![]() ![]() Not wanting to disappoint my interviewee, I suggested that I would attempt to transcribe the interview through my Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech-to-text software. ![]() But it would be unfair of me to ask someone to transcribe my 45:01 oral history, word for word. If a particular section was especially pertinent, I would simply ask for assistance with typing the necessary passage. Therein lies the problem for me as a budding oral historian. An hour-long interview may only utilize a fraction of a specific recording. However, journalists only need to search for a few specific quotes in order to produce the piece. Similar to oral historians, journalists often transcribe excerpts of their recordings. Throughout my Journalism studies, I sat down with countless individuals asking them to share their stories. I utilize an electric wheelchair to move, a speech-to-text program in order to finish my numerous assignments, and a friend who acts as my scribe in the classroom.ĭespite my physical limitations, I completed my undergraduate schooling with a dual degree in Classical Civilizations and Journalism. ![]() Surprise, I’m physically disabled.Īt 13 months old, I was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II, a neuromuscular disorder that gradually weakens my muscles over time. Transcribing shouldn’t be too difficult, right? Not for an able-bodied individual. Plus, our lab came equipped with Express Scribe software, as well as a transcription pedal. These conversations even included recommended transcription methods.ĭepending on the length of the interview, transcription by a non-professional like me may prove to be nothing more than an 8-hour process: laborious, but doable. I was thrilled knowing that my classmates and I had the opportunity to sit down with participants of this movement, learning about their incredible experiences.īefore our prospective interview dates, our professor facilitated classroom discussions on best practices for conducting an oral history interview. With the goal to raise one million dollars, students garnered national attention for their efforts to prevent Duquesne from shutting its doors. In this guest post, public history graduate student Grant Stoner reflects on the difficulties of oral history transcription for individuals with physical disabilities, challenging us to consider issues of accessibility within oral history methodology, while noting the limitations of digital technologies.ĭuring my first semester as a graduate student in the Public History program at Duquesne University, I was tasked with conducting an oral history of the Third Alternative campaign, a local campus movement that lasted from 1970-1971 consisting of several student-led fundraising events. Transcribing Woes of Disabled Oral Historians ![]()
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