Text to Speech Screen Readers

Text to Speech Readers have been a helpful tool for me throughout graduate school. However, I wish they had been available during and before undergrad. In third grade, I was diagnosed with Dyslexia and ADD - inattentive type. (Now, it is called ADHD, but in the 1980s, there was a different distinction between ADD and ADHD.) I currently have two different Text to Screen Readers loaded on my Chromebook and the iPhone app for one of them on my phone. In this blog, I will discuss my experience with these Text to Speech Screen Readers, including what I consider to be their strengths and weaknesses. 

Read & Write 

Read & Write is a Chromebook extension. I first learned of this extension when I started working as a Media Clerk in a school library in 2019 when I noticed that it was loaded on student Chromebooks. I found the extension via a Google search for "Read & Write extension". Here is the direct link to the Read & Write Chromebook extension. I added the free basic version to my Chromebook and pinned it to my browser toolbar. I primarily use Read & Write to read my writing aloud. Hearing my writing read aloud by a different voice helps me find errors and omissions. 

Additional features of Read & Write: 

• Settings allow for adjustments in voice, language, and reading speed 
• Allows the user to record their voice reading aloud and play it back 

Pros: 

• Basic features are free Read aloud works on documents and websites 
• Teachers can apply for a free Premium Account  

Cons: 

• Voices are less natural-sounding 
• Read aloud does not work for PDFs 
• A large toolbar appears when the extension is in use 
• Hover Speech setting is sensitive to mouse movements   

Natural Reader 

I uploaded the Text to Speech Reader extension for Natural Reader after uploading another free Chromebook extension, Read Aloud, first. I was looking for a screen reader that would read PDF files. I had been experiencing a lot of eye strain and fatigue symptoms reading the many web-based and PDF research articles that are required reading for graduate studies. 

I did not enjoy using Read Aloud. It was a free extension and easily accessed PDFs uploaded on my Chromebook. However, I found the robotic voices grating. Also, I was not fond of the large pop-up box that appeared when the extension was activated. Additionally, I was hoping to find an iPhone app that would allow me to listen to articles on my daily walks or during long car rides. So I searched for the "Best Screen Reader Apps" and found Natural Reader. 

Bingo! Natural Reader was just what I was looking for: a Chromebook extension and iPhone app with human-sounding voices. 

Pros: 

• Chromebook extension and iPhone app access allow with one account 
• Numerous read-aloud voice options  
• Works for documents, webpages, and PDFs 
• Smaller pop-up control panel (compared to Read & Write and Read Aloud)  

Cons: 

• Free demo ends with a paywall after limited use (20min/day for Premium Voices) 

For me, paying for the upgrade from free to a premium subscription was easy. Natural Reader ticked all the boxes. 

There are many Text to Speech Screen Reader options for students of all ages, teachers, and other working professionals. I would advise trying several options and seeing which features work best for you and/or your students. 

Additional Resources 

10 Helpful Text to Speech Readers for Back to School (Univ. of Michigan - DyslexiaHelp)
Best Assistive Technology for Reading in the Classroom (Common Sense Media)