Lorinda Tait Text To Speech Presented by Lorinda Tait

Lorinda Tait GOALS: To Improve understanding of assistive technology. knowledge of various text to speech tools. ability to navigate through various programs. knowledge of resources for implementation of text to speech. knowledge of web sources for digital text

Lorinda Tait Agenda Pretest Assistive Technology Types of Text Readers Word Processing Software Research rationale for tools Use word processing software Use text reader software Use scanning software Learning about sources for electronic books Learning about sources for products. Post test

Lorinda Tait 30 years of research National Institute of Child Health and Human Development centers - students who have not obtained reading skills by second grade are likely to remain poor readers later in school. Approximately 20% of children have difficulty acquiring reading skills, particularly awareness of sound symbol relationships.

Lorinda Tait Definition of Assistive Technology (AT) The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines assistive technology devices as “any piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of children with disabilities.”

Lorinda Tait Examples - No/low tech tools – pencil grip, slantboard, highlighter pen or tape, forearm support for work station, large print books, books with page separators, wrist rest, eye gaze communication system, communication picture board, color coded planners, “smart charts”, carbonless notebooks for note taking, teacher’s notes Assistive technology is a continuum covering no/low-tech, mid-tech, and high-tech tools, strategies, and services that match a person’s needs, abilities, and tasks.

Lorinda Tait Mid-tech tools calculators, talking calculators, tape recorders (analog and digital), Franklin Homework Wiz, Franklin Language Master, personal digital assistants, switches to use with communication devices or computers High-tech tools portable & software word processors, computers, software such as text readers, screen readers, organizational and authorable software, voice recognition systems, input devices for cursor control, alternative keyboards, and augmentative communication hardware and software, cause and effect software.

Lorinda Tait Why Use Technology? …to accomplish tasks that would be difficult or impossible to accomplish without assistance in the available time with the available resources…

Lorinda Tait Universal Text Reader Toolbar present on desktop to start-stop reading Can read in any application: browser, word processor, i.e. Text Assist, Read&Write Word Processor with text to speech Capabilities Self-contained word processor Reads typed text, or text copied & pasted From clipboard i.e. Write:Outloud, Intellitalk Scan and Read System Interfaces OCR, scanner, and text to speech with word processor May or may not include Graphics, or link directly to Internet i.e.Scan&Read, Read&WriteGold,, Kurzweil 3000 Kurzweil Categories of Text Readers Portable Text Reader Uses converted text to speech files in MP3 player Uses portable tape recorder (Books on Tape) i.e. Text Aloud w MP3 player, books on tape

Lorinda Tait The features vary a great deal, so prioritize the features that would benefit your students the most. A MUST: adjustable reading rate and different voices!The features vary a great deal, so prioritize the features that would benefit your students the most. A MUST: adjustable reading rate and different voices! The decision depends on the number of students, the age of the students, and what reading tasks and objectives are to be addressed with a text reader.The decision depends on the number of students, the age of the students, and what reading tasks and objectives are to be addressed with a text reader. i.e. For independent reading of textbooks, help with writing, or studying Do you want the student to read back his/her writing to proof read assignments, or read chapters in textbooks with text and graphics or both? Do you want the student to read back his/her writing to proof read assignments, or read chapters in textbooks with text and graphics or both? Is reading information on the Internet of importance to your students? Do they want to use it for ?Is reading information on the Internet of importance to your students? Do they want to use it for ? Does the program have to be easy to operate?Does the program have to be easy to operate? Does the reading voice have to articulate words well?Does the reading voice have to articulate words well? What is your budget? $20 or $2000?What is your budget? $20 or $2000? Selecting Text Readers

Lorinda Tait Word Processors Oral words are correlated to printed words. Highlights words as spoken. Speaks for feedback on writing. Students’ words are added to the dictionary Talking dictionary and talking spell checker so students can hear the sound of the words they choose. Increase sight word recognition by hearing words and sentences as written.

Lorinda Tait Word Processors Write:Outloud ($99.95)– Constant auditory feedback. Allows use of colors. For example it has been shown that many ADHD find green text on purple highly stimulating, can see spaces between words better, can edit better. Homonyms in the dictionary. Intellitalk II ($139) It is a word processor, however it makes templates – to create a worksheet. It will read the question to them. Go to palette, speech balloon – word bank palette. Spell checker with large fonts. Gives students access to the curriculum and locked worksheets.

Lorinda Tait Word Processors Type & Talk v4 from Text Help. ($169) Multi platform – Mac and PC. Speech, word prediction, speaking spell checker, homophone support, dictionary, word wizard. Target age 7 to 11.

Lorinda Tait Target population for Electronic Text Readers Developing spelling skills need support Can spell phonetically, but who cannot spell accurately Who need rate enhancement This can make reading and writing less stressful and less tiring

Lorinda Tait Text to Speech Helps students to become independent Reinforces letter and word recognition

Lorinda Tait Text to Speech Screen readers-Software that works with a speech synthesizer to provide verbalization for everything on the screen in any software application - including menus, text, graphics, and punctuation. (Free). (Free) Microsoft website: ereader (Free)

Lorinda Tait Why text to speech? Used for students who need to have auditory feedback for what they type or read. Students can have ability to hear the letter, the word, sentence and paragraph as it is typed, as a double check. Can change text or background color preferences to help them discriminate and separate words. Instead of purely text menus, buttons with symbols or auditory cues used. Can be used with directions or instructions to see if visual/auditory feedback help comprehension.

Lorinda Tait How the brain reads Left hemisphere - phoneme producer helps vocalize words. The word analyzer pulls words apart into syllables and phonemes and letters which are linked to sounds The automatic detector automates process of recognizing words. These work simultaneously. The more the auto detector is activated the better it functions.

Lorinda Tait Dyslexia Neurological glitch prevents them from easily gaining access to both the word analyzer and automatic detector. Compensation strategies - lean on phoneme producer and use right side of brain to get visual clues from accompanying pictures. website for the international dyslexia association

Lorinda Tait Does the student need graphics? Picture It - software program that puts pictures with words and auditory feedback. Pix Writer- software program that allows the student to write with pictures and auditory feedback. Sound to Symbols Clicker 4

Lorinda Tait Text Readers Doc Reader, Text Cloner, Text Help: Read & Write Portable reader Roadrunner

Lorinda Tait Text Reader Programs Text Reader Programs Text Assist Screen Reader Text Aloud $20 (35 copies under $500): Ultimate Reader/E-Reader. CASTeReader $

Lorinda Tait Digitized Books On Line Talking Books on line (sound out the words with visual reinforcement) MP3 Files for younger students (Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Rapunzel):

Lorinda Tait More Books Library of Michigan Amazon.com website $4.00 some less some more. Microsoft Reader (free) Get a subscription: KidBook – create electronic talking books (free)

Lorinda Tait Modeled Reading Hear stories read aloud by a professional narrator with electronic books. Students gain background knowledge before reading the story independently. Start-to-Finish Books

Lorinda Tait Commercial Electronic Books UKanDu Little Books (Don Johnston Incorporated) Living Books (Random House/ Broderbund) Wiggle Works (Scholastic)

Lorinda Tait When it may not be helpful Technology does not help all poor readers. Problems integrating the auditory and visual information

Lorinda Tait Companies Don Johnston W. Commerce Dr., Volo, IL Mayer-Johnson, Inc P.O. Box 1579 Solana Beach, CA Slater Software, Inc 351 Badger Lane Guffey, CO

Lorinda Tait Companies Inspiration Software. Inc 7412 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Highway Portland, OR Technology For Education, Inc Braden Trail Inver Grove Hts., MN

Lorinda Tait Companies Intellitools,Inc., 55 Leveroni Court, suite 9, Novato, CA ph Premier Programming Solutions, P.O. Box 359, DeWitt, Mi ph

Lorinda Tait Last but not Least