Where Does ReadSpeaker Fit In The Landscape Of Assistive Tech For Education?

The landscape of assistive technologies (AT) for education gets more complex every day.

If you’re not sure which programs to choose to help you put your learners on an equal playing field—for example, are free text-to-speech plugins and built-in screen readers enough, or do you need something more specialized to give your students what they need to thrive?—you’re in the right place.

Assistive tech tools often appear to be similar and have more than a little overlap between them. There are a number of factors to consider, from cost and support to functionality and features.

ReadSpeaker, a text-to-speech tool, is one of many accessibility solutions available. You can use it on its own to enhance accessibility or alongside another solution you may be considering (or already using!). And in some cases, it’s simply a better option than the alternatives.

This guide was created to help you put the pieces together, so you can give your students a powerful ecosystem of tools that provide the best learning experience possible.

What is assistive technology for education?

Assistive technology platforms help new language learners and users with low vision, total blindness, ADHD, dyslexia, or other difficulties learn more effectively in digital environments.

Some types of assistive technology are designed primarily for content creators (educators). For example, accessibility checkers can review your online content and call attention to presentation issues that could pose problems for some learners, such as low color contrast or missing headers.

Other types of assistive technology are designed primarily for learners. Screen readers fall squarely into this category.

Still other types, like some text-to-speech tools, are beneficial for educators and students and can go a very long way toward creating an inclusive learning environment.

Without assistive tech, some students would be at a disadvantage compared to their peers. But platforms such as ReadSpeaker, Yuja Panorama, Cidi Labs UDOIT, and the others listed below aim to give all students equal opportunities when it comes to learning. Additionally, plenty of students without learning difficulties choose to use assistive tech to make consuming online content easier and more efficient.

What is ReadSpeaker?

ReadSpeaker is a text-to-speech (TTS) tool that enables learners to listen to digital content aloud.

Using this TTS tool, your students can listen to online lessons and homework assignments that would otherwise be entirely visual. ReadSpeaker works on nearly every type of online content, within almost any learning management system (LMS), and on any mobile device.

Wherever and however your students choose to complete their lessons and homework, with ReadSpeaker they will have access to rich, easy-to-understand voices, an editable pronunciation library, and a robust set of controls that allow them to change the pace of speech, customize the way text appears on-screen, and highlight text or select image alt text for playback.

In addition to reading aloud, ReadSpeaker also offers study tools that further enhance the learning experience, like page masking, dictionary searches, and translations.

Who is ReadSpeaker for?

ReadSpeaker can be used and enjoyed by everyone.

Students with ADHD, dyslexia, and learning disabilities benefit just as much from our feature-rich TTS tool as visually impaired learners. Students without disabilities may also prefer having online content read aloud and would benefit from ReadSpeaker’s study tools. Our goal at ReadSpeaker is to help every student learn in the best way possible for their needs.

Educators can also use ReadSpeaker to quickly make voice overs for online learning content or create narrations that go along with text documents. This maximizes the chances that learners will get value from lessons and increases student retention.

Key Characteristics of ReadSpeaker

Widespread Integration and Support

• It works across multiple devices (including mobile phones and tablets), document types, and browsers.
• It integrates with all major LMSs.
• Unlike some AT tools, it’s not limited to use inside LMSs. It can be used with all online content, even cloud-based platforms.
• It partners well with accessibility checkers and some of the other assistive tech options in this list, and does not interfere with screen readers.
• It’s an equally viable option whether you’re considering it for an entire school district, schoolwide, a classroom, or even individual use.

A Great User Experience

• It creates a rich learning experience for a wide audience, from those with disabilities to multimodal learners to students who simply like to listen along.
• It works well for language learners who aren’t yet familiar with word pronunciation.
• All voices are clear, easy to understand, natural-sounding, and ethically-produced.
• It supports more than fifty languages.
• It’s designed for students and for educators who want to make their content accessible.
• It offers more natural-sounding voices than most screen readers or other TTS platforms.
• ReadSpeaker never collects user data.

Robust Customization Options and Study Tools

• It offers numerous features including adjustable reading speed, playback for highlighted text, voice and pronunciation customization, and the ability to change the way web content appears on the screen.

• It provides synchronized highlighting during read-alouds, so users can follow along inside a variety of document and web formats.
• It offers additional tools to assist with reading, writing, and studying, such as page masks, a customizable dictionary, language translations, and more.

Simple Implementation

• It requires no installation, plugins, extensions, or individual licenses.
• It offers simple TTS SaaS pricing based on activations over a 12-month period (as opposed to use-based pricing).
• It comes with ongoing tech support and pronunciation support for as long as you use it.

A Powerhouse for Accessibility

• It complies with the Level A and Level AA success criteria of WCAG 2.1 specification
• It covers accessibility gaps left behind by some accessibility checkers (and even WCAG in some cases!).
• It raises awareness of the need for accessible content and documents.

Build Your Ecosystem: See How ReadSpeaker Fits With Other Assistive Technology Tools

Now, let’s put that information into context: How does ReadSpeaker compare to other popular AT options? What complements it? What can it replace?

If you’re trying to put the pieces together and build a comprehensive selection of assistive technology options for your students, the details below will help you choose the best solutions.

ReadSpeaker and Screen Readers

What are screen readers?

A screen reader is a software application that essentially serves as the interface between a computer user and the computer operating system. It reads aloud (or translates to Braille) every element on a computer screen—including button text, browser tabs, and alt text for images. Most mobile devices today have built-in screen readers but there are also many paid platforms that offer more robust features.

Who are screen readers for?

Screen readers are intended for learners with low or no vision who want to work independently on computers, tablets, and cell phones.

Key Characteristics of Screen Readers

• They are essential for people with visual impairments.
• They allow students with low or no vision to remain independent with their schoolwork and utilize the full functionality of their devices.
• Major operating systems (Windows and MacOS) and mobile devices (Android and iOS) have a free screen reader built in by default.
• They often provide Braille support in addition to TTS capabilities.

What are the limitations of screen readers?

• The same functionality that fosters independence in blind users can be very cumbersome to students who don’t want to hear every single word on the screen read aloud. Non-habitual users may find their work flows disrupted.
• Students with reading disabilities or auditory learning preferences may be frustrated by the lack of functionality aside from simple text to speech.
• Screen readers often struggle with pop-up windows and some document formats. This hinders the experience for students who need to hear the text of those unsupported elements.
• Screen readers are optimized for speed and efficiency, not necessarily clarity or ease of use. The robotic-sounding voices can be hard to understand for sighted users who are accustomed to more natural speech.
• They are designed solely for users. They will not help educators create more accessible content.
• Some screen readers (such as JAWS) require expensive user licenses. There are free options available, but they typically lack features and functionality.
• Options that are not built into an operating system by default tend to have a complex installation process and often come with a steep learning curve.

How do screen readers compare to ReadSpeaker?

Whereas ReadSpeaker is intended for a broad audience, few people outside of the low vision community use screen readers. Additionally, screen readers lack most of the customization that ReadSpeaker offers, and the default robotic voices are nowhere near the quality of the clear, human voices from ReadSpeaker. Because of these details, most sighted learners feel that ReadSpeaker offers a superior user experience.

Additionally, ReadSpeaker is designed for both students and educators. It integrates seamlessly into LMSs and websites, is easy to interact with, and requires no installation.

ReadSpeaker and Free Text-To-Speech Programs

What are free text-to-speech solutions?

Free text-to-speech solutions, as the name implies, offer TTS capabilities (read aloud) for free. Free TTS programs have no upfront or subscription costs, no licensing, and generally no strings attached. In exchange, learners will receive a barebones but functional TTS experience.

Who are free text-to-speech tools for?

Free TTS is exclusively for learners (not educators). It could be beneficial in situations where you want to provide students with a limited TTS option, for example to hear the occasional complex phrase read aloud.

Key Characteristics of Free Text-to-Speech Tools

• They’re free.
• They quickly produce speech from pasted-in text or URLs.
• They are simple and easy to use.
• They are widely available. You can do a quick internet search and find a plethora of options in just a few seconds.

What are the limitations of free text-to-speech programs?

• They typically use generic, low quality, robotic voices.
• They offer no LMS integrations, which makes them more difficult to use on content housed within an LMS.
• They do not offer commercial licenses.
• The pronunciation may sometimes be incorrect.
• There is usually no way to edit speech options and no learning tools such as page masking or highlighting.
• There’s no customer support.
• User data collection policies are unclear.
• Many free TTS programs use voices without permission or licensing.

How do free text-to-speech programs compare to ReadSpeaker?

Free TTS programs are available for no fee, but they are also simplistic and don’t offer a great user experience for students. They lack the study tools and integrations that ReadSpeaker offers.

ReadSpeaker, on the other hand, provides lifelike speech (as opposed to robotic voices), ongoing technical and pronunciation support, customizable dictionaries, commercial licensing, and study assistance in the form of page masks and highlighting. Additionally, ReadSpeaker’s voices are always ethically generated in partnership with voice actors.

ReadSpeaker and Accessibility Overlays

What is an accessibility overlay?

An accessibility overlay is a software tool designed to improve the accessibility of online content by modifying its presentation and removing accessibility barriers.

Most overlays use AI to fix accessibility concerns live on web pages—after the content has already been published. In practice, this means an accessibility overlay will change the way a website appears to readers. The overlay may bold some content, edit or add content headers, alter color schemes, or make other tweaks to improve accessibility.

Note that the use of accessibility overlays is controversial at best. In short: We strongly recommend against using them. Accessibility overlays can open (and have opened in the past) companies up to legal battles.

Who are accessibility overlays for?

Students may use overlays to decipher digital content they’re having trouble navigating for reasons related to design or presentation. For example, accessibility overlays can fix issues such as too-small font sizes or incorrect heading hierarchies, making the content easier to consume.

Educators can also use overlays to highlight areas of concern and display suggestions for increasing accessibility over the top of the existing content.

Key Characteristics of Accessibility Overlays

• They can help educators comply with some WCAG standards by identifying accessibility issues (though their capabilities in this area are mostly overstated). Educators can then adjust the content to make lessons more accessible for students with visual impairments or other disabilities. These changes may include adding descriptive headings, using larger (or adjustable) font sizes, switching to a higher contrast color scheme, or using bold words for emphasis.
• They are relatively easy to integrate with existing websites.

What are the limitations of accessibility overlays?

• Accessibility overlays can negatively affect the user experience by altering how web content appears. While changing the appearance of web content is the intended result of using an overlay, it can sometimes backfire. Overlays may unintentionally hide buttons and interactive content from other assistive tech tools, and they often interfere with screen readers and keyboard navigation.
• Even with a focus on WCAG compliance, overlays do not guarantee compliance in real world situations. That’s because they act as a band-aid, covering up issues with inaccessible content instead of fixing them at the root. Additionally, current overlay technology simply isn’t advanced enough to achieve full compliance without human oversight or interference.
• Overlays may create a false sense of security by making website owners think they are providing accessible content when, in reality, their content is simply covered up by the “band-aid” approach of overlays. This can leave companies and schools vulnerable to lawsuits.
• Some overlays collect user data.
• Most overlays are simply copycat versions of each other, based on the same code.

How do accessibility overlays compare to ReadSpeaker?

In contrast with accessibility overlays, ReadSpeaker puts users in total control of their preferred content changes. They can also use any assistive technology they like without fear of interference. ReadSpeaker also offers reading, writing, and study tools in addition to TTS functionality, and accessibility overlays provide none of the above.

ReadSpeaker’s webReader 3.6 is highly compliant with both Level A and Level AA WCAG 2.1 criteria. The “Listen” button, audio player, menu, pop-up control panels, and all other functions are fully keyboard accessible and WCAG compliant, with no need for an overlay to alter the content.

Finally, ReadSpeaker does not collect user data, whereas many overlays do.

ReadSpeaker and Accessibility Checkers

What are accessibility checkers?

Accessibility checkers examine lesson and homework content for accessibility issues before the content is published. They check for similar areas of concern as overlays—missing headers, small font, etc.—and provide suggestions so educators can take action to make their web pages and documents more accessible.

Educators often use accessibility checkers to make sure they haven’t missed any crucial elements that could make it hard for students to read and understand their study materials.

Some options you may encounter include Brickfield, Evinced, Axe, Monsido by Acquia, and WebAIM, but there are others.

Who are accessibility checkers for?

Accessibility checkers are primarily for educators who want to improve the accessibility of the digital content they use for coursework.

Key Characteristics of Accessibility Checkers

• Some checkers use a combination of automated and manual tests to detect a wide range of potential issues.
• They can identify problem areas for many kinds of disabilities—visual, auditory, physical, cognitive, and neurological.
• Automation allows for speedy checks across multiple web pages at once.
• Accessibility checkers provide detailed reports that can help educators learn over time how to create more accessible content.
• Users can choose free browser extensions, LMS plugins, or a handful of other options that fit their needs.
• Accessibility checkers can continuously monitor your content, even amidst web page updates and accessibility guideline changes.

What are the limitations of accessibility checkers?

• They can miss nuanced issues that would require human judgment to notice and fix.
• They occasionally give false passing grades or misidentify issues.
• Educators may become reliant on accessibility checkers to catch their mistakes.
• To fully utilize the functionality of accessibility checkers, educators need to have an understanding of current accessibility standards.
• Some students may have specific disabilities or unique needs not met by the broad-strokes approach of accessibility checkers.

How do accessibility checkers compare to ReadSpeaker?

Considered complementary tools, accessibility checkers provide different functionality than ReadSpeaker.

Using both tools together, educators can check for common accessibility issues and learners can have the immersive TTS experience they want. Each improves the accessibility experience for students in different ways.

ReadSpeaker covers some of the more nuanced accessibility gaps that automated checkers often miss—and even catches some aspects that WCAG doesn’t address. Learners with disabilities and cognitive limitations, for example, find ReadSpeaker valuable for audio assistance, whereas accessibility checkers lean heavily toward making content accessible for students with visual impairments. This means all students can use ReadSpeaker to create their own engaging online learning experience.

Finally, ReadSpeaker’s reading, writing, and study assistance tools—such as page masks, highlighting, and a customizable dictionary—give students even more control over their learning environment.

ReadSpeaker and Anthology Ally (Formerly Blackboard Ally)

What is Anthology Ally?

Anthology Ally is a tool that offers alternative file formats, accessibility analytics, and an accessibility checker for use within most of the major LMS systems. It helps educators check content for accessibility issues before publishing lessons and automatically creates multiple document types so students can use the reading software of their choice.

Anthology Ally currently integrates with Canvas, Blackboard Learn, Open LMS, Self-Hosted Moodle, Schoology, and D2L Brightspace.

Who is Anthology Ally for?

Anthology Ally is primarily for educators in that it helps with creating accessible lessons and homework assignments. Notably, it does not check student submissions for accessibility.

Ally also helps learners access digital content in the way they prefer by giving them the opportunity to convert it into the format of their choosing.

Key Characteristics of Anthology Ally

• Anthology Ally alerts educators to potential accessibility issues in course content.
• It generates alternative formats for digital content, including ePub, tagged PDF, electronic Braille, audio files for download, Immersive Reader, OCR PDF, semantic HTML, BeeLine Reader, and translations.
• It identifies accessibility problems quickly and easily.
• It provides analytics on the accessibility status of course materials within the LMS.

What are the limitations of Anthology Ally?

• It can only be used with a few major LMSs.
• Its Immersive Reader feature, which reads content aloud, is only available for Microsoft Office content.
• It offers a limited number of text customization options.
• It only provides alternative formats for a handful of document types: .pdf, .docx, .pptx, OpenOffice/LibreOffice, and .html. There is no SCORM support.
• The quality and usability of alternative formats may vary.
• Its automated accessibility checker will not catch all accessibility issues, especially those that require human judgment and contextual understanding.
• Educators may have difficulty with less-than-seamless LMS integrations.
• Audio files are limited to 25 languages.

How does Anthology Ally compare to ReadSpeaker?

Anthology Ally helps educators design accessible content strictly within LMSs. ReadSpeaker focuses on providing students with a customizable audio learning experience across multiple devices and platforms including SCORM packages, external web content, and cloud-based education software. Supported document types include .docx, .html, .pdf, .xlsx, .pptx, .txt, OpenOffice/LibreOffice, plus content created in any LMS and many authoring tools.

ReadSpeaker also allows students to enjoy an optimal, individualized learning experience by augmenting its TTS capabilities with additional reading, writing, and study tools.

With all that said, ReadSpeaker and Anthology Ally are complementary technologies. They work beautifully together to create an optimal learning environment for users with all sorts of learning needs.

ReadSpeaker and YuJa Panorama

What is YuJa Panorama?

YuJa Panorama is a suite of tools that improves the accessibility of course content housed within your LMS. It checks documents, web pages, and LMS content for accessibility issues, generates alternative formats for learners, and provides a customizable LMS and web browsing experience with user-controlled accessibility options.

It is compatible with Brightspace, Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, and a handful of other popular LMSs.

Who is YuJa Panorama for?

It’s marketed as a full-service application for both educators and learners. Educators can use the tools to create accessible lessons and homework assignments, while students can find alternative document formats and fine-tune their learning experience with customized website accessibility options. These options work both inside and outside of LMSs.

Key Characteristics of YuJa Panorama

• YuJa Panorama is more of a “one-stop-shop” than other options on this list, because it provides helpful features on both the teaching and learning sides of the equation.
• Like Anthology Ally, it generates a variety of alternative file formats for digital content, including HTML, limited text to speech, high contrast, audio podcast, plain text, electronic Braille, tagged PDF, and downloadable ePub.
• It provides accessibility reports on course content that identify barriers to access.
• It’s efficient and easy to use.
• It offers custom browsing options for learners both online and within the LMS.
• It can be used as a standalone tool or integrated into an LMS.

What are the limitations of YuJa Panorama?

• The software must scan external web pages before it can generate alternative file formats.
• It requires students and faculty to install a web browser extension.
• It is not compatible with all LMSs or all browsers.
• Learners are limited to a choice between a single male or female voice for text to speech.
• The suite can be expensive; it’s not necessarily a cost-effective option for individuals or classrooms.

How does YuJa Panorama compare to ReadSpeaker?

YuJa Panorama’s strengths lie in its ability to detect accessibility issues, generate alternative formats, and provide a custom viewing experience for students. It also has a Smart Speaker feature that offers limited text-to-speech functionality but it requires the installation of a browser extension and it does not work with all types of content.

ReadSpeaker offers powerful text-to-speech capabilities with custom dictionaries, high-quality voices, and helpful learning tools that pair nicely with the other accessibility features offered by YuJa Panorama. ReadSpeaker works seamlessly with web content on any site or platform, and integrates deeply with all major LMS platforms, user devices, and even cloud-based education platforms and proctoring software.

ReadSpeaker is a viable option for individuals, classrooms, and entire districts, whereas YuJa Panorama is a good choice for institutions. Individuals and small groups would have trouble justifying Panorama’s price point.

ReadSpeaker and Cidi Labs UDOIT

What is Cidi Labs UDOIT?

Cidi Labs UDOIT is an accessibility checker that works exclusively within the Canvas LMS. While its scope is narrow, Canvas users will enjoy the tailored experience.

UDOIT checks for issues that might trouble learners with low vision or other disabilities. It also generates alternative file formats for students to help them create their optimal learning experience.

Who is Cidi Labs UDOIT for?

This set of tools helps both educators and learners.

Key Characteristics of Cidi Labs UDOIT

• UDOIT is relatively inexpensive compared to other accessibility checkers. Varying service tiers allow users to pick their optimal solution.
• It uses automation to check for the same accessibility issues that most other accessibility checkers detect.
• It compiles detailed accessibility reports for each course.
• It’s capable of generating a variety of alternative file formats including HTML, Canvas page, ePub, MP3, plain text, and auto-tagged PDF.
• UDOIT offers educators a vast library of resources, tutorials, and best practices for creating accessible learning materials.

What are the limitations of Cidi Labs UDOIT?

• UDOIT only works for files inside Canvas courses. No external web pages or documents are supported.
• As with all automated checkers, UDOIT may miss some accessibility issues.
• It sometimes returns false positives or false negatives.
• Educators must fix accessibility issues on their own; UDOIT does not fix flagged items automatically.
• Large institutions with numerous course offerings may find it difficult to scale the software to their needs.
• The pricing structure is based on enrollment or organizational FTE only. Additional charges apply for training and implementation.
• The accessibility checker feature only works for the English language.
• Students cannot request their preferred alternative formats.
• Educators may generate alternative formats for their students but it’s not a simple or intuitive process.

How does Cidi Labs UDOIT compare to ReadSpeaker?

All automated accessibility checkers, including UDOIT, will miss some problems. ReadSpeaker helps fill in those gaps by offering students a rich, customizable audio learning experience that can overcome some of the obstacles encountered by students with learning difficulties. Even students without disabilities will enjoy the personalized study experience provided by ReadSpeaker.

Cidi Labs UDOIT is great at its intended job within the Canvas LMS, but ReadSpeaker integrates across all LMSs and web content.

ReadSpeaker and Speechify

What is Speechify?

Speechify is a text-to-speech solution that converts text into spoken words. Though it might sound similar to ReadSpeaker, the two solutions target different users and have unique features.

Who is Speechify for?

Speechify is geared toward individuals who want to boost their productivity. It’s not necessarily intended for (and therefore not optimized for) accessibility or educational environments.

Key Characteristics of Speechify

• Speechify offers options to adjust voice selection, reading speed, and font size. Users can also highlight text.
• Voices are natural and lifelike, and some are even recognizable celebrities.
• It integrates with Canvas, Gmail, Google Drive, iCloud, DropBox, and Microsoft One Drive.
• Optical character recognition allows for audio generation of images with text.
• Speechify is available on multiple device platforms and is a good option for personal use.
• The interface provides an intuitive, user-friendly experience on mobile devices.
• Content creators have the option of using Speechify’s API to make TTS available for website visitors.

What are the limitations of Speechify?

• Speechify leaves a lot to be desired in terms of accessibility. It is a helpful productivity tool, touting features like speed reading and personal reading lists, but it’s not the best option for students who need help learning.
• It’s not evenly supported across all browsers, websites, and platforms.
• It is very mobile-centric. Outside of the mobile app, Speechify is cumbersome for students to use. Users must copy and paste site links, upload website text, or install a browser extension to listen.
• It supports thirty languages, which may limit new language learners outside of that scope.
• Speechify does not provide information about the origin of its voice training data. Users have no way of determining if speech production is ethical or not.
• The app collects personal data.

How does Speechify compare to ReadSpeaker?

Students who want to practice speed reading or boost productivity may enjoy using the Speechify app. However, Speechify falls short on tools that help with accessibility.

In contrast, ReadSpeaker is intended to help students with learning difficulties (or a preference for audio learning) achieve their goals and stay on an even playing field with their classmates. ReadSpeaker is as easily enjoyed by individuals as it is helpful to large educational institutions. The deep integrations with all major LMS systems, web content, proctoring software, and cloud-based education systems make it a powerhouse for educational AT.

If your goal is accessibility, ReadSpeaker is the superior choice. ReadSpeaker offers tech and linguistic support and improves WCAG 2.2 compliance, whereas Speechify does not. ReadSpeaker also offers learning tools that align with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, including dictionary lookup, translation, simple views, and more, whereas Speechify focuses more on helping users read quickly and efficiently.

Speechify may or may not use ethically produced voices, but ReadSpeaker always does. Additionally, while the Speechify app collects user data, ReadSpeaker never does—even during mobile use.

The good news is, you and your students have plenty of great options for assistive technology.

Districts, institutions, classrooms, teachers, and students all have unique needs. And for almost every use case, there is a promising tool that can give you the results you desire.

Though the assistive tech landscape can be confusing, there are clear differences between these popular tools that should make narrowing down your choice easier.

If you need help selecting the best assistive technology for your situation—or if you’d like to learn more about what ReadSpeaker offers—contact us here.