Any web site - and any text on your computer screen - can be read aloud to you by Text-To-Speech software. Your computer must have the following:

• a sound card
• speakers
• a "speech engine" such as the Microsoft Speech API (Application Program Interface)
• TTS (Text-To-Speech) software

Listed below are several free TTS software programs for Windows Operating Systems (non-Mac). Each allows the user to copy-and-paste text into the program and then to hear it read aloud, and some will read directly from a web page.

(NOTE: Mac OSX has built-in text-to-speech capability, and earlier Mac versions use a combination of the built-in SimpleText program with the added HearIt! program.)

From Edict comes the Virtual Language Centre Text-To-Speech Browser, or VLC TTS for short. Just click here and save the file directly to your computer's desktop. (If the file has ".MAIL" at the end of it, delete just that part before you download.) Then at any time you can click the same icon on your desktop and the VLC TTS Browser will open. It will read aloud any web page, or any highlighted text on a web page.

Click here to download the full instructions on how to use this browser.

ReadPlease Free is upgradeable to pay versions with more functions. ReadPlease comes in a Free version, a streamlined Plus version, and as a Reading Bar for Internet Explorer. Download the Free version by clicking here and saving the file directly to your computer's desktop. (Delete the ".MAIL" portion of the file name before you download.) Run the downloaded file to install the program. It will read aloud any text copied and pasted into its reading area.

The full operating manual comes with the program, and other forms of the manual are free at: ReadPlease.com.

HELP Read can read copied text, entire text files, and web pages via Internet Explorer and Netscape. Download the self-extracting file (Remove ".MAIL") to its own folder (say, c:\helpread) and run it from there to install the program. The program has further instructions (have it read "readme.txt" to you) on how to use it as a web browser extension.

Further information is available at HELPread.net.

Natural Voice Reader, which comes in a Free version and two pay versions, can read copied text as well as act as a web browser that reads the entire web page or any highlighted text on the web page. Just download the self-extracting file and save the it directly to your computer's desktop, deleting the ".MAIL" extension. Then double click the new desktop icon to install the program. Natural Voice Reader will also read text and save it as a WAV file for later listening.

Further information is available at NaturalReaders.com.

CHIPSpeaking (Version 2.7.00) - a Text-to-Speech Program designed for the speech-impaired. Designed for people with difficulty speaking, this program will also read back any text copied and pasted into its screen. Click here to download the Zip file (Remove ".MAIL" if applicable), then unzip and run setup.exe and be sure to install the program into C:\Program Files\CHIPSpeaking. This program uses MS Agent talking characters.

Instructions are very simple, and further information can be found at CHIPSpeaking.com.