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Text-to-Speech Software program TextAloud was recently chosen by California
State University, Sacramento to help students with learning disabilities at its
High Tech Center. Thanks to TextAloud, the award-winning software from
NextUp.com, students will now listen, learn, and retain that information more
easily than ever. CLEMMONS, NC (PRWEB) November 8, 2005 -- California
State University, Sacramento (http://www.csus.edu)
recently chose TextAloud to help students with learning disabilities at its High
Tech Center to listen and learn more easily. The award-winning Text-to-Speech
program from NextUp.com converts text into spoken audio for listening on a PC,
and can also save to audio files for easy playback on portables like the iPod®.
With its easy-to-use program interface and wide array of premium voices, schools
such as Sacramento State are turning to TextAloud to increase information
retention and understanding in a learning environment.
Sacramento State purchased the TextAloud program for students with specific
print-related impairments or learning disabilities, as studies show a marked
benefit in hearing text presented visually in tandem with hearing it spoken
aloud. Many of the Sacramento State students in the High Tech Center also use
TextAloud to convert their text files to audio files, using the popular AT&T
Natural Voicesä.
"Since TextAloud reads words aloud while simultaneously highlighting them on the
screen, it can assist students with reading difficulties," comments Melissa Repa,
High Tech Center Coordinator/Instructor. "TextAloud's audio conversion utility
also assists students who are auditory learners by making their information
portable. In addition, the program allows students to customize features such as
reading speed, voice, pitch, text size, and background colors, which may help
with reading understanding as well. Students with reading difficulties
appreciate that there is a low-cost reading option available to them for
accessing their electronic texts."
"One of our goals in creating TextAloud has always been for it to serve as a
valuable tool to enhance reading, listening, and learning," comments Rick Ellis,
President of NextUp.com. "We're delighted that schools like Sacramento State are
choosing TextAloud to assist their students facing visual or learning challenges
-- and we will continue to champion this kind of use for the software."
About TextAloud
TextAloud is a full-featured Text-to-Speech tool offering direct support for
Word, PDF and HTML formats, as well as advanced pronunciation tools, an Internet
Explorer Plug-In for easy listening of favorite web pages -- and more.
Hailed by critics and users alike, TextAloud is priced at just $29.95, and is
compatible with systems using Windows® 98, NT, 2000 and XP. The program is
available for fast, safe and secure purchase via
http://www.NextUp.com.
NextUp.com also offers TextAloud with optional premium voices from AT&T Natural
Voices™, NeoSpeech® and Cepstral® for the most natural-sounding computer speech
anywhere. Available languages include English with U.S., U.K., and Indian
accents, as well as Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
About NextUp.com
NextUp.com, a division of NextUp Technologies, LLC, provides award-winning
Text-to-Speech software for consumers, business customers, educators, and those
with visual impairment or learning disabilities. In addition to TextAloud,
NextUp.com markets other innovative Windows software including talking personal
"news agent" NewsAloud™, WeatherAloud™ (a weather application that lets users
select and listen to personalized weather forecasts), and stock updates and
related news headlines read aloud thanks to StocksAloud™. Most recently, NextUp
released NextUp Talker 1.0, an easy and affordable program that allows people
who have lost their voices to use the latest in high-quality computer voices to
communicate with others.
Evaluation copies of TextAloud are currently available upon request. To receive
a review copy, or for more information on NextUp.com or TextAloud, please
contact Rick Ellis at email protected from spam bots. Meanwhile, for images,
logos, box shots, or other information or artwork on TextAloud, please contact
publicist Angela Mitchell at (904) 982-8043 or email protected from spam bots.
All companies and products referenced in this press release are the trademarks
of their respective owners.
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