BEST Websites for Assistive Tech: Text-to-Speech Tools and Related Resources

Part 2 in a series of articles about Assistive Technologies for Challenged Readers

Text-to-speech (TTS) is a form of speech synthesis that converts written text into a spoken voice output, or speech. Text-to-speech allows a computer, device, or application to speak by giving it a voice.

Text-to-speech was originally used to improve the accessibility of computers. This allowed visually-impaired and other challenged readers to listen to digital content that they were originally unable to read. It was also used to provide a voice for persons who had lost their own voices for a variety of reasons (injury, illness, etc.). Today, text-to-speech technology is used in medical devices, audio and announcement systems, emergency alerts, e-learning software, interactive voice response (IVR) systems and many other technological products. This same technology can be indispensable for readers with dyslexia, ADHD, autism and other issues that often impact reading success.

More recently, the demand for text-to-speech has grown rapidly. By combining text-to-speech and speech recognition capabilities, individuals are able to interact with technology as they would with another person through conversation. Because of the hands-free user interface this creates and employs, barriers are greatly eased or even eliminated for many challenged readers and learners.

Text-to-speech technology has become a significant part of the technical world and will increasingly become an even larger part of our daily lives. Through the text-to-speech tools from the websites and resource links provided below here, we hope you will discover just the right technology for your child, a struggling student or even yourself in order to enhance the reading and learning experience. In that way, an individual's quality of life will be significantly improved, too.

TextAloud MP3 for PC (FREE Trial)
http://www.textaloud.com/

GhostReader for Mac (FREE Trial)
http://www.convenienceware.com/ghostreader

ReadSpeaker (as used with this and all other articles in this blog-FREE Demo)
http://www.readspeaker.com/

NaturalReader for Mac & PC (FREE Version Available)
https://www.naturalreaders.com/index.html

NeoSpeech Text-to-Speech (FREE Demo)
http://www.neospeech.com/?gclid=CJu3yrX8lNECFVa5wAodgj0DRw

VoiceOver and Speak Selected Text (included in Mac operating system)
VoiceOver: http://www.apple.com/accessibility/mac/vision/
Speak Selected Text: http://osxdaily.com/2012/09/15/speak-selected-text-with-a-keystroke-in-mac-os-x/

Speak Selection and Speak Screen (included in iOS)
Speak Selection: https://help.apple.com/ipad/8/#/iPad9a247097
Speak Screen: https://help.apple.com/ipad/8/#/iPadfd740569

Speak command for Microsoft Word for PC (FREE to configure)
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Using-the-Speak-text-to-speech-feature-459e7704-a76d-4fe2-ab48-189d6b83333c?CorrelationId=d85e4603-d659-4086-9e3e-e187ddec1f9a&ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US&ocmsassetID=HA102066711

Bookshare Web Reader extension for Chrome on Mac, PC; Safari on Mac; Chromebook (Requires Bookshare Acct.)
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/get-started/how-read-books/read-your-own

Read2Go (iOS app for Bookshare books-$19.99)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/read2go/id425585903?mt=8

Voice Dream Reader (iOS and Android app for Bookshare books and other text)
iOS ($14.99): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/voice-dream-reader/id496177674?mt=8
Android ($9.99): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=voicedream.reader&hl=en

GoRead (Android app for Bookshare books-FREE)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.benetech.android&hl=en

Darwin Reader (Android app for Bookshare books-$14.95))
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ndu.mobile.daisy.full&hl=en

iBooks for Mac, iOS - Use device's built-in text-to-speech
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/mac/learning-and-literacy/

Acapela Text-To-Speech (FREE Demo)
http://www.acapela-group.com/

Nuance: RealSpeak (FREE Trial)
http://www.nuance.com/index.htm

Have Siri Read Articles To You on iPhone or iPad
http://osxdaily.com/2016/10/31/have-siri-read-screen-ios/

Sources:

My Assistive Technology Toolbox by Shelley Haven, ATP, RET
http://techpotential.net/attoolbox

The Benefits of Text to Speech by ReadSpeaker
http://www.readspeaker.com/benefits-of-text-to-speech/

What Is Text-to-Speech: Text-to-Speech Definition by Neospeech
http://www.neospeech.com/what-is-text-to-speech

For more information about assistive technologies for challenged readers, please visit:
www.FocusandRead.com Tools for struggling readers of all ages!
www.BrennanInnovators.com Info & support for struggling readers
314-892-3897

Image courtesy of:
Brennan Innovators, LLC at www.focusandread.com