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ReadSpeaker


The product converts the text on your website to speech so that visitors can listen as well as read. The user does not need any special software or a screen-reader to benefit.

The Disability Discrimination Act stipulates that it is unlawful to treat a disabled person less favourably because of their disability and applies to the provision of information, including via websites. And the increased reliance on e-commerce and web-based information provision makes it increasingly important that the Internet is as accessible as it can possibly be. ReadSpeaker is ideal for enhancing website accessibility and is very easy to use.

The website visitor simply clicks on an icon to activate it and there are no plugins or downloads required. It is just as easy to set up: the software is hosted externally with no complex programming work involved for the website owner.

There are two versions of ReadSpeaker:

SayIT

This version is very easy to use: click on the button and the highlighted text, or whole page, is read to you. SayIT can be used where the website navigation is mainly/partly built up by Java scripts and on sites that use frames.

Navigator

Offers a lot of functionality including:

    - Select text by highlighting it
    - Alternative navigation
    - User can change the reading speed
    - Reads forms and documents in Word, RTF and PDF format

NB. This is the version that can be seen in action on this website.

Compatibility
ReadSpeaker can read most file types including Word, RTF and PDF. The product works on any browser with connection speeds of 33.6k and up, including: Explorer v4 and later (PC & Mac), Netscape Communicator (PC & Mac), Netscape Navigator (PC, Mac, Linux, Solaris), Mozilla, Opera, Safari (Mac).

The Service
ReadSpeaker is an ASP solution and the website owner does not have to install anything or make other adjustments to their server environment, so it is easy to implement. All that is needed is to put a ReadSpeaker link or code on the website (see the top left corner of our homepage). It can be operational within days and will then be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all year round.

Users
Up to six million people in the UK have some degree of dyslexia and over two million have sight problems. Dyslexics can find it as difficult to read as it is to write. Many of these people do not have access to screen readers or other tools. ReadSpeaker was developed together with representatives from different disability groups and hundreds of thousands of website visitors already benefit from this service.

Languages
ReadSpeaker is today available in British English, American English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish. More languages can be added as and when required.

Prices
The price consists of a fixed implementation fee and a monthly charge and is based on a number of monthly page views. Please contact Ian Wedgewood for further information on 01457 819790 or ian@inclusive.co.uk