Text-to-Speech (TTS)

What Text-to-Speech (TTS) can be used for:

• Ask students to create PowerPoint slides on a topic with text written in the notes and then use text to speech software to convert the text to audio - then save the presentations as videos, directly from PowerPoint.
• Converting documents to speech so you can multi-task while jogging, doing the housework or commuting on a busy train where it's difficult to read
• Making your materials available to students with visual impairments

Find out how text-to-speech can be used in your online courses: http://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/ele/2015/03/03/realistic-voices/

TTS Voices

• Download realistic sounding voices here (free for UK University staff and students): http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/techdis/technologymatters/voices

TTS Software and voices

• Read Aloud is free text-to-speech software that will read out text when you copy it (if you run it in ‘Clipboard watcher’ mode). You can also record this and save audio files: http://download.fyxm.net/download-file-81681.html
• Balabolka is free text-to-speech software that saves audio files: http://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm
• Chrome Speak - selet text and right click to hear it read aloud: http://bit.ly/MXrHGx