[Athen] TTS solution for individuals who are mute?

[Jayme Johnson]

Hello,

I am trying to find a solution for an individual who is having their larynx
removed because of cancer, and they are seeking a high quality synthetic
voicing system. 

This individual has no mobility issues, can use a standard keyboard, is very
technically capable, and a lot of the typical AAC devices are not quite
appropriate matches for his needs and abilities. 

I know about the program "Next Up Talker" from www.nextup.com, as well as
the "Gus! Pocket Communicator" and "Gus! Multimedia Speech System", and I'm
wondering if anyone has experience with using these products or knows of
similar products that I can take a look at as a possible solution? 

The basic functionality I am looking for would include a system that allows
content to be typed in, possibly with some word prediction capability, the
ability to manage pre-configured greetings and phrases, as well as the
ability to record and play back audio files.

Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated, and thank you in advance! 

Jayme Johnson
Assistive Computer Technology Instructor
High Tech Center Training Unit
De Anza College, Cupertino, CA
408-996-6045
www.htctu.net