Why+you+might+consider+using+Text-to-Speech?

"The ultimate goal of reading is comprehension”(Meyer & Bouck, 2014, p. 21). This is especially true for older students as the role of reading changes from “learning to read to reading to learn”. Often secondary students with reading challenges have difficulty accessing their textbooks as they are often written well above their reading ability (Meyer & Bouck, 2014). “TTS technology holds promise as a compensatory tool for adolescents with learning disabilities in accessing grade-level expository text“ (Meyer & Bouck, 2014, p. 21). TTS has promising effects on reading speed and comprehension (Douglas, Ayres, Langone, Bell & Meade, 2009). “If individuals with intellectual disabilities are able to benefit from text that is read out loud, they will have access to materials and information that they can share with other students with and without disabilities” (Douglas et al., 2009, p. 42).

When using TTS students will require specific instruction so they know how to use the supports. Most students with intellectual disabilities will require more support than simply an audio version of the text (Douglas et al., 2009). Visual supports and specific instruction on comprehension (i.e. a graphic organizer) may increase the positive impact of TTS on overall text comprehension and retention (Douglas et al., 2009).

Although TTS has shown promise with increase comprehension of text for students with reading challenges, there is still a need and a place for direct reading instruction. Research on strategies that provide direct instruction and remediation have shown that students with intellectual disabilities can learn to decode and comprehend text, however, it may take considerably longer for these students to make these gains (Douglas et al., 2009).