Ok, this might be asking for the moon on a stick, but here we go!

I'm wondering if there is any (possibly free?) software out there which enables someone who couldn't use a word processor (due to poor vision and lack of computer knowledge) to dictate a letter straight into the computer and then have said dictation rendered into a printable format.

The alternative would be to use a speech recording device which could then download to a computer a printable format of the dictation.

This is for my mother-in-law, who no longer feels able to write letters. My father-in-law is pretty computer literate and would be able to do the downloading and/or printing but probably couldn't do the typing himself in any reasonable time-frame.

(I've tried the Speech thing in Word and can't make it work for me, so I doubt that they could either).

Many thanks

Julian

I spent a week or to trying to find something similar a few years ago when a slight misadventure left me without the use of my arms. In 2004 there was nothing that was any good and free. I got better before I bothered paying for anything so can't really help.

Slightly unrelated – Do you want to know how I used the keyboard while in traction?

Well, I always was a clever dick

I don't know of any and it's a difficult area.

I'd advise looking for open source software as I would't think that there will be any other stuff in the realm of the free

MS-Word software also needs some training to a particular voice, so it may be worth persevering with that one. It has improved over the last few years. Get a microphone / headset for best results

Well I don't want to be using your keyboard then WCA!

By the way, there's a very good beer deal going on in Southampton – just about to do a PSA on here…

Cheers, chvck – I'll have another look. Doesn't necessarily have to be completely free – just not very expensive…

@Moses – thanks: tried that but it says that my keyboard setting (en-uk) doesn't support dictation. Might try en-us but I doubt my father-in-law will want to change his settings even if he knew how…

i've got a list somewhere of useful free or low cost software, but am blowed if I can find it – investyigated this extenisvely a while back to see if I could help with some of my work pressure (I am dyspraxic and find sometimes that I get overburdened with work and checking my writing is an issue) – I found some good software that reads back to you which I occasionally use, but didnt go in for dictation software, other than trying a demo of dragon naturally speaking
http://www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/

if I find the list i will be posting back here