Workshop 19

Wednesday, May 6:  7:15 PM – 8:15 PM

Workshop Description: Let Your Laptop Do The Talking

Computer-spoken text, coupled with materials in digital text format, inherently differentiates the curriculum because, among many reasons, students can independently transform it in multiple ways, such as having it read aloud or converting it to an audio file that can be transferred to an iPod or MP3 player. Not only is the ability to learn through listening a 21st-Century literacy skill, spoken text makes the content of the general education curriculum accessible to students who have print disabilities. Time will be provided for participants to practice skills related to text-to-speech, including methods of acquiring materials in digital text format.

Workshop Presenter: Cynthia Curry

Cynthia Curry is a former science teacher. As an MLTI Statewide Integration Mentor, she specializes in supporting general education teachers in using technology to make learning more accessible to all students. She directs a project in USM’s Teacher Education Department, aimed at better preparing pre-service teachers to support students with disabilities.

Recording of workshop: http://stateofmaine.na4.acrobat.com/p76537980/

Downloads:

Automator: This is an automator file that can be saved to your MLTI laptop and used to convert text files to audio files.

PDF: Here are the instructions for saving the Automator file to your laptop, enabling you to easily convert text files to audio files.

Build Automator Text Audio Workflow.pdf
This contains step-by-step instructions for Mac users to build an Automator workflow that converts text to an audio file, and sends it to your iTunes Library. The alternative to building your own is to download the Automator file provided above and use the instructions, “Save_Automator_Text_Audio_Workflow,” to save it to your laptop.

OSX Speech.pdf
Follow these instructions to activate your Mac’s built-in text to speech function.

Speech Audio Tools Windows.pdf
For Windows users, here are some comparable speech and audio conversion programs to those introduced for Mac.

Web based Text Audio Converters.pdf
Here’s a list of online tools that will convert text to audio files. These run on the Web, so platform-independent.

Web based Public Domain.pdf
Looking for instructional materials that can be freely used, distributed, and converted for use by all students? Digital text and audio format libraries included.

CC PSNW 05-06-09 slides.ppt
Here are the slides used in the session.