techdis update rsc wm - a & i forum lisa featherstone

TechDis Update

RSC WM - A & I Forum

Lisa Featherstone www.jisctechdis.ac.uk

Programme

• TechDis Voices

• Toolbox

• Discover Jisc

• Questions

What is a voice

• SatNav voices – high quality synthetic voices

• Turns route instructions into the spoken word

• Can use different voicesjack good morning.mp3 jess good morning.mp3

Voice & Software

Voices are separate from the software

They can be used with a wide variety of applications

Support working in many ways -

So what is text to speech?

Mainstream tool for all?

Specialist tool for some?

Ways of working - 1

• Read with your eyes closed - start your text to speech software, grab a headset, close your eyes, lean back and relax…

Ways of working - 2

• Save text as MP3 and listen on your phone / mp3 player wherever and whenever suits.

Ways of working - 3

• …turn key documents or information to MP3s so users can listen on the morning commute.

Ways of working - 4

• use a service (Audio-boo etc) to upload handouts as a synthetic speech MP3 file. Subscribers to your podcast get automatic delivery to their phone.

Ways of working - 5

• Audio instructions for practical and fieldwork.

Ways of working - 6

• Listen and summarise…

Ways of working - 7

• Broaden horizons…

Gutenberg goodies Balabolka brilliance

Ways of working - 8

Getting good voices…

• TechDis Jess and TechDis Jack

• eligibility = post 16 publicly funded learning providers for their networks and personal downloads for their learners/users

• This includes learners at UK Online Centres

Ways of Working - 9

• Proof reading – a synthetic voice will read exactly what you’ve written.

• “It’s important to get your massage across in a simples and effective wiy”

proof reading example.mp3

Getting equality…

A few VI learners

Lots of dyslexic learners

Finding and using

www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/voices

This section of the website has all the info you need on Finding, Registering, Downloading, Installing and Using the voices.

Talking Word documents

• Older versions: WordTalk www.wordtalk.org.uk

• Newer versions: Speak Text

Talking Web Pages

• ChromeSpeak free plug in for Chrome

Talking books

Orato or ClipSpeak will read out loud whatever is copied onto the clipboard; whether from e-books, online magazines, documents etc.

Orato reads with Word tracking. ClipSpeak doesn’t; but it does save as MP3 as an option.

Talking anything

Tools like Balabolka and DSpeech allow you to create MP3s from documents or a mixture of documents and text copied in from other sources like web pages.

The questions to consider• Does your organisation provide text to speech at

all?

• How would your staff and users learn about text to speech opportunities?

• How could you signpost your users to download the voices for themselves at home?

• How could we help your organisation support the use of TTS in teaching and learning?

TechDis Toolboxwww.jisctechdis.ac.uk/tbx

TechDis Toolbox

• Aimed directly at end users – learners.

• A collection of resources which give useful hints and tips on technologies that can help individuals work quicker, slicker and smarter.

TechDis Toolbox

• Over 100 Bite-sized videos, short guides, and animations.

• Small bits of just-in-time information that can be easily absorbed.

• Developed with learners for learners by TechDis accredited trainers.

Toolbox Structure

Technology - 1

• Microsoft Office• 18 videos on using Word

• Mac-accessibility• Mac, iPhone and iPad including

• Voiceover

• Safari reader

• Vision and other settings

• Using the Web• Accessible browsers

Technology - 2

• Free Software guides to• Audacity

• Text to Speech

• Xmind

• TechDis Voices• What is a voice

• Text to Speech

• Using and installing the voices

Planning & Organisation

• Managing Messages

• Managing Time

• Using Information

• Organising

Information

Communicating

• Tools to help with

• Reading

• Writing

• Multimedia

Including -

• Audio

• Video

• Images

30

Objectives

• Help Further Education and Skills providers use Jisc resources to deliver inclusive learning and teaching.

• Increase overall Jisc knowledge and awareness of the wider FE & Skills sector and how to meet its needs.

Rationale

• Further Education and Skills sector unaware of JISC resources and services.

• Many of these resources support inclusive learning and teaching.

• These resources can be difficult to find.

• The resources were created for a different audience and are sometimes difficult to understand.31

So far . . .

• New CPD resources

• Commentary on Jisc Services & content

• Technology in Context – plans and rationale

New Web Resources:CPD Materials

• New how-to guides and resources:• Introduction to Accessibility;

• Built-in Accessibility;

• Accessible Documents and Presentations.

• Coming Soon:

In the pipeline . . .

•Mobile and Portable Accessibility;

•Accessing Online Content;

•Creating Accessible Online Content.

Questions?

• Please contact – lisa@techdis.ac.uk

• @notlob

• http://pinterest.com/penguinnotlob/xerte-links/