CLiCk,Speak for Firefox 3 (Firefox Add-on)
June 27, 2008 by Paul Hamilton
CLiCk,Speak is now available for Firefox 3.
CLiCk,Speak is a FREE tool that I believe needs to be available to ALL learners who have any reason to go online. It is a powerful tool, and one that is extremely easy to use for anyone who can use a mouse. The CLiCk,Speak toolbar installs with three buttons, as shown here.
In order to have text from a web page read aloud, simply place the cursor where you want to begin reading and click the green button. To stop reading aloud, click the red button. If you wish to read a selection of text, click the white button after selecting the desired text.
Under the Firefox ‘Tools’ Menu is an item called ‘CliCk,Speak Options’. You are able to adjust the reading rate and the pitch of the voice here.
As I repeat frequently, if schools are truly interested in supporting all learners, there is no excuse for continuing to insist on using Internet Explorer. If schools are really interested in trying to facilitate universal access, Firefox is a far superior browser because it is so much more accessible for countless learners. There is absolutely no monetary cost for using Firefox, but the potential to help learners with reading challenges is priceless!
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First way that you know a school isn’t interested in accessibility is a check of their browser situation. Firefox and/or Opera better be available with speech enabled – and headsets must be available.
Click-Speak is life-changing technology. I was thrilled to get to at least converse with the creators as they built this from FireVox, providing a text-to-speech option which works perfectly for visual learners, for dyslexics, even for people with limited dexterity. And Charles says the new Mac version is much improved.
Every school needs this installed on every computer. Every school with Windows PCs needs WordTalk and the free version of NaturalReader, and PowerTalk on every computer. And if its a Mac-based school, there better be equivalents.
These are the absolute basics – the same as having a wheelchair accessible ramp to the school’s front door. And unlike that ramp, everyone of these solutions is completely free. So there is no excuse.