Text-To-Speech: Applications Across Abilities and Grade Levels

Terence Cavanaugh Ph.D.
University of North Florida, College of Education and Human Services
Jacksonville, FL
tcavanau@unf.edu
http://www.unf.edu/~tcavanau  

Objectives

 As a result of participating in the session on using Text-To-Speech software as a learning and teaching tool, participants should:

• have a general functional understanding of Text-To-Speech technology
• know the advantages and disadvantages of using Text-To-Speech technology as an application of multimedia technology
• understand the educational advantages of Text-To-Speech for all learners
• know examples of ways the unique features of Text-To-Speech make it an effective teaching tool
• know examples of ways to apply Text-To-Speech as a personal productivity tool
• know examples and be able to develop classroom lessons addressing content standards integrating Text-To-Speech technology
• know resources for Text-To-Speech software and text resources available online

Text-To-Speech: Applications Across Abilities and Grade Levels

Talking With a Computer - 

Speech-To-Text (Voice recognition): software that recognizes speech (after training), and then converts that speech into text 

Text-To-Speech (screen reader or speech synthesizer): converts computer text into artificial speech that is spoken through  the computers speakers 

Text-To-Speech

Reading and writing are basic components most educational activities 

Need to provide alternative formats, scaffolds and supports becomes necessary to reach all students. 

CAST:  in order "to reach learners with disparate backgrounds, interests, styles, abilities, disabilities, and levels of expertise" the educational materials should be flexible and adaptable for all learning styles (1998).

How it Works

Any text that is given the command to be read is analyzed by the software and then restructured to a phonetic system and then read aloud. 

The computer looks at each word then calculates its pronunciation (certain systems do this better than others) and then says the word in its context. 

Issue:  foreign words, special personal pronunciations, or acronyms

Adjust the pronunciation by changing their phonological "spelling" to the desired structure 

 Text-To-Speech programs now exist in multiple languages, using the phonological structure of the target language. 

Educational Theory & Research

Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences: many people need to have information brought to them in different formats (Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Linguistic, Logical Mathematical, Spatial, Bodily Kinesthetic, & Musical).

Information Processing Theory (G. Miller): in that students can use the software as a tool for self-evaluation of work

Synchronized highlighting support has been found to improve reading comprehension for students with reading difficulties (Wise & Olson, 1994).

Students with reading disabilities found that comprehension improved when Text-To-Speech is combined with reading (Leong, 1995; Montali & Lewandowsi, 1996; Raskind & Shaw, 2000)

Student control of Text-To-Speech speed while they read along increased performance

Some students benefit from a slower Text-To-Speech reading speed, while others comprehended better at faster rates (Shany & Biemiller, 1995; Skinner et al., 1995)

Applications

Book Reading

Online Research Reading

Writing Support

Editing Support

Reading Support

Activities:

• Organize a play with voices
• Writing support
  • Editing of student work (act as first reader in edit process)
  • Revise writing through listening
• Reading support
  • Assist in the reading of articles, short stories
  • Use to build/test reading speed
  • Read books from web-based libraries
• Assist in pronunciation
• Singing
• Phonetic writing
• Foreign language discussion

Sample Text-To-Speech Programs

ReadPlease 2002 - freeware - http://www.readplease.com/  

HELP Read (v.92) - freeware -- http://www.pixi.com/~reader1/allbrowser/  

DecTalk-demo - http://www.fonix.com/products/dectalk/demos.php  

TextHELP! - demo - http://www.texthelp.com/ 

MS Reader - freeware http://www.microsoft.com/reader 

Test:

A common test of the pronunciation capabilities of a screen reader is to make it read the sentences: 
"I will read the book later. I have read that book."