Low+Cost+Text+to+Speech+Software+Solutions

= = = Text to Speech Software: A Comparison = toc media type="custom" key="21454132"

= Finding E-Text =


 * A great place to find free e-text is [|www.gutenberg.org]
 * In the search window on the left type in "Call of the Wild".
 * There will be many file formats to choose from. I suggest HTML format.
 * Copy the first chapter of e-text in to a Microsoft word document.

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Other sites to get e-text
[|Accessible Book Collection] (Paid site) [|Arthur's Classic Novels] [|Audio Books for Free] [|Bartleby](free etext) [|Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic]

= Microsoft Word Features =

Auto Summary

 * Once you copy the text in to Microsoft Word you will have a seven page document with 3,738 words.
 * The Auto Summary tool will allow to reduce that document to the desired length.
 * To simplify the e-text document you can use the Microsoft tool called "Auto Summary"

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Adjusting the visual options
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 * Make the text larger.
 * Choose a more readable font. ie: ABCfont, Arial, Dotum, Tahoma.
 * Use the character spacing options to expand the font making it clearer to read.
 * Change the background color.
 * When printing use colored paper.

Word Talk

 * //WordTalk// is an add in for //Microsoft Word// that allows the user to have anything typed in the program read out loud using synthized speech.
 * To download the free add in go to [|www.wordtalk.org/uk]
 * Once the add in is installed go to Programs and click on //WordTalk//, this will install the toolbar in your //Microsoft Word// toolbars.

How to install and use the //WordTalk// Toolbar in //Microsoft Word//
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= Reading on the Web =

[|Wikipedia]
[|Simple English Wikipedia]

= iPad Features and Apps That Support Text to Speech =

Text-to-Speech Built Into iOS5
By Paul Hamilton

=iOS 6 Guided Access =

iOS 6 comes with even more features to make it easier for people with vision, hearing, learning, and mobility disabilities to get the most from their iOS devices. Guided Access helps students with disabilities such as autism remain on task and focused on content. It allows a parent, teacher, or administrator to limit an iOS device to one app by disabling the Home button, as well as restrict touch input on certain areas of the screen. VoiceOver, the revolutionary screen reader for blind and low-vision users, is now integrated with Maps, AssistiveTouch, and Zoom. And Apple is working with top manufacturers to introduce Made for iPhone hearing aids that will deliver a power-efficient, high-quality digital audio experience.5

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=[|Voice Dream] =

is a low cost ($9.99) app that provides text-to-speech, with a high quality voice, for files that are opened in it on an iDevice. The app has been optimized for both the iPad and the smaller iPhone or iPod Touch. Voice Dream reads PDF files well, but its developers say that it will also handle ePub, eBook, MS Word, plain text, Apple Pages, MS PowerPoint, RTF and HTML. I’ve tried it with PDF, .txt, PowerPoint, and HTML, and it handled them all well. It is important to note, however, that all formatting on the original file is lost when the file is brought into Voice Dream. This app offers additional features that can be helpful. First, each word is highlighted in one color as it is read aloud, while the line is highlighted in another color. The user is able to select white text on a dark background, and text size can be adjusted. Finally, Voice Dream works well with DropBox for importing desired reading material. Here’s what text looks like as it is being read aloud in Voice Dream.

=[|Voice Reader] =

is a low cost ($1.99) app for iPad or iPhone that provides text-to-speech that reads PDF’ files aloud–in 21 languages, with 32 available voices. (Additional voices are $.0.99) Files, can be opened into Voice Reader from other apps, including DropBox. When open in Voice Reader, the text can be read aloud with a high quality voice. Or, if text can be copied, it can be pasted into Voice Reader. It is important to note that the original formatting of PDF files is lost when it is opened in Voice Reader. Settings within Voice Reader offer some helpful adjustments, including reading rate, voice pitch, text font, and font-size. There is also a “Dark Mode”, which reverses the contrast to white text on a black background. Finally, Voice Reader not only reads text aloud, it can create an audio file in m4a format. The audio file can then be emailed from the device.

__[|vBooks PDF Voice Reader] __ is an iOS app that will read PDF files aloud. Original formatting is retained, and text is highlighted by an ‘interactive cursor’ as it is read. The cursor looks a little like a magnifying lens as it tracks words being spoken. The cursor may be dragged back to re-read something. Or, it can be moved ahead if you wish to skip ahead. The cursor enlarges with the text, when zooming in by pinching. Double-tapping a document with a single finger enlarges the document so that it fills the screen. This usually yields text that is reasonably large, especially on an iPad in landscape mode. On the other hand, using the three-finger zoom, iOS’s accessibility feature, makes it tricky to follow the cursor while reading. Users can choose between high quality male or female voices. When opening a file for the first time, the user must choose between “English” and “English UK”. As well, there are 9 other languages to choose from, but each language costs an additional $4.99 as an in-app purchase. The additional languages include: Czech; Danish; Dutch; Finnish; French; German; Italian; Norwegian; Polish. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The short video below provides a quick overview of the app media type="youtube" key="NYEx4VF656k" height="315" width="560"

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">It could hardly be easier to bring PDF files into vBookz PDF Voice Reader! Simply open a PDF email attachment, or a PDF file in your DropBox account. Then click on the forward icon to be given the option of opening the file in vBookz PDF Voice Reader. Once a PDF file has been opened, it remains on a book shelf in the “Library” for future reference. The process seems to work well with both short files and those that are book-length. Files can also be brought into vBookz PDF Voice Reader from your computer, via iTunes. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">UPDATE: If you open a PDF file in Safari, simply tap the screen to be offered an “Open in” button at the top right corner of the screen. You are given the option of opening the file in vBookz PDF Voice Reader.

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