This study investigates the practical feasibility and equity of using Google Project Relate in Ghana. Relate is an automatic speech recognition (ASR) application for captioning impaired speech in English. The research addresses the communication barriers faced by individuals with speech difficulties in a context with limited Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) services and assistive technologies. Employing the Technology Amplification Theory, a 6-week user study was conducted with 10 SLTs and 20 adults with communication difficulties to examine differential access, capacity, and motivation in using the application.

The results identified that differential access is influenced by smartphone ownership, internet connectivity, and language compatibility, particularly Relate is only available in English. Differential capacity depends on literacy, ability to create custom speech samples, and social stigma affecting interaction. Differential motivation is determined by individual circumstances and the acceptance of technology-mediated communication by conversation partners. The study highlights the contextual nature of language, the importance of stakeholder engagement beyond users, and the need to acknowledge both the strengths and limitations of ASR technology in functional use.

The research provides novel insights into the challenges and opportunities of deploying ASR technology in the Global South, offering recommendations for HCI researchers and developers to enhance communication equity for individuals with non-standard speech. Recommendations included the necessity for localisation of language models, consideration of the broader social context, and comprehensive user support and training. While ASR tools like Project Relate hold promise, their equitable and effective implementation requires addressing systemic barriers and adapting to local contexts.