Mar 05 2008
People with disabilities and the internet
Having just read Linda’s post on Northcott CATS, I wish to further talk about the topic of assistive technologies for people with disabilities. I have just been reading an article and in it it describes a type of software which can be used on webpages to translate text in the webpage into synthesised speech. I thought that this type of technology would have a huge impact on the ability of people to use the internet and be able to comprehend the vast amount of information found on it. In the article I read, the authors Skylar, Higgins and Boone (2007) list 2 types of software that can do this. The first one is called Text Aloud (2004). This uses a “text-to-speech converter with humanlike voices” (Skylar, Higgins & Boone, 2007, p.22). The other is called Read & Write Gold (2004). This one has additional components, “such as one that highlights each word as it is read aloud, word prediction features, and an online talking dictionary” (Skylar, Higgins & Boone, 2007, p.22).
Ref. Sylar, A. A., Higgins, K. & Boone, R. (2007). Strategies for adapting WebQuests fo students with learning disabilities. Intrevention in School and Clinic. 43 (1). pp. 20-28.
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