Incorporating Assistive Technologies in Post-Secondary Education

One type of assistive technology is Text to Speech (TTS).

Text to speech

Text-to-speech (TTS) software is an assistive technology tool that can be used to help kids who have trouble reading. Text-to-speech technology allows kids to see text and hear it read aloud at the same time. As the text appears on the screen, it is spoken. Some software use a computer-generated voice. Others use a recorded human voice. There are different types of text-to-speech software.

Strategies to incorporate this piece of technology into the classroom

Text-to-speech tools can be used with different kinds of technology, from computers to mobile devices. It’s often used with optical character recognition (OCR). OCR is a technology that scans printed material into a computer or handheld unit and converts it to digital text. There are even portable OCR devices called reading pens that can scan and read back text.

Text-to-speech can be used to assist the teaching of visually-impaired children. Some devices, such as the iPad, feature apps that read digital books. Print materials in the classroom—books, handouts and tests—can make learning harder for kids who have trouble reading. Using digital text with text-to-speech functionality can make the process easier.

Ways to incorporate these technologies in a secondary institution, first we will have to embed it in the curriculum. Next we will focus on teachers training so they will be equipped to teach the children how to use these technologies. They will be guidelines and policies to help with use of computers.

References

Morin,A. (n.d).Text-to-Speech Software: What It Is and How It Works. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/assistive-technologies-basics/text-to-speech-software-what-it-is-and-how-it-works

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