"But what exactly is TTS?" I've gotten this question several times from Instagram followers after posting Instagram stories about TTS has helped some of my patients get back to hobbies such as reading
But how many people really understand what TTS? I don't know so let's discuss!
TTS is technology that converts written text to audio..... not to be confused to "Speech-To-Text" which converts audio information to written text. It allows a person to both READ and LISTEN to information simultaneously. Often times, there can be an option to change the rate of the speech or the voice type. In addition, several TTS supports now have a setting that allows each word or sentence to be highlighted as it is being read aloud. How cool is that?!
In a previous blog post, I discussed several ideas as to when or why listening and reading simultaneously might be helpful for a patient with neurological changes. To read "Using Audiobooks with TBI Patients: Things To Consider", CLICK HERE.
Of course TTS won't be a helpful tool for ALL patients, but for the ones who it is-- it can mean successfully reading text messages and emails from loved ones, returning to hobbies such as reading, staying up to date with the latest news articles. I always say that things like this are WORTH TRYING so consider it as an option if you have a patient on your caseload who is experiencing difficulty with reading. You can trial TTS in a session with a patient and quickly tell if it is helpful for not.
Read this article "How Text-to-Speech Aids Reading for People With Aphasia from the ASHA Leader to learn more. **The references are sooooo good so check them out too!
What do you think? Have you witnessed TTS be a helpful support for patients on your caseload? Comment below.
And as always, have a great therapy session!
-Dana
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