Web Browsers and Text-to-Speech Solutions?

JZ_o8 asks: "I work for an online education company that needs to be able to accommodate students who, in some cases, are several grades behind in their reading level. We are investigating screen reading technologies that might serve as a supplement for these students. We have considered technologies such as AT&T Natural Voices Text-to-Speech Engine but the process is time-intensive and cumbersome. Development requires a desktop application which encodes text into a web audio format such as MP3. This of course raises issues about page updates and dynamic content which would render any accompanying speech files, obsolete. It seems like the best solution would be browser support, perhaps via a plug-in, that would give the user Text to Speech capabilities. Something like selecting a passage of text with the mouse and right-click to select 'Speak'. Or maybe a server-side solution that would dynamically generate media files for pages on the fly? Or just when they're changed? Does anyone have any suggestions - solutions that I am overlooking. This seems like a useful and logical piece of technology....if it doesn't exist I wonder why not."

Comments

mac os

[thesatirist]

In OS X all you have to do is highlight text, go to Services, select Speech, and there you go. This sounds perfect for your needs.

MacOS X

[DiSKiLLeR]

MacOS X has this handy little 'services' menu.

Services -> Speech -> Start talking now

Will convert any text highlighted in just about any application into speech.

Its real wierd getting it to say some unix stuff from terminal ;)

Not sure if such a solution exists for windows, however.

Still, letting them play with Apple's and MacOS X would be almost like rewarding them for not being able to read.........

D.