"Speechify" is available for free to add from the Chrome Web Store Speechify page.
After adding it to your Chrome browser, you can use it for free by signing in with your Google account (BC email).
Speechify also has a mobile version that gives you the option to read documents on your phone.
Speechify offers many voice options even for the free version. You may pick one with the least robotic voice of your personal preference.
NOTE:
No need to signup for premium service.
Free version of Speechify allows you to upload up to 5 documents in the Speechify My Library.
| PDF files |
Speechify reads the PDF file if it has been formatted to be accessible. (There are many online sites explaining how to create an accessible PDF. For further information, see these instructions provided by Adobe and Microsoft. Students needing accommodations to have academic materials provided in PDF form will need to contact BC's Office of Disability Services.) You need to upload the PDF file to your Speechify My library for the software to read the document. It will not read the PDF file in a web browser. Click on the sentence in the document where you want it to start reading or highlight the section you want to read. |
| Websites |
Speechify reads the text on websites without highlighting it. Click on the sentence in the document where you want it to start reading. |
| MS Word (.docx) or Google Docs files |
Speechify reads the Word document file from the beginning if you open it in your Chrome browser. Upload the document to your Speechify My Library to have greater control over the software's reading functionality. Once the document is in the library, you may click on the sentence where you want it to start reading. |
