Text-to-speech Technology: Multimodal Learning, Proofreading, and Struggling

Readers

By Philip Hall

The abundance of digital text is making TTS easier than ever.

Reduces frustration and aids comprehension and acceleration for struggling readers

Assist multimodal learning by allowing readers to hear and see the text

Assist proofreading by hearing mistakes

Can be implemented on any budget

We will be discussing how Text-To-Speech Technology:

My ball and chain analog

Introducing Mrs. Text-to-Speech (have TTS read it)

Liberation is a word that comes to my mind when I think about text-to-speech software. That sounds like an exaggeration, but for many people with reading difficulties, TTS software is most undeniably liberating. Imagine, for a moment, being able to walk but having a chain connected to a metal ball clamped to your leg. You drag that ball where ever you go. You feel discouraged and jealous as you see people all around you walking and running normally. People with reading difficulties experience a similar world. Where they can read to one degree or another but that it is such a slow process that they feel overwhelmed and discouraged. Text-to-speech has provided a way for slow readers to pick up that metal ball and run with it. It has “In a much greater way, leveled the playing field” (Roger, 2009).

Liberation for struggling readers

I have an amazing wife and three cute kiddos.

Technology Teacher and Assistant Technology Director at Muleshoe ISD

Formally, a slow reader.

Received a Masters of Education in Instructional Technology and Design.

Who is Philip Hall?

Interviewed several Special Education Directors at universities and K-12

Personal experience

And the usual study studies.

My Masters Research Project

Suppose you did not read well, with text-to-speech you can read along as the computer, PDA, mp3 player, or daisy player reads to you. Perhaps you can read one page every ten minutes by yourself, but with TTS you can read that one page in one minute and understand it much better than in those ten minutes. Can you see the value?

Can you see the value?

“TTS reduces the frustration of inaccurate decoding for students with learning disabilities and allow for more complete comprehension of the text” (Forgrave, 2002).

Motivation Builder

Motivation

Frustration

With discouragement lifted, the motivation to improve will follow.

The speed at which a person reads is also directly related to their ability to comprehend. Speed is a big goal in leveling the reading playing field for the print disabled or slow readers. A study that utilized TTS for Special Education students shows how the software had immediate changes. Immediately after using the text-to-speech software, the students in this study saw a dramatic increase in the speed they were able to read and comprehend. These special education students were brought up to conversational speeds of around 176 words per minute. As a person continues to use the synthesized voice, they are able to that increase the speed of the program faster than conversational (Elkind, 1998). With that additional speed, a slow reader can succeed at a level comparable to a regular student.

When I went to England, the first day I could only pick up about 25% of the conversations that I would have with people. But it did not take more than a few days to get used to their beautiful dialect. This is similar to a TTS reader that is going full speed. You would not be able to understand it well until after you got used to hearing it read up into the higher speeds. Both of the Special education directors I talked to indicated that their blind student turned their TTS up quickly, however there students with learning disabilities generally did not.

When I first started using text to speech, I could go a little faster than conversational speed. After using it for 4 ½ months I found that I can comfortably comprehend 263 words in one minute. My wife asks me, “how can you understand what they are saying? It might sound like the part of a car commercial where they have to say all that legal jargon.” It is because I have become used to it and I am able to follow along.

To increase speed and comprehension it is important to see the text while listening. “Those with learning disabilities are helped by hearing the information while they read along with the text so they can assist in training their brains to correctly interpret symbols” (Hisel-Cochran, 2009). This can be done be following along in the book, however at higher speeds this can be difficult. For individuals that want to go faster than conversational speeds it is helpful to use a text reader that has a screen where the words appear and are highlighted as they are read. The screen can be on a computer, PDA, or a specialized portable reader. By seeing and hearing the text together, comprehension grows and the ability to speed read is more in reach.

The incorporation of multiple sensory in teaching is vital for all students, especially for students with disabilities. Rather than reading being visual, TTS provides a way to add an auditory learning to the act of reading. “Many other individuals can be assisted with text-to-speech software because it allows for multi-modal learning" (Hisel-Cochran, 2009). Many of the education classes talk of the importance of using several different senses in teaching. As a reader hears the text they are also able to take advantage of this form of learning.

Speed Demonstration

Did you get all that?

Multimodal Learning

How did seeing the text help in understanding the voice?

The incorporation of multiple sensory in teaching is vital for all students, especially for students with disabilities. Rather than reading being visual, TTS provides a way to add an auditory learning to the act of reading. “Many other individuals can be assisted with text-to-speech software because it allows for multi-modal learning" (Hisel-Cochran, 2009).

Multiple Sensory

Ways to see the text…

ClassMate by Don Johnson

What other ways to see the text?

Text-to-speech Pilot Program (video)

http://winmedia.umsl.edu/msba/MAT_TTA_Video_CBR.wmv

Example of High SchoolApplication

Proofreading Demonstration

How could you incorporate TTS in Proofreading?

For Free

Bookshare.org

Paid for by the US Department of Education.

Implementing Test-to-speech

They get an amazing program Read OutLoud for free. Paid for by Department of Education.

USES IT!!!!!!!

If student qualifies

Nearly of State Adopted Textbook is available http://www.rfbd.org/SiteData/docs/TEA%20Adopti/15a7bec321073adf/TEA%20AdoptionListAug09.pdf

With real human voice.

They provide software where a Textbook can be put on MP3 Player and still be able to navigate.

RDB&D another amazing resourse

Give them hope Let them use the tools available.

TTS reduces frustrations for struggling readers and helps them develop a desire to read more. They can now read text that they would have never been able to find the time or patience to do previously.

Conclusion