applications, computer speech recognition will eventually have many applications for deaf and hard of hearing people, but most of these applications are still years away. One area where it has several immediate applications is interpreting. The technology has advanced such that it can be used by sign language interpreters where the usual interpreting process encounters problems. As the speed and accuracy of computer speech recognition improves, it is likely to become a standard interpreting tool.
     The Institute for Disabilities Research and Training, Inc. (IDRT) is currently involved in a three-year U.S. Department of Education grant to study how speech recognition can be used by sign language interpreters as an assistive tool to provide more complete interpreting for deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) students in mainstream classes. Sign language is, and always will be, an effective means of communicating information to D/HH students. However, computer speech recognition can provide a useful communication tool in certain circumstances.