Disability Support: Text to speech
Microsoft
Microsoft's built-in productivity tool reads text out loud across all their software products. What the software can do varies between its products.
Adobe Reader enables PDFs to be read aloud, although the sound is quite robotic. 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 free Adobe Acrobat Reader directly, or use your university email address to access the full version of Adobe Acrobat Pro by going to their official website, 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 chiefly reads webpages, 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.
NVDA Screen Reader (non-visual desktop access)
Award-winning open source screen reader available in more than 55 languages. Supported by Windows system only (not Mac) from Windows 7 onwards.
Apple
Apple text to speech built-in software
VoiceOver enables documents and webpages to be read aloud. A number of human-sounding voices in different languages are available to download from Apple. On a Mac, the quickest way to set up VoiceOver is to use the shortcut command-function-F5. Spoken Content enables Apple devices to speak a page or speak a selection of text. Go into the accessibility settings on your device and select Spoken Content.
Find out more about both VoiceOver and Spoken Content on Apple’s vision accessibility help pages
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 free Adobe Acrobat Reader directly, or use your university email address access the full version of Adobe Acrobat Pro by going to their official website, 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 chiefly reads webpages, 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.
Android
TalkBack is a screen reader and also allows you to interact with your device using touch and spoken feedback.
Select to Speak will read the area of text you select on your phone.
Tools on campus - on specific machines
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.
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.
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.
Coventry University
Frederick Lanchester Building
Gosford Street
Coventry, United Kingdom
CV1 5DD
Telephone:+44 (0) 24 7765 7575
Email: ask-a-librarian.lib@coventry.ac.uk
