Google Chrome SpeakIt!
Web based text to speech extension software.
How to access SpeakIt!
1)Using Google Chrome, you must search "Speak It!". The first hit will guide you to download the app.
2) You can also click here and select the green button "add to Chrome".
2) You can also click here and select the green button "add to Chrome".
Summary
SpeakIt! is a Google Chrome extension that allows almost all text on any webpage to be read aloud.
The steps are simple:
1) Highlight the text you would like read.
2) Select "play" using your chrome extension icon (play button).
3) To stop reading, hit pause.
The steps are simple:
1) Highlight the text you would like read.
2) Select "play" using your chrome extension icon (play button).
3) To stop reading, hit pause.
Why you would use SpeakIt!
Students who have a learning disability or have difficulty with reading will likely struggle with research on the internet as it requires a significant amount of reading. Chrome SpeakIt! will allow any user the ability to have text read aloud on almost any webpage.
SpeakIt! could also be used to follow the news, a blog, twitter, or any social media forum. As classrooms become more and more involved in the ever evolving world of technology, SpeakIt! will allow all students' to access all web based reading information and to stay current on all topics minimizing many barriers that exist for students who require support for reading.
Students who would particularly benefit from Google SpeakIt!
- struggling readers or individuals who are reading below grade level
- individuals with a cognitive or learning disability specifically in the area of reading and writing
- individuals with visual impairments
- individuals who struggle with pronunciations, word identification or have attention difficulties
- individuals learning English as a second language
SpeakIt! could also be used to follow the news, a blog, twitter, or any social media forum. As classrooms become more and more involved in the ever evolving world of technology, SpeakIt! will allow all students' to access all web based reading information and to stay current on all topics minimizing many barriers that exist for students who require support for reading.
Students who would particularly benefit from Google SpeakIt!
- struggling readers or individuals who are reading below grade level
- individuals with a cognitive or learning disability specifically in the area of reading and writing
- individuals with visual impairments
- individuals who struggle with pronunciations, word identification or have attention difficulties
- individuals learning English as a second language
Critique
Chrome SpeakIt! currently only runs on any laptop or desktop. Once the extension has been installed, the play icon automatically appears any time Google Chrome is open. A user can then select any web based text and hit the play icon to have the text read aloud. The user can pause and continue text at any time. The text will continue to be read in the background if multiple webpages are opened at the same time.
It would be beneficial if the Chrome extension was made available for all users with any device at the same cost. In doing so, the user would be able to access all web based information on the go and in any environment. As it stands now, users can purchase an App called "Speak It!" for $2.29 but most new devices come with Siri. Siri will do the exact same features as the Speak It App at no cost. Having the App at the same cost as the extension would ensure users had the ability to use the features in the same way regardless of the device they were on.
Benefits
- free
- very user friendly to use
- can change rate of text being read aloud
- can change gender of voice being spoken
- will run in the background
- pause and resume speech
- available in multiple languages
Constraints
- only reads web-based text
- must use a laptop or desktop
- requires internet
It would be beneficial if the Chrome extension was made available for all users with any device at the same cost. In doing so, the user would be able to access all web based information on the go and in any environment. As it stands now, users can purchase an App called "Speak It!" for $2.29 but most new devices come with Siri. Siri will do the exact same features as the Speak It App at no cost. Having the App at the same cost as the extension would ensure users had the ability to use the features in the same way regardless of the device they were on.
Benefits
- free
- very user friendly to use
- can change rate of text being read aloud
- can change gender of voice being spoken
- will run in the background
- pause and resume speech
- available in multiple languages
Constraints
- only reads web-based text
- must use a laptop or desktop
- requires internet
What you need to have in place for SpeakIt!
All users must have access to a desktop or laptop. The device must also have Google Chrome installed prior to downloading the Chrome SpeakIt! extension.