PrAACtical Questions: Does Word Prediction Really Make Communication Faster?

Word prediction is a rate enhancement strategy available in many high tech AAC devices. Which of the following is true about word prediction in longer words?

1. It always saves time.
2. It always saves time and keystrokes.
3. It always saves keystrokes, and sometimes saves time.
4. It always saves time, and sometimes saves keystrokes.
5. It never saves time.

In longer words, word prediction always saves keystrokes because the user is inputting only a portion of the word. This is helpful in that it reduces fatigue. It can also save time for some users, but that is not always the case. Some users have difficulty shifting back and forth between inputting letters and reviewing the options that are predicted by the device or computer. This slows the communication process. For users like this, there may not be a time savings. So #3 is the correct answer.

For more information on the variables that impact this and other issues related to word prediction, check out our earlier post on the topic.