Leveling the playing field with apps
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Leveling the playing field with apps
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An opportunity to level the playing field for diverse learners has arrived. With the use of mobile devices and a set of apps, barriers to learning can be removed and will set the stage for access to learning for ALL learners.
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19 Free Text To Speech tools for Educators

19 Free Text To Speech tools for Educators | Leveling the playing field with apps | Scoop.it
From elearningindustry.com - December 30, 2012 2:24 PM

At the following list you will find 19 Free Text to Speech tools that your students' will appreciate. Some of them you have to install and some you will install on your browser. The most awesome about these tools is that are FREE!

Kathleen McClaskey's insight:

This list includes online tools for your Mac, Chromebook or PC laptop and apps for the iPhone, iPad, iPod and Android. Consider having your students use these tools to listen to content or to proofread their writing.  These are universal tools that support every student in your class!

 

 

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Paula Correia's curator insight, April 29, 2013 3:00 PM

Parece -lhe bem poder converter qualquer texto escrito com o Microsoft Word em palavras faladas?  E incluir a narração do texto nos seus slides de apresentação do PowerPoint ?

Veja estas 19 ferramentas que o ajudam a fazer isso.
Susan's comment, August 23, 2013 4:31 AM
The link does't work!
Susan's comment, August 23, 2013 5:38 PM
Now it works, thanks!
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Write & Say - Text editor with Text to Speech, Dropbox, Translator + Export MP3 Voice

From itunes.apple.com - October 16, 2012 6:07 PM

"Get Write & Say - The most innovative text editor with Text to Speech, Dropbox, Markdown & Translator + Export and mail your documents as MP3 voice files + 52 Voices + 3D Avatar +Translator 60 languages

- Write&Say distraction-free text editor, save your documents in plain text, HTML and Markdown formats. Preview your documents in a embedded web view.

- Compatible with voice dictation feature in iPhone 4S and the new iPad 3 . Now you can dictate and use your voice in the text editor view instead of typing with keyboard.

- Export documents in text or PDF format. Export via Dropbox, email, Evernote, Tumblr, Twitter and iTunes File Sharing.

- Import documents from other Apps like Dropbox, Evernote, Mail, etc. with the "Open In" iOS feature

- Translate any text from practically any language to Italian, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, etc. More than 60 languages"

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Voice Dream: Good Text-to-Speech App for PDF's

Voice Dream: Good Text-to-Speech App for PDF's | Leveling the playing field with apps | Scoop.it
From paulhami.edublogs.org - July 27, 2012 10:24 AM

"Voice Dream is a low cost ($4.99) app that provides text-to-speech, with a high quality voice, for files that are opened in it on an iDevice. The app has been optimized for both the iPad and the smaller iPhone or iPod Touch.

 

Voice Dream reads PDF files well, but its developers say that it will also handle ePub, eBook, MS Word, plain text, Apple Pages, MS PowerPoint, RTF and HTML. I’ve tried it with PDF, .txt, PowerPoint, and HTML, and it handled them all well. It is important to note, however, that all formatting on the original file is lost when the file is brought into Voice Dream.

 

This app offers additional features that can be helpful. First, each word is highlighted in one color as it is read aloud, while the line is highlighted in another color. The user is able to select white text on a dark background, and text size can be adjusted. Finally, Voice Dream works well with DropBox for importing desired reading material."

 

Thank you Paul for another review of an app that can level the playing field!

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‘Speak Selection’ – Convenient Text-to-Speech Built Into iOS5

‘Speak Selection’ – Convenient Text-to-Speech Built Into iOS5 | Leveling the playing field with apps | Scoop.it
From paulhami.edublogs.org - April 9, 2012 3:35 PM

Paul Hamilton writes about Speak Selection, a new feature in iOS5 that offers a TTS tool that can be used by learners who struggle with text.  He also includes how to use the Define within Speak Selection.

 

"This will read aloud any selected text — in a web article, a text editor, an email, in Twitter, in text messages, or just about anywhere. It isn’t perfect. For example, Speak Selection won’t read in Facebook.

 

It is worth noting that Define is another helpful feature that is new in iOS5. This is available whether Speak Selection is turned on or not. Both features, however, are made available in exactly the same way. When a single word is selected, you are offered a Define button. When Speak Selection is turned on, ‘Define’ is offered at the same time as ‘Speak’"

 

Thank you, Paul!

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AppWriter | OCR Mobile Kit, TTS and Word Prediction to Support Reading/Writing Disabilities

AppWriter | OCR Mobile Kit, TTS and Word Prediction to Support Reading/Writing Disabilities | Leveling the playing field with apps | Scoop.it
From lingapps.com - March 23, 2012 3:53 PM

AppWriter by LingApps is the first text editor for the iPad to offer users of all ages with reading and writing disabilities. It includes a set of integrated tools that include TTS, word prediction and a Mobile OCR Kit.  What does this mean? Convert any printed text to a readable format from your iPad!

 

Here are the features:

 

>  No WiFi or 3G needed; everything is embedded and runs directly on the iPad

> High quality TTS with highlighting as text is being read

> OCR - "Any paper document or image becomes accessible. Through the integration of Mobile OCRKit, textbooks, photocopies and handouts are easily converted into text documents. The text can be spoken out loud by AppWriter with color highlighting or edited. AppWriter OCR is the simplest and most affordable way to get any textbook or handout converted for everyone to read and listen to on an iPad. AppWriter OCR comes in more than 12 different languages."

> Word Prediction with the ability to hear each word before selection.

> File Management - emailed, copied to clipboard or export to DropBox.

 

This will level the playing field for millions of students worldwide!

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Side by Side App - 4 Window App for Online Research, Notetaking and More!

Side by Side App - 4 Window App for Online Research, Notetaking and More! | Leveling the playing field with apps | Scoop.it
From paulhami.edublogs.org - February 23, 2012 2:56 PM

"Side by Side is a remarkable free app. With Side by Side, you can split the iPad screen into as many as four windows that can be positioned and sized as needed. These windows can be used to view multiple websites, PDF’s or MS Word files. Or, any of the windows may be used for note-taking text editors. Text can be copied into a text editor from other open windows. Text-to-speech is available in any of the windows via Speak Selection."

 

"Side by Side has its own browser for opening websites. PDF’s and text files can be opened into Side by Side from DropBox or from email attachments. Notes written in Side by Side can be emailed, saved into DropBox or opened into other apps on the iPad."

 

Thank you Paul for reviewing this great app!

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Voice Dream Reader with New Bookshare Support

From itunes.apple.com - December 20, 2012 9:55 AM

Bookshare support now includes organizational accounts
- Improved VoiceOver support for the blind
- Can start speaking text from a chapter, bookmark, or highlight
- Can start speaking from a text search result

 

Listen to PDF and Word documents, articles, eBooks and Web pages with text-to-speech. Integration with Dropbox, Pocket, Instapaper, Bookshare, and Gutenberg. Silky smooth synchronized highlighting and autoscrolling. Rock-solid stability. 55 amazing voices in 20 languages available.

Kathleen McClaskey's insight:

Voice Dream Reader has been updated and improved with many features that can level the playing field for many learners. If you are looking for an app that can support your learners who are using Bookshare, you have found it here. If you are looking for an app to support your ELL students, you have found it here. 

 

Please share this far and wide to educators, everywhere!

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ClaroSpeak UK App - TTS in 40 Languages & Dialects!

From itunes.apple.com - October 7, 2012 3:08 PM

"ClaroSpeak is a high-quality text-to-speech reader capable of speaking any accessible text with a range of human-sounding high-quality voices. ClaroSpeak offers the option of visual highlighting in-sync with the spoken words – and a great range of colour and font settings to allow for optimum reading. ClaroSpeak is a quality app for proofreading text through listening, helping with reading and literacy development and creating audio files from any text.

 

Product Features:

 

✔ Text-to-Speech
• Users can import documents and PDFs into ClaroSpeak from apps such as Mail, or import PDF, Word, Pages and other files directly from Dropbox using ClaroSpeak's Dropbox integration. Text can be typed into ClaroSpeak and then spoken back. Users can check text and proofread quickly and easily.
• Text from any app can be copied and pasted into ClaroSpeak ready to be read back.
• With the iPad 3 and iPhone 4S Apple’s speech recognition can be used to dictate text directly into ClaroSpeak, and can be listened back to ensure it is right.
• Save the text as an audio file using the same high-quality voice."

 

Leveling the Playing Field Worldwide!

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Abilipad - App that Levels the Playing Field

From itunes.apple.com - July 22, 2012 5:41 PM

"Named one of “the best iPad apps for special needs kids” in a Washington Post article! Abilipad combines the functionality of a notepad with word prediction, text-to-speech and a customizable keyboard, putting advanced writing tools within everyone’s reach."

 

It includes:

>  User-friendly interface

>  Word Prediction Power

>  Text-to-speech with great voices to select from

>  Keyboard Editor

>  Library of resources

>  Bluetooth enabled

 

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vBookz PDF Voice Reader: Simple Text-to-Speech Solution for PDF’s

vBookz PDF Voice Reader: Simple Text-to-Speech Solution for PDF’s | Leveling the playing field with apps | Scoop.it
From paulhami.edublogs.org - March 29, 2012 11:23 AM

Paul Hamilton has offered an excellent review of vBookz PDF Voice Reader for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.  The key app features:

 

•16 languages aloud.

•Open any PDF directly from the mail, dropbox or iTunes sync.

•Read almost any PDF aloud.

•Reading orientation tools.

•Auto text follower mechanism.

•High quality male and female voices.

 

Here are some of Paul's comments:

"It could hardly be easier to bring PDF files into vBookz PDF Voice Reader! Simply open a PDF email attachment, or a PDF file in your DropBox account. Then click on the forward icon to be given the option of opening the file in vBookz PDF Voice Reader. Once a PDF file has been opened, it remains on a book shelf in the “Library” for future reference. The process seems to work well with both short files and those that are book-length."

 

There is also a version of vBookz PDF Voice Reader for Mac computers.

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Writing Apps – Supports for Students with Learning Disabilities

Writing Apps – Supports for Students with Learning Disabilities | Leveling the playing field with apps | Scoop.it
From otswithapps.wordpress.com - February 27, 2012 11:36 AM

"Writing is considered one of the most difficult literacy tasks. Many students with learning disabilities struggle with the process of writing as well as the mechanical componets of the writing task. Technology can provide support to the mechanical demands of the writing process and is often a welcome tool to students."

 

The apps that are featured include Voice Recognition apps that can support LD students express what they know.  This includes:

 

>  Dragon Dictation:   STT (Speech to Text)

>  PaperPort:  A must-have tool app I featured in this topic.  It  includes Dragon Dictation, audio note features, notetaking and drawing tools, etc.

 

Apps with Text to Speech (TTS) to Assist with Editing

 

> Write & Say:  WP with TTS, translation and convert to MP3

> Typ-O:  WP with word prediction

> ZenTap:  WP with advanced word prediction; spellchecker and translator

> Intellipad:  Customized keyboard with word prediction and TTS; customized math keyboard

> iMean:  Alternative keyboards with TTS

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