About Text-to-Speech (TTS)
Text-to-speech (TTS) is an assistive technology that reads aloud digital text. TTS is currently enabled for the Reflowable Reader (EPUB eBooks) in HTML only. This functionality is currently in development for the Fixed Reader (PDF eBooks) and will be available at a later date.
Enabling TTS in Willo Reader
- Access your course from an online browser. Search for the Willo Reader eBook link in your course content area, and click the link to launch the eBook. Note that TTS is not currently available in the Willo Reader mobile app, so eBooks will need to be accessed from the web reader. TTS for the Willo Reader mobile app is in development and will be available soon.
- Click on the Speak icon in the lower left-hand navigation of the Willo Reader eBook.
- To disable TTS, click on either the Speak icon or the Close Audio button in the TTS control panel. Note: When TTS is enabled for an eBook, left-hand navigation items, such as Search, Text Settings, and Thumbnail View will be grayed out and inaccessible. The Highlight and Notes features will also be disabled. In order to access left-hand navigation items and other Willo Reader features, disable TTS.
TTS Control Panel
- Prev: Navigates to the previous block and will begin reading aloud.
- Play/Pause: Plays and pauses text read aloud.
- Next: Navigates to the next block of text and will begin reading aloud.
- Speed: Increases and decreases the speed at which the text is read.
- Mute/Unmute: Mutes and unmutes read aloud.
- Audio Bar Slider: Increases and decreases volume at which the text is read.
- Voice Change: Changes the voice and accent in which the text is read. The Google voices are recommended for best results. Note that voice changes will not apply in the current block of text that is being read aloud (i.e. the text that is highlighted), but will be applied when the next block of text is read.
- Close Audio: Disables TTSeBook. This will also re-engage the other features within Willo Reader, which are inaccessible while TTS is enabled.