Let me introduce to You, my name is Rolf Hemmerling. I am
Your personal guide to screen readers, speech browsers, audio
access to the WEB, voice recognition, e-commerce by audio
calls. By the destiny of my visually handicapped father, I am
aware of the importance to make the WEB accessable for
everybody, in any situation, at any time. The WEB is loud and talky !
Audiovision -
picture, video and animation processing
Other services which provide multi-device information
distibution
Shoutmail ( 1, 2 ) provides services by telephone and by WAP,
in USA.
Net-By-Phone provides services by telephone, in
USA.
Clarity AG "Voice Portal", provides services by
telephone, voice ( text-to-speech ), website, WAP text, SMS,
in Germany.
Loud and Talky WEB - Howto
Screen readers for MSDOS text mode or UNIX/LINUX console
text mode software need special hardware for speech output,
usually. The versions for WIN3.1,WIN95/98 and WIN-NT don't need
so, if you insist ! So if you prefer a low-cost or free
hardware-less solution for WIN95/98 and WIN-NT, you need
Microsoft Speech Application Program Interface
(SAPI) compatible speech synthesizers for WIN95/98 and
WIN-NT software or speech synthesizers for
MS Agent of WIN95/98 and WIN-NT or
speech synthesizers using the Speech Synthesizer Interface
Language (SSIL) for (16-bit) WIN3.1 and WIN95/98
software. Personal experience: 1. While a
SSIL synthesizer is loaded, access to SAPI synthesizers is
disabled, with some products ! 2. SAPI applications are not
compatible with all SAPI speech synthesizers, automatically,
and vice versa !
The Microsoft Speech Application Programming Interface
(SAPI) itself, if necessary.
A standard WEB browser and a screen reader
or enhancements for standard WEB browsers (
Netscape plugin, MSIE with modified user interface )
or a special speech enabled WEB browser
The Microsoft Active Accessiblilty
Redistribution Kit (MSAA RDK) for WIN95/98 and WIN-NT, if
necessary. Sorry, it does not install on the
international versions of WIN95 ! The software
is included in the distribution of WIN-NT service pack 6 and
of WIN2000.
pwWebSpeak/PLUS by SoundLinks
Limited ( formerly by The Productivity Works ), a formerly
commercial now free free speech browser for WIN95/98 and
WIN-NT. SAPI, SAM/SSIL support. The RealAudio player and the
Windows Media player may be addressed. The SoftVoice
speech synthesizer is included in the distribution. A
password "groom" ist needed for installation !
The screen readers Simply Talker 98 ( 30 minutes
evaluation timeout ) and Simply Talker 2000 ( 30 days
evaluation timeout ) and the free speech browser Simply
Web 2000 ( formerly: Simply Web 98 ) for MSIE on WIN95/98
and WIN-NT, by EconoNet International, Inc.. It installs MSAA
RDK, MS Agent, Lernout & Hauspie text-to-speech engine,
supports MS Agent, SAPI, SSIL. Does not work with MS Word95,
MS Word6 and any version of Netscape NC. Simply Talker allows to change the speech
parameter (voice,..)
IBM
Accessibility Center ( english
and german website ).
The IBM Home Page Reader is distributed with the IBM
ViaVoice Outloud software text-to-speech (TTS)
synthesizer, SAPI support.
Version 2.5 for NC4: After installation of
version 2.5, the files HomepageReader.class,
NpHpRead.dll, NpHpRead.txt must be
copied into the NC4 \program\plugins
directory, manually ! 30 days evaluation
timeout.
Version 3.021 for MSIE 6,
Win98SE and W2k / WinXP - 30 days evaluation timeout
( download ).
Crippled version 3.04 for MSIE 6,
W2k /WinXP - restricted to access just websites of
IBM, Adobe, Macromedia, W3X. No timeout evaluation
timeout ( download ).
The speech browser WebSpeakster. 15 days evaluation
timeout.
The speech browser VIRGO 4, for W2k / WinXP. 40 minutes
evaluation timeout.
The speech browser Conversa WEB and the Conversa Web
Conversation Development Kit (CDK), expiration in
February 2000 ( download ). The CDK and Macromedia Dreamweaver (30 days
expiration) are available for WEB content creation. The
result is no HTML code, so it can't be "read"
by other audio-enabled systems !
The speech browser Logox Webspeech ( 1., 2., 3., 4., 5. ) of GData Software is free. But you need a
licence for each single domain on which you want to use
Webspeech code !
Emacspeak/Linux ( 1, 2 ) - free speech interface for the Emacs editor
on Linux, supports W3C's Aural CSS ( ACSS ).
The free speech browser "BrookesTalk" ( 1, 2 ) of Oxford Brookes University. The
IBM ViaVoice Speech engine is required.
The free speech browser "Sensus Internet Browser" ( 1, 2
).
Speech-controlled browsers, browsers with speech
recognition
Philips FreeSpeech Browser, a free
speech-controlled browser for the US version of MSIE5
( 1., 2. ). In opposite, Philips Freespeech
2000 is a commercial product
Speech synthesizers, speech engines and screen readers
The free Microsoft Text-To-Speech Engine for WIN95/98
and WIN-NT, english male or female speaking voice.
Download ( 1., 2.
). It is also distributed with the free Etriloquist
( formerly: SpeakEasy ) by Jeffrey M.Pines and with Window-Eyes.
SAPI support.
A technically obselete, absolutely antiquated
version of the Lernout & Hauspie TruVoice
text-to-speech engine (TTS) for MS Agent ( 1., 2., 3., 4. download ) . SAPI support
The Microsoft Agent SpeechEngine with multiple
language support ( 1., 2. ). SAPI support
The speech synthesizer IBM ViaVoice Outloud Runtime for WIN95/98
and WIN-NT. SAPI support, German, english, french, italian,
spanish language support, 90 days evaluation timeout
The speech synthesizer AT &
T Natural Voices for WIN95/98 and WIN-NT. No trial
version :-( !
The speech synthesizer Digalo for WIN95/98 and WIN-NT. 15 days
evaluation timeout.
The speech synthesizer Keynote Gold Multimedia by
Pulse
Data International Limited, for WIN3.1, WIN95/98, with
SSIL support. 15 minutes evaluation timeout
The speech synthesizer Infovox, for WIN3.1, WIN95/98 and WIN-NT. SAPI
support. 30 days evaluation timeout.
The screen reader Jaws for Windows by Henter-Joyce, Inc., for
WIN95/98 and WIN-NT. The SAPI compatible speech synthesizer
Eloquence is part of the distribution. SSIL and SAPI
support. 40 minutes evaluation timeout, absolute expiration
on 31.03.2000. May be used with MSIE5
The screen reader Hal95 ( 1., 2., 3. ). by Dolphin Computer Access Limited,
for WIN95/98 and WIN-NT. The Orpheus speech
synthesizer and SAM (Synthesiser Access Manager) are
integrated in the distribution. SSIL support. 40 minutes
evaluation timeout.
The screen reader Window-Eyes by GW Micro, for WIN 95/98
and WIN-NT. SSIL and SAPI support, requires MSAA RDK. 30
minutes evaluation timout
The screen reader Automatic Screen Access for
Windows (ASAW98 for WIN95/98 and WIN-NT, with SAPI
support, requires MSAA RDK. ASAW for WIN3.1 and WIN95/98 ),
by MicroTalk. The speech is disturbed by
advertising for the product.
The screen reader outSPOKEN for Windows ( 1., 2. ) for WIN 3.1
und WIN95/98, by ALVA Access Group. SAPI and SSIL
support. Expiration after 1000 keystrokes
BioLink ( 1, 2 ): Biolink Accessible MP3 Player ( 30
days expiration timout ). Biolink Document Reader ( 30 days
expiration timout ). The screen reader Biolink Protalk32 ( 45
minutes / 30 days expiration timeout )
The screen reader WinVision 97 for WIN95/98,
WinVision Solo for WIN3.1 by Artic
Technologies International, Inc., requires MSAA RDK. 30
minutes evaluation timeout. Note that you must enter
the sound output device as parameter for the install
software, e.g.
WINSTALL /T:TASSIST for Text Assist
The screen reader Window Bridge 2000 for WIN95/98 and
WIN-NT, by Syntha-Voice Computers Inc.. SAPI and SSIL
support. ( Btw., there is a predecessor, Slimware Window
Bridge for MSDOS, WIN 3.1 and WIN95/98, with SAPI and
SSIL support. It uses a very annoying, complicated and faulty
DOS or DOS window based installation procedure )
The screen reader Windots for WIN95/98 and WIN-NT, by
F.H. Papenmeier GmbH & Co. KG
Text Assist, a speech synthesizer and
text-to-speech software provided with Soundblaster
soundcards by Creative, is supported by some screen readers (
Jaws, Window-Eyes, WinVision, Slimware Window Bridge..).
Additionally, it has SSIL support
The text-to-speech software Monologue97 by fbyte ( download ). 7 days evaluation timeout
The free text-to-speech software Etriloquist
( formerly: SpeakEasy ) by Jeffrey M.Pines, includes the
Microsoft speech synthesizers with a male or female US
english voice. Etriloquist allows to
change the speech parameter
(voice,..)
The text-to-speech software TextAloud MP3 reads text files loudly and saves
the speech as audio file ( MP3, WAV ), makes use of installed
SAPI speech engines
The speech software AnalogX SayIt reads phrases of up to 500
characters loudly and saves the speech as audio file ( WAV ),
has a built-in speech engine.
WebFormator for MSIE - converts a WEB document
into plain text, for use with a screen reader.
Vi-Access - This WEB site is entirely devoted to
issues concerning the accessibility of Microsoft
Windows-based applications to people with visual
impairments.
University of Zürich - tips how to
build WEB sites with easy access for visually handicapped
visitors
FlexPage ( 1, 2 ), a design tool and server runtime for
creating a "chameleon" WEB site with different views for
plain-text oriented browsers and rich-media browsers.
INSB - Internet Server für Blinde,
by C-LAB Paderborn (Cooperative Computing &
Communication Laboratory), Gemeinsames Forschungs- und
Entwicklungsinstitut, Universität Paderborn
4Com
GmbH - Systemhaus für Mehrwertdienste &
IP-Telefonie
Heise Newsticker, 2003-09-17: "NetBank
bietet barrierefreies Online-Banking (Update)". A special
link allows users of screen readers user to jump over banners
and navigation bar !
Gesetz zu Artikel 11 der Verfassung von Berlin (
Herstellung gleichwertiger Lebensbedingungen für
Menschen mit und ohne Behinderung ) ( 1, 2 ), of 1999 in Berlin, Germany.
Check these WEB sites which establish a reference to this
WEB document, as award for its usefulness and
importance: I still don't know any. There is a complete list of referers for this WEB
site, too
german WEB site
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