Inclusive Education
Text to speech
Text-to-speech software uses synthesised speech to read what is on the screen.
These programs lack many of the powerful features of screen readers, but provide basic auditory feedback. They can be used with different voices and at different speeds to suit the user. These programs will also provide text highlighting and colour contrasts.
Text-to-speech tools can be used to read documents, text that has been scanned into a computer and text from websites.
Useful links
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Cicero effectively takes your computer and scanner and turns them into a reading machine for people with visual impairments. Printed text documents are placed on the scanner and can then be translated into speech, Braille or simply held as a text document which can be adjusted, saved, edited and printed out.
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HELP Read is free software that reads along with you while you do the reading.
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ReadPlease is a developer of text-to-speech software for Windows based operating systems.