The Hawaii Education Literacy Project has developed a small freeware computer program to assist people who have difficulties reading off a computer screen. A freeware program is provided free to users on the proviso that the program is only obtained from an accredited source.

Read to Me^® and Help Read^® will read text aloud to you from Microsoft Word files, Internet web files (Html), your Microsoft Windows Clipboard, and text files. It also allows you to correct mispronounced words and enter the correct pronunciation into the program’s memory. You can customise the Reading Speed, Pitch and Volume, and choose between five speech styles.

I’ve used Read to Me^® for a number of years as I am often unable to distinguish text on a computer screen and, as a consequence, I can now use the Internet as a research tool.

The programme was initially developed under the name Read to Me^® and a copy of this early program is available, complete with installation instructions, from the Wellington Branch of CCS. Help Read^® is available for download from the internet at the following address, along with installation instructions, an FAQ (Frequently asked questions page), and a link to a library containing links to 482 Classic Works of Literature which you can download to read from your own computer.