Text-to-Speech Option Now in Library's Ebsco Databases

Ebsco has added text-to-speech (read aloud) support to our library databases--adding a valuable benefit provided at no additional cost to the user. Users will be able to take advantage of this new feature with any full-text articles available in HTML format. Text-to-speech support allows users to read along while a human-sounding voice speaks the text on the screen. The support toolbar provides significant assistance to those for whom text-to-speech capabilities are highly valued such as

• English Language Learners
• users with low vision
• slight physical and/or learning disabilities
• as well as eBook and PDA users

Recent studies have shown that students using literacy support tools demonstrated significant improvements in both reading comprehension and writing performance. Utilizing the text-to-speech feature via the EBSCOhost platform provides many advantages. Users have the ability to read-aloud by selected text, sentence, paragraph, or continuous reading with dual color synchronous highlighting (highlighting of the passage being read with a second color highlighting the specific word being read aloud at that moment). User control of read-aloud personalizes the learning experience for each user. Users can control reading speed as well as select between three different high-quality voices—American, British, or Australian. These options also enable teachers and professionals to incorporate the features as a tool for teaching English and reading.

Ask your librarian about this easy-to-use, helpful new tool.