Great(free)Online Book Source

Thank you, Bill
It is almost time for school to start again and I am again looking for ways for my son to learn independently. I am working right now on an old computer, but this afternoon or tomorrow I’ll get on my new computer and look at the book site in more depth. Now, here is the question…I just looked at the “browsealoud” site on the LD home page. Do you think it will work with your book site?? I want a screen reader for my son. I have been looking at Kurzweil, but I have no extra cash right now. Kurzweil would highlight the text as it reads to him which I am sure browsealoud does not do, but I would be so happy to start 11th grade with some way for him to read internet sites and books. I know about bookshare, but I think I need Kurzweil for that. I plan to use Recordings for the Blind more this year, but this browsealoud and your book site would be another resource at our fingertips and free!! Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.

Hi Angela,

Sounds like an interesting project. I’ll check some freeware sites and see if anything matches, or looks close enough. I’ll also throw the question into the ring with some software programmers I know. This is just the sort of thing we like to do - find ways to bring technologies that should ideally be unified together so that they can be accessible to everyone. It doesn’t make us rich but it sure makes us happy!

It may help if I knew what operating system you were using. Mac, Microsoft, Lynx, B2B or another???

No promises - yet since I’ve responded (it’s difficult not to) I’ve got to acknowledge some responsibility. (Thanks Dad, that ethic has gotten me into some really interesting fixes ….)

Will be back soon,

Bill

I am using a PC with Microsoft software. The LD school my son attends has a lot of Macs. I did look further at nap and there are many interesting books for me. Still what I really need is a way for my ld son to access books he cannot read alone. I looked again at bookshare.org and they have many books that I guess I would download to a CD. Then I need a screenreader. I haven’t tried this browsealoud that is featured on the ld online homepage. I know Kurzweil would do the trick, but it costs $350. I plan to check with my son’s school to see if they have any screen readers in their lab. I doubt it. Thanks for helping me think about what to try.

Angela,
There are a number of lower cost text-to-speech programs that may be of benefit. The Kurzweil program is an excellent program that includes many different ways to customize the screen to maximize the student’s performance. In addition, there are a number of study tools built into the program.
If you don’t need all the “bells and whistles,” although every LD school should have this program available, you might want to look into Read Please (free), or Read Please Plus or Text Aloud MP3 (which offers great voices for a lower cost). Also, you can request a 30 day demo CD from Kurzweil or a 30 hour (which can spread out over a longer time) demo CD from WYNN (What You Need Now).

Try these websites:
http://www.readplease.com/
http://www.nextup.com/
http://www.kurzweiledu.com/
http://www.freedomscientific.com/WYNN/products.asp

I have worked with high school age honors students who have been able to take honors courses and keep up with the reading, independently, because of their use of programs such as these.

Thanks, I looked at both Read Please and Text Aloud. I’m going to see if his school uses either…sorry to say I don’t think they do…but at those prices maybe I can get them to get a text to speech program. I appreciate the tech help here, otherwise I am on my own..I get indecisive which bugs me.

Just checking in… Angela of LA,

From what KTJ posts - I don’t think you can get much better; given the firsthand users experience, the range of expenses (Free to some cost… etc.) plus links!

Given all that, frankly -I’d follow-up on those leads.

I have written the Browse aloud CEO and crew to make some suggestions as to how their SW could be more accessible by listing Ebook sites where they are embedded. We’ll see.

Trust it all works out for you, and you will not have to become the dorm mom.
:wink:

all the best,
Bill

Another site that offers free books relative to this board’s theme is:

http://williamcalvin.com/index.html

Of particular interest may be “Conversations with Neil’s Brain” by:

William H. Calvin, Ph.D., a neurophysiologist on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington.

and

George A. Ojemann, M.D., a neurosurgeon and neurophysiologist on the faculty of the Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington.

http://williamcalvin.com/bk7/bk7.htm

Calvin offers his books for free on the web, but they are also available for purchase in print, in stores.

If you are thinking about tinkering with it, shouldn’t you at least know something about it?