“Text to Speech” isn’t “VoiceOver”
I have noticed in several places now that some people are confused about what’s “VoiceOver” and what’s “Text to Speech” in terms of Mac OS X. This post is to attempt to clarify what each one is and why it’s important to know which one you’re talking about if you’re asking for help.
“Text to Speech” is any time your computer is converting typed words into spoken ones. If you highlight a paragraph in TextEdit and then use control-click -> Speech -> Start Speaking to get the computer to talk to you, that’s text to speech. If you use the services menu with the Speech -> Start Speaking Text command to do it, that’s text to speech too. If you use a program like GhostReader or iSpeak It to convert text into a spoken file to listen to on your iPod, that’s using text to speech too.
“VoiceOver” is a special use of text to speech to allow blind and vision impaired people to use a Mac OS X computer without seeing the screen. Here’s Apple’s description of VoiceOver:
…an accessibility interface that gives you magnification options, keyboard control and spoken English descriptions of what’s happening on screen. If you have a visual impairment, VoiceOver enables you to work collaboratively with other Mac users or work on their computers without assistance.
There’s a demo of VoiceOver and more information on the Apple accessibility website.
In other words, if it speaks but it doesn’t let you use the computer with your eyes closed it’s not VoiceOver!
- Ricky Buchanan
“If you highlight a paragraph in TextEdit and then use command-click -> Speech -> Start Speaking…”
That’s control-click (right-click), actually.
Ohhh, good catch! Thanks, I’ve fixed that.
Ricky
[...] “Text to Speech” isn’t “VoiceOver” I have noticed in several places now that some people are confused about what’s “VoiceOver” and […] [...]
Nice simple and clear description. Thanks! From a technical standpoint I am curious about voice over as when writing with it, you can get some partial word pronunciations. Usually, when using TTS, the space is what initiates the speaking of a word. This could be potentially useful in some form in TTS for literacy instruction.
@Samuel: The only other product that pronounces letters and words as you type that I know about is VisioVoice from AssistiveWare. There’s probably a way to configure VoiceOver on Leopard so it only pronounces typed stuff and not other things but I don’t know enough about it to tell you what that would be - I’ll let you know if I figure it out!
Could I make a button in keystrokes that would ‘read text’ so for example if I was at my computer and wanted to use it as a communication aid, (eg to chat to an helper who couldn’t sign) I could get it to read what I had typed?
At the moment they have to stand over my shoulder reading it which cuts communication from my point of view as I like people facing me so I can read their lips and body language
Also just out of interest, I’m deaf and when I have a ‘voice over’ it means an interpreter speaking what I am signing. Just thought you may be interested in another definition, hope it doesnt confuse everyone!
Lastly does ‘control-click’ mean the key that says control on it or the right click button of the mouse (or equivalent device)?
@Katy: You could definitely make a button in KeyStrokes to read out something you’d typed. You would just need to set a keystroke to read out things you highlighted, then use LayoutKitchen to make a button which pressed that keystroke. Then you highlight what you typed and press that KeyStrokes button and bingo!
Control-click means hold down the control key and click the left mouse button. It has exactly the same effect as clicking the right mouse button though, on a Mac, which is why you see people using both.
Ok,I got most of that but the brackets are confusing me!
If I have selected ‘command + control + s’ as my trigger to speak text, what should that look like in the Text Macro field box with the brackets?
I use the Joystick plus which actually has a button for ‘right click’ and brings up a right click menu like a PC mouse would.
I found cos of the design of the Mac mouse (flatter oblong shape than PC mouse) i can use it as a ‘buddy button’ to left click on it, using forearm or elbow of right arm however this gets tiring after a while so I use the dwellclicker for left click so KS does that automatically for me!
The apple mouse is handy for dragging though, without taking my left hand off joystick to press button for drag, I just rest right forearm on apple mouse which holds down the click and then move joystick across with left hand.
I just wish someone would invent a portable Touchscreen tablet PC with OS X and keystrokes that can be used as a communication aid as they all seem to be Windows based.