Resources for the Visually Impaired

Computer Access

Download PPT: Windows 7  Access for Visual Impairment
Download PPT: Mac OS X Access for Visual Impairment

Text-to-Speech

ClipSpeak
Story Starters is a bank of writing prompts. Student spins the lever to get a writing prompt. To allow for even greater creativity, the student can spin wheels to change any part of the prompt.

WordTalk
A free text-to-speech program for the PC that works within WORD and Outlook and highlights each word that is read. Includes a talking spell checker and a talking thesaurus. WordTalk was upgraded in January 2009 and now includes the ability to save, and you can convert your text file to a wav or MP3 file. Makes this free download even more valuable. (Seems to be trickier with Office 2010 and Vista or Windows 7)

Natural Reader
Text-to-speech software program, which converts any written text to speech on Word, websites, pdf, emails.

FoxVox
A free Firefox extension, highlight the text, right click and choose Speak Selected Text

Click, Speak
A free Firefox extension that reads the Internet and highlights phrases and sentences as it reads

Speaking Fox
A free Firefox extension for the Mac which converts text in Firefox to audio

Balabolka
Free text-to-speech download, can also download a portable version that runs off a USB thumb drive.can save as wav or MP3 file.

PowerTalk
Free text-to-speech for PowerPoint presentations. 

YAKIToMe
Listen to important documents, PowerPoint presentations, emails, RSS feeds, blogs and novels. YAKiToMe! is multi-lingual (English, Spanish, French ...) and brings you the world's best text-to-speech (TTS) synthesis technologies. Easily converts to podcasts.

Simultaneous Stanza Reader
A free large font reader for Macintosh OS X that speaks text files aloud and displays the text stanza-after-stanza, simultaneously. The program works well with free books from Project Gutenberg. Watch a quick introductory video here.

Voki
A free program that allows educators and students to create and share online avatars using text-to-speech technology. Voki works from any browser and anyone can place a voki in a blog, website, or send in an email. Voki is being relaunched now (late 2010) and is offering more tools for educators.

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