SpeakIt! and WordTalk: Two more free text to speech resources

Here are two more free text to speech options I have recently learned about:

1) SpeakIt! is an extension for the Google Chrome browser that will read text online in your browser.  It will read from webpages, emails, and most text you can highlight and right mouse click on.  It is free, easy to install through the Chrome Web Store, and offers a pretty good voice for the money (did I mention it's FREE!).   My only complaint is that it doesn't highlight words as it reads, but it still works great for a free tool.  Click here for more info.

2) WordTalk is a free Plug-in for Microsoft Word.  It will read text aloud in a Word document and highlight the text as it goes.  (I have blogged about the Speak tool already built into Microsoft word before, but I like WordTalk better because the Microsoft Speak tool doesn't highlight words as it goes.)  It offers lots of different options to read (by selection, sentence, paragraph, etc.) and even has a nifty talking spell checker and thesaurus.  This is a program you will have to download and install from the website, and you need to make sure to download the version that is compatible with your version of Word.  Once downloaded and installed, it shows up as an extra toolbar option at the to of the program screen.  Click here for more information.

I hope these resources help.  With the scarcity of money nowadays, it is always nice to have access to effective free tools.  Please let me know if the comments if you have a favorite tool we haven't mentioned yet!

Introducing Students to Text to Speech Accommodations- (That weird computer voice can be your friend!)

I have produced a short (4 page) document designed to help concerned, yet busy teachers and parents make sense of Text to Speech (or screen reader) technology, when you really don't feel you have time to take on ONE MORE THING!!  It is designed to quickly and easily help you:

1. Better understand what Text to Speech (TTS) technology is and how it can help struggling readers.
2. Find you free and easy tools to get Text to Speech going in your classroom TODAY.
3. Figure out how to build Text to Speech into your already WAY too busy school schedule in small, manageable steps.

To access the document, please click here.
 

PAR training slides

I recently gave a training to a group of teachers about the Protocol for Accommodations in Reading (PAR).  I wanted to put the slides on the blog for those who couldn't make the training or who want to review.  Click here to access the slides.  As always, comments are appreciated.

Text to Speech Roundup - Pros and cons of 3 Free computer text reader options

In the last few months, I have blogged about some great computer text reader options available for teachers of struggling readers.  The main idea behind all of these options is to have a computer program read text to students who are unable to read it themselves.  This makes them more independent, confident, and successful.  This blog post today is a round-up of some of the free options available.  Each option I will discuss is free, and each has particular advantages and disadvantages.  Here is the list:

1) Free Natural Reader 11.  This is a free computer program that you download from the internet and install on your computer.  It provides 2 ways to read text: 1) a window that you can copy and paste text into from another document or application, or 2) a floating toolbar that  "floats" over any open doc or application.
-Pros: 

• When using the copy and paste window option, text is highlighted as it is read. (multi-modal learning!) 
•  Floating toolbar is convenient
• Can adjust the rate and pitch of the voices

-Cons:

• You may have to put in a tech request to get this installed, as it is an actual software program
• You can only use the digital voices that come pre-installed on your computer, which may be lower quality voices
• It can be a little tricky to change voices or adjust the speed of the voice

2) Read&Write for Google Docs.  This is a free study skills toolbar that is available as an extension to the Google Chrome browser.  It works very nicely, but ONLY works with text in the Google format.  Click this link to see about converting existing docs to Google docs format.
-Pros:

• Highlights words as it reads (multi-modal learning!)
• Better quality voices
• Since it is an extension to a browser and not software, you don't need a password to install it.
• Other study skills options, such as highlighting, dictionary, and collect highlights

-Cons:

• ONLY works with Google docs format
• ONLY works on Google Chrome browser
• MUST be connected to the internet for it to work

3) Speak tool in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.).  Most folks are unaware that Microsoft office 2010 and 2003 come with pre-installed text reader tools. You just have to know where to find them. (NOTE: Office 2007 offers the Speak command in Excel, but not in Word)   To see a tutorial for Office 2003 click here.  To see a tutorial for Office 2010, click here.  To see a video for office 2010, click here. or click here for an alternate video (in case the first one didn't work).
-Pros:

• Don't need to convert your documents to another format
• Students can be trained to do this with any computer they use.  No special software is needed.
• Don't need to access any other program to hear your text read aloud.

-Cons:

• You can't choose your voice or the voice rate
• It does NOT highlight the words as it reads.  This makes it harder for students to follow along.
• Different processes to learn depending on which version of Microsoft Office you have.  Not available in Word 2007.

So there you have it.  I hope seeing these three options head to head will give you some ideas of what would work with your students and situations.  Each tool has advantages, and a savvy user would have more than one option depending on the setting and task.  As always, please provide feedback in the comments section.  


 

Read&Write for Google Docs: Free screen reader and study skills toolbar

I was so excited to learn today about a free tool called Read&Write for Google Docs. Read&Write for Google docs is a free extension that can be added to your Google Chrome browser. It
reads and highlights any text in a Google document, along with providing textual and visual definitions, highlight collection, and a nice feature to make a vocabulary list from highlighted words in the doc.

NOTE: It will ONLY work with documents that are in the Google docs format, but it is a fairly easy process to convert existing Word documents and PDFs into Google docs format. To learn more about that process, click here.

To see some good images and videos about Read&Write for Google docs, click here

The second video will how you how to install the toolbar, the first one will go over features in detail.

Speak Selection in iOS- Make the iPad read to you!

We know that the iPad can fling angry birds against the wall, take notes, play videos, and even speak for you, but one of my absolute favorite features built into the iPad is called Speak Selection.  When this feature is activated, the iPad will read aloud any text that you can select.  I have found it especially useful in Notes, Safari, Email, and Dropbox, but it is limited only to what text you can select.  It is especially useful when paired with the Reader function built into Safari.  (for more info, see my post entitled "A Cleaner and Easier Online Reading Experience...").

To enable the feature, tap the Settings app, and then tap General > Accessibility > Speak Selection.  Turn On the slider bar, and adjust the voice rate.  You only get one voice right now, but it is a good quality voice.  In iOS 6, you also get the option to have the iPad highlight words as it reads.  You also can choose different dialects, just in case you watched Finding Nemo the night before and just couldn't get enough of the Australian accent.

I have included two links to great YouTube videos explaining the feature.  The first video features the ipad, and includes info about the languages and dialects options.  The second video features the iPhone, but it works the same on the iPod touch.





I hope you and your students enjoy this amazing feature.  If you have success stories or creative implementation ideas, please share in the comments section!

Free NaturalReader 11-Screen Reader

A screen reader is a computer tool that will recognize text on a computer and use a digital voice program to read that text aloud.  This is a very helpful tool for students who cannot decode grade level text independently, but are expected to understand it for class projects and assignments.  While there are a variety of great screen reader programs available for a price, NaturalReader has a free version that will allow a student to read grade level text 1 of 2 ways:
1) copy and paste text into the reader window of the program
or
2) use a floating toolbar to read highlighted text

If you have ever used a screen reader program, you know that the experience is vastly determined by the quality of the computer voice available.  While the Free NaturalReader program does not provide the best quality voices out there, they are not bad for a free program.  You can purchase better quality voices and better options for $50.

You can download the free program from the following website:
http://www.naturalreaders.com/download.php

It is available for Windows and Mac.

Note to CCSD teachers:  You should be able to download the install file (it will be called "standardsetup.exe") from the website on your computer, but you will NOT be able to run that file and actually install the program without an administrator code. The best way to get it installed is probably to save the install file on your desktop, and then put in a work order for the tech guys to come install it.  Robert Woodbury can also install software on newer district machines.