SoapBox Labs to provide cutting edge speech technology for McGraw Hill PreK-12 digital learning programs

DUBLIN, Jan. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- McGraw Hill and Dublin-based SoapBox Labs, the speech recognition company that enables joyful learning and play experiences for kids, today announced a partnership to tap the potential of speech technology to enhance learning experiences for children.

"Voice is the next logical evolutionary phase for technology in the modern Language Arts classroom," said Sean Ryan, President of the McGraw Hill School Group. "We see its effective application in everyday life outside of the classroom. Done well, this capability generates data for immediate use by the teacher and longitudinal data for all stakeholders who care about student development over time. We enthusiastically embrace its potential and look forward to exploring the myriad of possibilities with our partner, SoapBox Labs."

Recent advances in artificial intelligence, paired with a deeper understanding of how students learn, is enabling the development of speech technology designed specifically for children's voices, and the realities of the modern classroom. SoapBox's speech technology, built specifically for kids, recognizes young children's unique speech patterns, and processes differences in accents or dialects, reducing implicit bias in learning. 

The integration of speech technology with education technology now makes it possible for kids to use their voices to practice subjects like literacy, language learning, science and math independently, as well as to search, command and control the edtech solutions they've grown to love. Educators are now using voice-enabled tools to support the administration of remote and in-classroom assessments in critical areas, including early literacy development, where the use of voice data can provide a more holistic view of a student's progress over time.

"We're proud to be working with an iconic education brand like McGraw Hill to explore the application of our speech technology for kids at scale across multiple products," said Dr. Martyn Farrows, CEO of SoapBox Labs.  "We have a shared vision of how voice-enabled education tools can support teachers and provide a level playing field for kids of all ages, accents and backgrounds."

SoapBox is the leading developer of speech technology for kids. Established in 2013, SoapBox Labs was named one of Europe's hottest start-ups by Wired magazine in 2019. Founder Dr. Patricia Scanlon has been named one of the top 50 women in tech globally by Forbes and a top "Visionary in Voice" by Voicebot in 2020.

About SoapBox Labs
SoapBox Labs makes kids' unique voices heard in the digital world. Our speech technology is proprietary and built from the ground up to empower 2- to 12-year-old kids of every accent and stage of development to have joyful digital experiences. SoapBox powers voice-enabled learning and play experiences for third party clients in the education, games, media and entertainment industries. We are a privacy-first company and will never reuse or sell our clients' voice data for marketing or advertising purposes.

About McGraw Hill
McGraw Hill is the leading education partner for millions of educators, learners and professionals around the world. Recognizing their diverse needs, we build trusted content, flexible tools and powerful digital platforms to help them achieve success on their own terms. Through our commitment to equity, accessibility and inclusion, we foster a culture of belonging that respects and reflects the diversity of the communities, learners and educators we serve. Headquartered in New York City, McGraw Hill has offices across North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, and makes its learning solutions for PreK–12, higher education, professionals and others available in more than 80 languages.

SOURCE SoapBox Labs

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED