Human Voice Audio

Behavior Data Systems, Ltd. (BDS) is a psychological test publishing company that develops, researches and markets a variety of juvenile and adult tests (www.bdsltd.com). BDS and its sister companies: Risk & Needs Assessment, Inc. (www.riskandneeds.com) and Professional Online Testing Solutions, Inc. (www.online-testing.com) have to address reading impairment issues because approximately 20+ percent of the people evaluated are reading impaired. Due to the prevalence of reading impairments, test publishers cannot ignore these reading issues.

Short Form Tests

Historically, shorter tests were used in reading impaired assessment. Shorter tests (fewer questions) are easy to administer due to their brevity. They can also be read to the client (patient or offender). Although BDS has developed “short form” version of its tests, this approach was never fully satisfying due to the staff time reading questions, answering reading-related questions and other than English translation issues. After considerable thought, research and development BDS automated reading of tests to clients (patients and offenders) and called this proprietary program Human Voice Audio.

Human Voice Audio

Human Voice Audio is an automated test administration program that helps overcome reading impairments and cultural difference issues. BDS provides Human Voice Audio free and it is available in English and Spanish. In brief, a person's passive (what they hear and understand) vocabulary is usually greater than their active (what they speak) vocabulary. Having questions read out loud in a person’s native (or dominant) language helps reduce communication problems and cultural issues.

How Does It Work?

On Windows CD’s (BDS or Risk & Needs) or on our Online or internet testing platform the client sits at a computer with earphones and simple up-down arrow key (keyboard) instructions. Earphones enhance clarity, minimize distractions and reduce distracting others in the room. The arrow keys allow clients to switch back and forth between questions and answers. They can only go back one question for corrections. Human Voice Audio testing is faster than paper-pencil testing. Each question (or answer) is highlighted on the screen (monitor) as it is simultaneously read to the client. The clients can go back-and-forth between a question and its answer(s) as many times as needed for clarification. When a client selects an answer the program advances to the next question. Human Voice Audio can be provided in other languages. Human Voice Audio is built into our software so it can be activated at any time. And it is free. Simply contact us and let us know you are interested in Human Voice Audio. If interested email us at info@bdsltd.com or info@online-testing.com or call us at 1 (800) 231-2401.



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