TEXT-TO-SPEECH INTRODUCTION

What is text-to-speech? Text-to-speech (TTS) is a process where digital text is converted in to spoken words. –“Talking text”

What are the benefits of text-to-speech? Provides an alternative to print only formats Provides a means for a student to gain meaningful information when they struggle with reading. Provides auditory feedback on what a student types so they can make revisions.

Who might benefit from text-to-speech? Students with a reading, learning, and/or attention disorder, or who struggle with reading Students who speak English as a second language Students who are blind or with low vision Students with certain mobility problems

Making decisions on student use of TTS Consider the student’s abilities and areas of need. Consider the environments where the needs occur. Consider the tasks that the student needs to complete. Match the needs with features of TTS options

Features Speaking the Text –Continuous reading Click to start, click to stop –Incremental reading word, sentence, paragraph –Highlighted text as read –Voices Single option or choices –Reading Speed

Features Appearance of Text –Background color/ text color –Font size, type, color –Highlighting –Speaking menus, buttons, tools

Features Other supports –Internet reading –Note-taking –Word prediction –Tools: Spell check, talking dictionary, homonym checker –Customize pronunciation

Discover Products by Features TechMatrix 2.0 –A web tool for locating assistive technology products based on features. –Generate a list of products with text-to-speech features.

Scan and Read Programs abcd efg OCR Created by Cindi Parsly

Scan and Read Products (Examples) Read & Write GOLD (WN/Mac) Kurzweil 3000 (WN/Mac) WYNN (WN)

Other Text-to-Speech programs (Examples) Read Please (WN) –Reads any text you see on your screen Word Talk (WN) –Includes highlighting and talking spell checker. Text-to-Speech Mac –Built in features of OS system

Explore text-to-speech for your students

The End TEXT-TO-SPEECH: Introduction OCALI/Ohio AT Network, 200

Ohio AT Network Scope of Work: To support the use of technology at each tier of support that will maximize accessibility to academic content standards to enhance learning. Technology to maximize individual learning technology to improve student performance Academic success for all students The statewide collaborative network provides consistent and comprehensive professional development, technical assistance and product development/dissemination related to the use of technology/assistive technology. Build and sustain capacity to make data-driven decisions regarding the use of technology/assistive technology to maximize learning for all students.