Word Prediction

     One of the biggest differences I have noticed between my Accent 1000 running LAMP Words for Life and my old communication device is the way I use word prediction. The way I feel about word prediction has also changed.
     On my old device, word prediction was the only time saving feature that I had at my disposal. thought it was the greatest thing when I first got it. Instead of having to type out the entire word I could find it in the prediction list and insert it.

LAMP Words for Life home screen

Spelling Page

     Now that I have a new device with a vocabulary, my opinion has changed quite a lot. The image above shows the home screen for LAMP Words for Life. Pressing each key will take you to another page that has sometimes many different words that you can use. If I am not mistaken, this program has 4,000 of the most commonly used words. Every word can be accessed with three keystrokes or less. Over time you get faster because the motor plan becomes more firmly entrenched. I estimate that about 70% of the words I use are in the program, and I don't have to type them out. With three keystrokes, for example,  I can type "understand." If I spelled it out, it would take eleven keystrokes if you count the space.
     Word prediction is comparatively slower.WFL does have a spelling page for the words that are not in the vocabulary. As I type out a word I have to look back and forth from the keyboard to the word prediction list. This looking back and forth makes it easy for me to loose my focus, and it slows me down.  I now understand that word prediction is slower because you cannot develop a motor plan; as I see it, this is the biggest problem with it. As you type, the words move and change which is not conducive to developing a motor plan.
     I do use word prediction when I have to spell out words, so I'm not saying that it doesn't have its uses. However, because it can be disorienting I don't use it any more than I have to use it. When I compare my typing speed now with my previous device, the difference is like night and day. Core vocabulary is so powerful, and I don't think I will ever use anything else.