Computers that read aloud text, or text-to-speech, are one of the most powerful tools to help overcome the barriers of dyslexia. They can help develop reading skills and enable independent reading and proof-reading. In this workshop Abi will demonstrate how to get your computer talking, demonstrating free and advanced solutions. The session will also look at how text-to-speech can now be accessed through phones, portable devices and e-book readers while discussing strategies to use text-to-speech as a learning tool and for support in exams.

1. The low-down on using
computers and portable
devices for reading
Dr Abi James
Assistive Technology Consultant
British Dyslexia Association New Technologies
Committee www.bdatech.org
Talk to Cheshire Dyslexia Association 11th March 2013

2. Pupils with dyslexia benefit from using ICT :
Non-
judgemental
and
motivational
feedback
Multi-
sensory
teaching
environment
Time-saving
and editing
tools
Adaptable
and
personalised
working
environment

3. Reading
• Developing Reading skills
• Text-to-speech for reading
• Dyslexia-friendly text & accessibility online
• Ebooks & eBook readers

4. Reading Skills
• Seeing and hearing text together improves
reading skills
• Multimedia = multi-sensory = motivation
• Access materials alongside peers.
• Oxford Owl - www.oxfordowl.co.uk/FindBook

5. Text-to-speech
• Enables text to be read out from the computer
screen,
• Synchronised highlighting provide visual and
auditory cues
• Helps readers who struggle due to:
– Slow reading speed
– Poor accuracy
– Poor concentration or memory

6. ClaroRead demonstration
ClaroRead SE £49 +VAT
• Speech in Word, Internet & PDFS with
highlighting, save-to-audio & high-quality
voices
ClaroRead Plus £159 + VAT
• Speech plus talking spell-checker, dictionary,
word prediction, homophone checker & OCR
scanning
www.clarosoftware.com

7. Computerised Speech Quality…
• Accents & Clarity….
– Free vs paid
– JISC Techdis voices free for students 16+
http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/techdis/technologymatters/voices
– Accents & languages
• Tricky words
– Homonyms… read / read
– Proper Nouns
– Abbreviations, cultural references

8. How to make your computer talk…
• All Windows & Mac computers have text-to-
speech built-in.
• See http://bdatech.org/whats-new/ on how to
add speech to Word 2010
Other free tools:
• Wordtalk - www.wordtalk.org.uk
• Ivona Mini-Reader www.ivona.com/en/mini-
reader/

9. Text-to-speech programs
• Write:Outloud
• Clicker; WriteOnline
• WordTalk (free ad-in to word, no
voice)
Talking word
processors
• Texthelp Read&Write Standard
• ClaroRead SE
• ATBar (online tools) Ivona Reader
(free no voice or highlighting)
Tools accessible from
other applications
e.g. MS Word,
internet
• Kurzweil 3000
• Texthelp Read&Write Gold
• ClaroRead Plus / Pro
Scan-Read Software

10. Dyslexia-friendly online reading
• Changing the look and fell of text:
– Font size: use zoom in web browsers Ctrl +
– Font colour & style:
– Background colour
– Text justification
• Readability ; Evernote Clearly (Chrome) - free
• Claro ScreenRuler
• Virtual Reading Ruler

11. eBook Readers
• Some can read aloud! But not all.
• Depends on book publisher & device

12. eBooks tools for PC
Generally ePubs can be read aloud. ePub3
supports accessibility
• Project Gothenburg out of copyright books
• Calibre – converts files to ePub2
• Balabolka (Win) – reading window, converts
files to MP3
• Azardi, Stanza , Readium – free Epub reader
software
• Accessible materials – Bookshare, Load2Learn

13. iPad and Android apps
• iPads & most Android tablets
have TTS voices built-in
• iPad/iOS use accessibility
settings to access “speak
selection”
• Apps range from £1.49 to ~£20
for TTS writing support, PDF
reading, colour highlighting
• http://bdatech.org/what-
technology/small-portable-
devices/apps/

14. Take a picture, hear the words
CapturaTalk for Android www.capturatalk.com

15. E-book device Tablet e.g. Touch,
ipad and netbook
Desktop / laptop
Purchase ebooks
Search & download
academic papers
Read aloud text
books
Read aloud papers &
learning resource
Record audio notes
Record text notes in
lectures
Research on the
internet
Create a mind map
Make notes from
text
Draft an assignment
Proof read an
assignment

16. Contact details:
Abi James
Email: abi@assistivelearning.co.uk
Sources of information:
www.bdatech.org
www.emptech.info