Disability Support: Text to Speech

VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader that tells you exactly what’s happening on your device.  It’s available in more than 60 languages and locales, and offers deep customisation options for your needs.   Find out more here.

Spoken Content

Spoken Content includes a collection of features that enable your devices to read text out loud. Speak Screen reads the content of your entire screen out loud to you, while Speak Selection lets you select and hear a specific range of text. 

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Adobe Reader enables PDFs to be read aloud, although the sound is quite robotic.  You also need to be able to use a mouse.  Once in Adobe reader, click on ‘view’ and ‘read aloud’.   A whole page or sections can be read out, and you can customise the experience under ‘preferences’ by setting the narrator’s voice and choosing the pace of the reading.    

Access the Adobe Reader on its own, or use your university email address access the full version of Adobe Acrobat Pro, signing in with your university email address, selecting ‘company or school account’ and downloading Adobe Acrobat.

Read Aloud (Google Chrome only)

Read Aloud is a free Chrome extension which can read PDF, Google Docs, Google Play books, Amazon Kindle, and EPUB (via the EPUBReader extension from epubread.com).   It allows you to select a voice preference from a variety of text-to-speech voices.    Find out more from the Chrome Web Store.

TalkBack

TalkBack is a screen reader and also allows you to interact with your device using touch and spoken feedback.  

Find out more about Talkback

Select to Speak

Select to Speak will read the area of text you select on your phone 

Find out more about Select to Speak

Voice Access 

Allows you to control your phone with spoken commands

Find out more about Voice Access

Read & Write 11.5 (Texthelp) Personal Copy

This text to speech software also contains a toolbar with support features to make reading, writing and research easier. 

If you require your own copy of Read & Write for your laptop please email the Disabilities Team in the Hub at disoff.ss@coventry.ac.uk.

Please note that the Read & Write software licence covers access in the UK only.

More information about the software.   

Read & Write 11.5 (Texthelp) 

This is available on computers in the main library.  The text to speech software also contains a toolbar with support features to make reading, writing and research easier. 

You can also request a personal copy from the Disability Team by emailing disoff.ss@coventry.ac.uk

Please note that the Read & Write software licence covers access in the UK only.

More information about the software.   

SuperNova Magnifier and Speech 

This text to speech software and screen magnifier is available in Group Room 7 in the library and on certain machines across campus.   Please see the Word document below for PC locations.

SuperNova website for further information.