<div dir="ltr"><div>Lorraine et al ATHEN-ites,</div><div><br></div><div>When first trying out text to speech voices with students, I will have asked them a number of leading questions about what type of voice they like listening to: male or female, any particular regional American accent, a British (or other country) voice, fast or slow tempo, high, medium or low pitch. I will do some research with the principle TTS software providers and pick out 5 or 6 voices to try out with student directly --I want to watch their face as they listen to the different voice(s). Knitting their eyebrows, narrowing their eyes, or eyebrows up, head cocked a little to the side? The body language will indicate which voices are annoying and which are more pleasant or acceptable. If the student picks one or two to try out for a few days and comes back with another "I can't listen to this," I'll provide them the links for the SAPI voices so they can try them out themselves. I will encourage them to pick from the free ones, of course, but helping them walk through the testing out part will help them, in the long run, find the right voice for their needs.</div><div><br></div><div>Hope this helps.<br></div><div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div><div><div>Wink Harner<br></div>Accessibility Consultant/Alternative Text Production<br></div>The Foreign Type<br><br></div></div>Portland OR<br><a href="mailto:foreigntype@gmail.com" target="_blank">foreigntype@gmail.com</a><br>480-984-0034<br><br></div><div>This email was dictated using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Please forgive quirks, misrecognitions, or errata .<br></div></div></div></div></div><br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">On Thu, Aug 23, 2018 at 8:58 AM Norwich, Lorraine S <<a href="mailto:lnorwich@bu.edu">lnorwich@bu.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
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<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Dear All,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">I am working with a student who has sleep apnea and finds reading and listening to monotone voices on a computer triggers her sleep. She wants to try text to speech to keep herself awake. She
finds some of the voices very monotonous and difficult to follow. Has anyone found any voices that sound less synthesized and sound more natural that would be helpful for this student.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">thanks<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Lorraine<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Lorraine S. Norwich, BSME, MSIS
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Assistant Director of Disability Services</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Boston University</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">19 Deerfield Street, 2nd Floor</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Boston, MA 02215</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:lnorwich@bu.edu" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">lnorwich@bu.edu</span></a> (email)<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">617-353-3658 (vox)</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">617-353-9646 (fax)</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="http://www.bu.edu/disability" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">www.bu.edu/disability</span></a> (website)</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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