Text-to-speech will read text content aloud. Most text-to-speech tools will allow you to customize the voice and speed. These tools can be built into the computer’s operating system, in particular software, or available via separate applications. 

(The language in this article is identity-first and aligns with patterns established by Middlebury's Disability Resource Center.) 

Text-to-speech benefits

Text-to-speech tools can provide a variety of benefits.

1. Accessibility:

   • Visual Impairments/Legally Blind: Text-to-speech technology is crucial for individuals with visual impairments, providing them with the ability to access written content without relying on Braille or other tactile reading methods.

   • Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities: Text-to-speech can assist dyslexic (or other learning disabilities) individuals by converting text into spoken words, making it easier to comprehend and retain information.

   • Migraines, Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries: Text-to-speech is a critical tool to reduce screen time for short term healing of brains as well as long-term sustainability.

2. Educational Benefits:

   • Improved Reading Comprehension: Studies have shown that text-to-speech can enhance reading comprehension, especially for students who struggle with reading. Listening to text while reading along can improve understanding and retention.

   • Language Learning: Text-to-speech tools can be beneficial for language learners, providing correct pronunciation and helping with the acquisition of new vocabulary and language structures. (Make sure your text-to-speech solution supports the target language.)

3. Convenience and Efficiency:

   • Multitasking: Text-to-speech allows people to consume written content while performing other tasks, such as driving, exercising, or cooking.

   • Time-saving: Listening to text can be faster than reading for some individuals, making text-to-speech a time-efficient way to process information, especially while traveling.

4. Cognitive Load Reduction:

   • Eases Mental Effort: Text-to-speech can reduce the cognitive load required for reading, particularly for dense or complex texts. This allows users to focus more on understanding the content rather than decoding the text.

5. Enhanced Engagement:

   • Variety in Learning: Audio content can provide variety in the learning experience, keeping users more engaged and motivated.

   • Personalization: Users can adjust the speed, pitch, and voice of text-to-speech tools to suit their preferences, enhancing the overall listening experience.

6. Executive Function Support:

   • Attention Improvement: Text-to-speech can help individuals with attention deficit disorders by providing auditory input, which can be more engaging and easier to focus on than written text.

7. Support for Multimodal Learning:

   • Reinforcement of Learning: Combining visual and auditory input can reinforce learning by providing a wider range of ways all members of our community can engage with text including auditory input. This can provide increased attention when combined with hands-on activities such as note taking, doodling, exercising etc.

Adobe Acrobat/Reader Read Aloud

Text-to-speech options are available directly in Acrobat and Reader. Control over voices and speed is limited by the operating system (but controlled inside Acrobat/Reader) and your ability to control what is read aloud is pretty primitive. 

Available to all Middlebury community members through our Adobe Creative Cloud license. 

Microsoft Read Aloud

Read Aloud is part of Immersive Reader and is built into Word, OneNote, Outlook, and a number of other Microsoft products in addition to being available in Middlebury’s Canvas courses. While voice choices are limited to male and female, the reading style is smooth and you can control the speed. Immersive reader supports a variety of languages.

Available to all Middlebury community members in Office products and Middlebury’s Canvas courses. Learn more about accessing Read Aloud here.

Sensus Access

One of Sensus Access’s features is text-to-speech. It works by submitting a file to their website and Sensus Access will then email you when the audio file has been created.

It supports many languages including all major and many smaller European languages, American English, Latin American Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Korean, Japanese and more.

Available to all Middlebury community members at this URL.

Speechify

Speechify is another voice-to-text service which supports a variety of languages, voices, and other options. 

Currently, access to Speechify requires a license which can be made available to students as an individual academic accommodation through the Disability Resource Center (DRC). Students should email the DRC ada@middelbury.edu if they want to discuss this further.