Audio
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Talking Text / Hidden WindowsXP/Office 2003 Text to Speech
What it is:
In the versions of Word and Excel that are part of Office 2003, you can access a Language Toolbar, under Tools>Speech. It provides a virtually hidden but useful way to use the Microsoft system to read highlighted text.
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How does it work:
Text to Speech in WORD
Look under Tools for Speech, and select the Language Toolbar.
It may prompt you to train the speech to text functions (which can also be useful) but for now, just choose Cancel when it prompts for training speech.
Click the Microphone icon to turn off speech recognition.
The option to speak text does not appear on the Language Toolbar but use the down arrow on the right side of the toolbar to see Speak Text and Pause Speaking. When you choose each of these, they are added to the Language Toolbar.
Clicking on Speak (Text) will cause Word to start speaking the text starting where you have placed your cursor. It will continue to read the text unless you select Stop Speaking or Pause Speaking.
After you select Pause, it will Resume where you left off once you select Resume.
If you highlight the text, it will only read what you have highlighted. Students can select one sentence or one paragraph at a time to help them when editing their work.
Text to Speech in EXCEL.
Click Tools>Speech>Show Text-to-Speech Toolbar.
The Speak on Enter button is on the far right. If you select this button, Excel will read back everything you have typed in a cell when you hit Enter.
Remember to click the button again when you’re done if you want to
turn this feature off.
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