There are different ways you can have your screen or individual resources read aloud to you.
Using a screen reader
Text Only Mode is an option that can be turned on in this platform when using a screen reader such as JAWS or VoiceOver. When you access ProQuest Ebook Central using a screen reader, your screen reader will read out instructions for turning on Text Only Mode. Once turned on, Ebook Central's interface changes to a text-based view and you can use the screen reader to read the text on the screen and control navigation.
Please note that Text Only Mode is supported on laptops and desktops only (not tablets or phones). Click here to read more about supported devices and browsers.
This platform has a built-in text-to-speech reader, available through ‘Read Online’ which can be used from both desktop and mobile views. If you wish to have an e-book held on this platform read out loud to you, simply open the e-book to read online and then click the ReadALoud icon next to each page.
To use screenreaders such as JAWS or NVDA you will need to download the e-book you wish to read to Adobe Digital Editions. VLeBooks recommends that you refer to the software manufacturers' own user guides for further information.
Using text-to-speech
Text-to-speech tools are aimed at users who prefer to listen to content instead of reading, people with dyslexia or other learning disabilities, people who have English as an additional language and find text challenging, or simply to provide users with an alternative way to consume web content. You can install a text-to-speech tool as a browser plug-in, so you can access it directly when reading an e-book online.
Some of these platforms have read-aloud features built in and others do not, so you may need to use a text-to-speech tool depending on which platform hosts the e-book you are reading. For example, Read Aloud can be installed on most browsers, and the voice, reading speed, pitch, and text highlighting can be adjusted to suit your preference.
This platform is designed to work with text-to-speech tools when it is in Text Only Mode. To turn on Text Only Mode:
- Click here to visit ProQuest Ebook Central.
- Select Settings.
- Select Profile.
- Enter your University of Sunderland e-mail details.
- Choose Enable Text Only Mode.
- Check the privacy and terms of service box.
- Click Save Changes.
- Click Continue.
Once you have saved the changes you will be redirected to the ProQuest Ebook Central search screen. Now when you click to read an e-book online, you should now see a text-only version of the book, designed to work with text-to-speech tools. Please note that Text Only Mode is supported on laptops and desktops only (not tablets or phones). Click here to read more about supported devices and browsers.
This platform has a built-in text-to-speech reader, available through ‘Read Online’ which can be used from both desktop and mobile views. If you wish to have an e-book held on this platform read out loud to you, simply open the e-book to read online and then click the ReadALoud icon next to each page.
Many journal articles will be available as PDFs. Use the Read Out Loud function in Adobe's free Acrobat Reader app to have the text in these PDFs read aloud to you.
- Turn on Read Out Loud Having a PDF read aloud can increase accessibility if you are visually impaired or have difficulty reading the text. Listening to a PDF can also help you multitask. Use Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader app to have the text in your PDF read aloud to you.
Other resources
The RNIB Bookshare UK education collection is for print-disabled learners, those with dyslexia, and those who are blind or partially sighted. This service accesses a range of books in different formats. Many of the print books in the University of Sunderland Library collections are available via this service. Please contact us through Library Talk if you require access to this resource.
- RNIB Bookshare UK Education Collection RNIB Bookshare opens up the world of reading in education for learners with a print disability, including those with dyslexia or who are blind or partially sighted.