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Protected: LRC speech recognition speaking practice task: Implementation (Prerequisites installation, configuration, training)
2014/09/14
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Software prerequisites for Speech recognition speaking practice tasks
2014/09/13
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- Tools needed for my LRC speaking practice task design using Windows7 Automated Speech recognition:
- proofing tools and tracking changes (suggest MS-Word),
- a screencast recorder (free MS-Community Clips: MGFGX3),
- an LMS for uploads of one to several dozen MBs files),
- and the W7ASR Profile Tool (to back up individual voice training data in a shared, "frozen" LRC).
How to add control of student sound/recording volume, sidetone, restart, and more to a Sanako Study 1200 environment, using the Launch Program feature and AutoIt
2014/08/22
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- UPDATE: A Windows7 (and Vista) version – which also uses a simplified deployment mechanism – is in the works, check back for a new post here.
- In refining our Sanako classroom setup, we improved the control, that the Sanako Study 1200 affords the teacher over the student clients in the computerized classroom,
- by extending the built-in Launch Program feature
- with custom-made executables (realized in AutoIt V3) that can control the volume (here on Windows XP SP3).
- This it how it works: Launch any of the programs (what each does is in its name) to any individual/group of students or the entire class in order to do any of these things on the student computers that the Sanako out of the box does not allow you to control, and that I often wish I could do when teaching language classes in a Sanako (or other computerized classroom management system) environment, like
- controlling the volume of what the students
- hears
- records
- turning the student sidetone (= echoing back the student microphone into the student headset) on and off
- starting/pausing Windows Media Player
- launching/closing quiz files in MS-Word
- restarting an entire (misbehaving) student applications
- controlling the volume of what the students
- Here is what we have:
- Here is how using what we have looks like:
- You can now request the download of these language lab enhancing programs, including source code, here.
Request to download the digital audio lab classroom audio configuration on the fly, program and source for Windows XP
2014/08/22
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UPDATE: A Windows7 (and Vista) version is in the works, check back for a new post here.
Back to description of reset of classroom audio configuration on the fly program
Sanakoaudioconfigonthefly software utilities updated for Vista/Windows7
2013/12/09
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- (Shortcut to download – now fixed) The reason why a colleague’s signature reads: “Worrying about a large institution, especially when it has computers, is like worrying about a large gorilla, especially when it’s on fire" (Bruce Sterling) might just be that a multimedia-capable fully computerized classroom – think 30 PCs and 30 students trying not only to listen to, but record responses to exam audio – is a notoriously difficult beast to control, and all too easily spins out of the same (a classroom humming in an endless audio feedback loop is neither a pleasant nor an unfamiliar sight).
- The Sanako Study 1200 is a digital audio lab software that facilitates the use of personal computers in face-to-face class settings. However, while the Sanako Study 1200 features many ways for the teacher to control and manage the student PCs, the students’ audio settings cannot be controlled on the fly.
- Enter these little sanakoaudioconfigonthefly utilities (written in AutoIt) for Windows 7 and Vista (old Windows PX version still available here) that extend the Sanako Study 1200.
- We now use (as it is completely adequate and actually superior to to the seemingly more applicable PC control / Launch programs features which is requires the program executable to reside under the same path on student and tutor computer) Playlist / copy and launch (folder icon) and the Sanako grouping feature to send a program with your choice of action to the student PCs of your choice. In this example,
- click playlist,
- and in the window that opens, click (1) to send to “all”, then click (2) to select which program to send:
![image_thumb[3]](https://plagwitz.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/image_thumb3_thumb.png?w=341&h=244 "image_thumb[3]")
- Files included in this release (each for 64-bit, and as source code, so that you can compile your own if you are still on MS-Vista/MS-Windows-732-bit platform):
- Change student recording levels (microphone sensitivity).
- Toggle student sidetone ( in Sanako = “listen” to this device in Windows)
- Control student playback level (headphone volume).
- Likely these programs can be adapted beyond Sanako Study 1200, but I do not remember (helpful comments appreciated)
-
- whether other digital audio lab platforms (Sony Virtuoso, Robotel SmartClass) allow for changing the student audio config on the fly
- and what mechanism (if any – but likely) they (and Sanako Lab300) provide to launch programs on the students’ computers
- Prerequisites:
- None other than your digital audio lab software and the utilities you can download below. In particular, it is not required to install AutoIt on teacher or student computers.
- However, there should be only 1 microphone/speaker per student computer in the digital audio lab. If you have more, you likely have bigger problems to solve first, but you also need to alter the source code (included) to select the microphone you want to work with (should be easy; note however, that I have not tested this scenario, for: “There should be only 1 microphone/speaker per student computer in the digital audio lab”
- Request here to download these utilities.
![image_thumb[3]](https://plagwitz.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/image_thumb31.png "image_thumb[3]")
Request to download the digital audio lab classroom audio configuration on the fly, program and source for Windows 7
2013/12/09
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How to fix exception: Sanako Graph Data not installed
2013/07/05
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- Problem: When trying to administer an oral exam, using model imitation, source: file, I could not, but rather I got this error
- Root: The same feature had worked in the morning – however, then the Sanakorecorder interfered with the Sanako tutor. Turned out that the Sanako tutor had been installed over a Sanako Student recorder which caused the tutor pc to connect to itself (distracting, also potentially a liability since it eats up licenses if not managed). In between morning and afternoon exam, the student recorder was uninstalled, but without the required functionality testing afterwards. So this exam had to become the test.
- Workaround: Reinstall the student recorder. We used the “test the Sanako installer” program on my home page to not delay the exam too much.
- Solution: do not install the Sanako tutor over a student installation in the first place.
- Either remove the Student recorder after imaging the teacher station with the student image,
- or better, image the PC without the added baseline task “Student recorder”.
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