PowerPoint Presentation
Text To Speech Technology: Enriching the VLE, enhancing the
learning experience. By Maarten van de Koevering and Richard
Risholm
1
Welcome2
2
AgendaIntroduction ReadSpeakerWhat is Text To Speech?Universal
Design for LearningAccessibilityDemo Blackboard (by Richard
Risholm)Implementing in Blackboard (by Richard
Risholm)Questions
3
3
Introduction ReadSpeaker4
ReadSpeaker is now present in 60 countries
4
Introduction ReadSpeaker5
5
What is Text To Speech?
6The 70s
The 80sThe Future
2015
6
Universal Design for Learning Universal design for learning is a
framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all
people bases on scientific insights into how humans learn.
7
7
Universal Design for Learning PresentationMultiple MediaGraphics
and animationsHighlight critical featuresActivate background
knowledgeAction and Expression Give students plenty of options to
express what they know EngagementGive students choices to fuel
their interest in curriculum
8
8
Universal Design for Learning How ReadSpeaker fits in Universal
Design for LearningGiving students choice how they want to study
the subject will help to improve the individual learners
outcome.
9
9
Universal Design for Learning How ReadSpeaker fits in Universal
Design for LearningBimodal learningImproved word recognition skills
and vocabularyImproved reading comprehension, fluency, accuracy and
concentrationImproved information recall and learn/memory
enhancement
Highlighting
10
10
Universal Design for Learning How ReadSpeaker fits in Universal
Design for LearningAnywhere and Anytime (all devices, browsers, ops
systems)Barrier Free (Click & Listen, no downloads)Focus on
highest voice quality (best voices in the market, own TTS
developments)Applicable on all digital contentCustomizable (by
client and by end-user)Universal Design for All
11
11
Accessibility Low literacy 10%Dyslexia 5%Low vision 5%12
12
AccessibilitySeveral academic studies have shown that
Text-to-Speech technology is a valuable element in making digital
content more accessible for struggling readers and thereby
improving learning outcomes
13
From More than Words: Text-to-Speech Technology as a Matter of
Self-Efficacy, Self-Advocacy, and Choice, Michelann Parr, Ph.D.
(McGill), Ph.D. Dissertation, 2008, p. 206:A regular classroom
implementation requires that text-to-speech technology be perceived
as an alternative text format or another media genre. In this way,
all students have access to the technology and therefore diverse
texts in a non-threatening, non-stigmatized way, in a manner that
allows them to intuitively explore and interact with electronic
text in much the same way as they would enter into a transaction
with print text (Rosenblatt,1994)
13
Customers
14
Publishing
Educational Institutions
14
Demo BlackboardDemo Liverpool CourseDemo basic tools Demo
docReaderLogin Blackboard15
15
Implementing in Blackboard16
16
Implementing in Blackboard17
17
Implementing in Blackboard18
18
Implementing in Blackboard19
19
Implementing in Blackboard20
20
QuestionsPlease visit our website for more information about
ReadSpeaker: www.readspeaker.comOr send an email to:
[email protected] visit our booth to arrange a test
license for your educational institutionThe future of Education
www.readspeaker.com/education
21
21
