Keywords: freeware, text, to, speech, educated, Anna, improved, pronunciation, heteronyms, speed, reading, read, aloud

ReadOutLoud is a freeware text to speech reading program you can use to read aloud and listen to text you copy from anywhere, including emails, word processor documents, .pdf files or the internet. Like all free text to speech programs I am aware of, it uses the Microsoft Anna voice that comes with Windows, as other more sophisticated voices cost about $35.00 per voice to buy. ReadOutLoud, however, unlike other free text to voice programs, has a front end to Anna that greatly improves her pronunciation, especially of heteronyms, words that are spelt the same but pronounced differently. This 'educated Anna,' while perhaps not as suave as her expensive sisters, is just as good at pronunciation, if not better. Certainly, there is a long list of words 'educated Anna' pronounces correctly that her aristocratic siblings get wrong, and this greatly enhances the listening experience. ReadOutLoud is also easy to use. At its simplest you can just highlight the text you want read, from any source, and click one button to read it out loud.

ReadOutLoud also has a Speed Reading Trainer to coach your eyes to scan reading material more effectively. It does this by making it easy for you to progressively highlight the text you paste into the window as you read it. After you have read each line you press the down arrow to highlight the line. At the end of the page the text automatically advances to the top of the next page so your reading is not interrupted.

Educating Anna:
While I have 'taught' Anna to pronounce over one hundred words correctly that she previously didn't, this will be an ongoing process. If, while using ReadOutLoud, you find words that Anna is pronouncing wrongly, you can email me about them, and I will do my best to correct Anna's translation of them. I will email you back to let you know which of your words I was able to correct and which version of ReadOutLoud at my website will include the new pronunciations, so you can download it.