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person going to be using synthetic speech to access their computer each day? - How familiar is the
information that the person will be listening to? Is it routine or does it cover a wide range of unfamiliar
topics? - Does the individual have any hearing loss that would make a certain synthesizer or voice
much more understandable than another? - Speech buffer - Some synthesizers store a "buffer" of
information before it speaks. In some cases this will result in several lines of text being spoken even
after the "speech off" command has been given. For some individuals this does not pose a problem, for
others, it is one of the primary considerations in their choice of synthesizers. - If the synthesizer buffers
the text to be spoken, is there an option to allow the user to empty the buffer and have the speech
output stopped quickly? - Speech rate - Most speech synthesizers allow the user to change the speed of
the spoken output by using their screen reader software. Some synthesizers have a broader range of
possible speech speeds than others. For experienced users, being able to adjust the rate to a very fast
pace enables them to auditorily scan a document rapidly as they listen for key words or phrases to
indicate they have found the desired portion of text. To listen to the particular segment located by
auditorily scanning, the rate of speech output is reduced. - Internal or external synthesizer - Speech
synthesizers may either be a board placed inside the PC (internal) or a separate piece of equipment
cabled to the PC (external). The availability of a board slot for an internal speech synthesizer or the
appropriate parallel or serial port for an external speech synthesizer may play a role in the final
decision of which synthesizer should be purchased. There are some laptop PCs with internal speech
boards available for individuals who need that level of portability. - Hardware configuration and
software compatibility considerations - See the "General Hardware Configuration and Software
Compatibility Considerations" listed at the beginning of this appendix.
Screen Reader Software
In addition to the synthesizer considerations listed above, there are several factors to be considered
when choosing the screen reader software that will direct output to the speech synthesizer. Since there
are several screen reader packages to choose from, this can often be one of the toughest choices for a
visually impaired computer user. Most of the commonly used screen reader packages being used in
Federal government offices are packages that work with standard PC application software. In the past,
many of the screen reader programs were self-contained word processing programs. These programs
limited users in their ability to exchange information with their coworkers in an office setting. Now,
there are many screen reader packages available that work in conjunction with PC application packages
to give speech output. Many screen reader packages offer similar capabilities in terms of being able to
direct output to the synthesizer letter at a time, word at a time, a specific line, or screen at a time.
Although there may be differences in the actual features of each screen reader package, one of the
biggest differences is in how these capabilities are controlled and accessed by the user through the
speech control keys. Considerations: - Application package being used - One of the primary
considerations in choosing a screen reader package is the application packages the screen reader
package will be used with. In most Federal offices, everyone in the office is using the same application
software so that files and information can be easily exchanged. In most cases, the individual with a
disability will receive the greatest benefit from their accommodation software if they are able to
continue to use the same application packages as their coworkers. Knowing the application packages
being used will help determine which accommodation features are important. The screen reader
package chosen should be the one that has the features necessary to allow it to work best with the
application software being used in the office. Some of the things to know about the application
packages are: - What keys on the keyboard are used to control the application package? - Is the
application software word processing, spreadsheet, database, communications, terminal emulation, or a
special program? - Are any of the application packages or systems interface packages graphic- based
rather than text-based? - Screen reader packages work well with most text-based packages, but may not
work at all with graphic-based packages. Some application packages allow the user to select text or
graphics mode. - Synthesizers supported - Not all screen readers will support all of the speech
synthesizers currently available. Before purchasing the screen reader software, the user needs to know
which synthesizer they anticipate using. Once this decision has been narrowed to one or two acceptable
options, the screen reader manufacturer can easily confirm if their package will work with that