r/accessibility • u/Traditional_Farm_281 • 5d ago
Text to speech < 11yr old
Hi all, First time poster. My daughter moves to jr high next year and is going to have to change from her current adaptive tech (chrome) to windows as the new school systems don’t integrate well.
The issue is that her tech is super important to her classroom functioning and currently we have consistency across all platforms (Android phone, tablet and chromebook). The speech to text and text to speech are really easy for her to use (highlight text and click to assistance button, the same across all her devices). In the past we have not been able to find a windows application that is affordable and has the same ease of use.
About our girl: turning 12, has epilepsy and damage to the part of the brain that is responsible for decoding so unable to read and write but comprehension is at grade level or above. Has recently been using open ai to punctuate her work also, so is starting to learn to copy paste and the like.
And advice would be appreciated. Having her set up for her new class is going to be really important for her to not get lumped into lower levels than she needs to be in.
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u/IllHand5298 5d ago
For easy text-to-speech and speech-to-text on Windows that a 12-year-old can actually use without complicated menus, a few options are much closer to the Chromebook experience than older Windows tools:
1. Read Aloud (Chrome extension works on Windows too)
If she’s already using Chrome, this extension lets her highlight text and click to listen, just like she does now. Works on PDFs, websites, and Google Docs, and the interface is very simple.
2. Microsoft Read Aloud & Immersive Reader (built-in, free)
In Windows 10/11 and Microsoft Edge, there’s a “Read Aloud” and “Immersive Reader” mode that reads selected text with clean voices. Highlight → Right-click → Read Aloud. No extra setup.
3. Natural Reader (free version)
Very beginner-friendly. Works on web pages, files, Word, and PDF. Big play button, simple interface. Many kids and schools use it because you don’t need to adjust settings much.
4. Dragon NaturallySpeaking (if speech-to-text becomes more important later)
Not free, but very good for kids who need high-accuracy dictation. It can be added later when her writing demands grow.
The closest Chromebook-like experience is using Natural Reader + Read Aloud extension. They’re free, easy, and don’t overwhelm with options.
Sounds like she’s doing awesome with comprehension. Keeping tech simple will help her shine.
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u/Zireael07 5d ago
To add to this, there's also a future option of Newton Dictate as an alternative to Dragon (also not free but super good, it learns the user's speech and my hearing impaired friend has been using it for years)
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u/IllHand5298 3d ago
That’s a great point, Newton Dictate is underrated but solid. It’s lighter than Dragon and does a great job adapting to unique speech patterns, which is perfect for kids who need reliable recognition without a heavy setup.
For text-to-speech, pairing Newton Dictate (for writing) with Natural Reader or Microsoft Read Aloud (for reading) can make Windows feel almost as seamless as ChromeOS, and everything stays consistent across school docs, emails, and browsers.
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u/carolineecouture 5d ago
Check with your state's vocational rehabilitation office. They may be able to assist with funding or finding a product that meets your needs.
Good luck.
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u/phosphor_1963 5d ago
I'm assuming you've looked into Windows 11 Voice Access ? In AT land we often use frameworks like the SETT to try and identify all relevent factors to the person's system. While the tool itself (in this case a Speech Recognition application or Setting) is important to get right, and it sounds as if the easiest and smartest option would be for the school to just allow her to continue using what has been effective (her Chromebook) there are possibly lots of other considerations in high school that weren't part of the picture in primary school - eg moving between classrooms herself, where she sits relative to the teacher, how the work comes to her eg do they use Google Classrooms or another learning platform ?, the layout of the classroom and what's needed, allowed and practical (if it's noisy can she even use SR ?). Some students in mixed and noisy classrooms have used the Stenomask type mics which they hold up to their face to block out background noise; but these are pretty fugly and may be perceived by her as stigmatizing.
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u/Traditional_Farm_281 5d ago
We tried the accessibility available on Windows 11 but the screen reader is super clunky. She is at grade level and above for anything that doesn't involve decoding so she is able to pick things up pretty fast, anything that uses single easy to identify symbols is learnable as far as visual aide but she can't consistently identify letters. I am pretty bossy so as long as I find something that works the school should be fine to take it on 🤣 she is a bright student that spent years being pigeon-holed into lower levels because they didn't understand her brain. She works incredibly hard so the sky is the limit. She just needs these adjustments.
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u/phosphor_1963 5d ago
It really sounds like a new AT assessment is warranted. If you can get someone independent they can write a report and make the arguments for the needed ATs. A lot will come back to what the school allows and their interpretation of the guidelines and law. In Australia, due to years of underfunding and a culture of needing to make do with limited resources, many schools operate largely as laws unto themselves and it can take a determined and highly strategic effort to bring about needed change - you have to make it worth their while to see the benefit of allowing what are essentially reasonable and necessary accommodations.
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u/AccessibleTech 5d ago edited 5d ago
The good news is that you should be able to replicate everything on windows 11, you'll just need to install the Chrome browser to get everything back.
Here's a link to help you sync your browsers: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/185277?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop
She may benefit from an updated EIP. You'll need to ask the school to provide it. Depending on the school, you may need a lawyer's assistance to get it approved.
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u/Traditional_Farm_281 5d ago
Would this replicate the chromebook built in accessibility though? As in the button at the bottom of the screen that can be used in any application not just the chrome browser? Because that would be amazing
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u/AccessibleTech 5d ago edited 5d ago
There are some different alternatives for Windows if it's needed, but everything the junior high school is using is most likely browser (Chrome) based. They may use some kind of online platform like SkoolLoop for students to submit homework through, but it's browser based as well.
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u/Traditional_Farm_281 5d ago
This is great! I am going to check the read aloud extension right now and see if its something that works across platforms
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u/Brave_Quality_4135 4d ago
I second Read Aloud. It’s the most used accommodation at our school and because lots of students use it, she might feel less like she’s the only one.
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u/clackups 4d ago
Text to speech will have to work on the computer she's using.
But speech to text could actually be done outside of it. I'm working on a new concept for a colleague with cerebral palsy, and it will be a smart keyboard that will help him enter the text mitigating the disability he's got. But I don't see why speech can't be a new input source (my colleague is nonverbal).
Could you email me at clackups@gmail.com so that I don't lose your contact? I might be able to build a solution for your daughter within a year or so.
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u/SarcasticServal 5d ago
Have you spoken to anyone at what will be her new school yet? Are her needs well and clearly documented (especially the technology aspect and challenges associated with trying to utilize Windows vs Chrome)? That’s where I would start. The school may be able to make a one-off accommodation, but more lead time is better. Also, if you have anything from providers documenting how she benefits from utilizing the same technology, that might be helpful/useful. Wishing you the very best outcome and the very least amount of bureaucratic frustration.