Merit Text Talker Included in Merit Software

Merit Software has announced the addition of a voice component, called the Merit Text Talker, to most of its English language improvement programs. Merit Text Talker can read aloud all of the passages, questions, answers, tips and explanations students view on the screen. This process is intended to shorten the time required to grasp key English language concepts.

Text-to-speech functionality is now seamlessly integrated into the software. Without opening or closing additional windows, students can command the text be spoken aloud with just two clicks. No copying and pasting of text or toggling back and forth between applications is needed. The words and phrases can be repeated as often as wanted and read from wherever they wish within the context of Merit’s skill-building exercises.

Words are highlighted in synchrony with their enunciation, providing emphasis and helping students follow the text. Even though the company provides two high-quality North American voices, users may install their own regional voice into the Merit Text Talker.

Research has revealed that a multi-sensory approach to instruction shortens the length of time required to grasp essential English language concepts.

Merit expects that including text-to-speech into programs will be beneficial to a wide variety of students, including English language learners, people with learning disabilities and remedial readers.

The Merit Text Talker is included with the installation CD-ROM for all 1-Station, 5-Station, 10-Station, and Site License networkable versions of Merit reading, vocabulary and grammar programs. Home versions purchased on a CD-ROM also include the Merit Text Talker. Merit Text Talker may also be purchased separately for Home versions sold by download.

The Merit Text Talker is compatible with Windows 2000, Windows 2003 and Windows XP, and uses the Microsoft Speech Application Interface Version 5 (SAPI 5). SAPI 5 is pre-installed on Windows XP and is distributed freely by Microsoft. The Merit Text Talker functions only with Merit programs and does not read-aloud common documents such as Word or PDF files.

Even though other screen reader products are compatible with Merit Software, they do not combine the quality of voices, ease of use and other features present in the Merit Text Talker.

Most Merit programs use about 32 to 75 MB of RAM. Although Merit programs use many shared components, each additional program installed will usually take no more than five MB of hard disk space. A few graphic-intensive programs will use an additional 55 MB. The Merit Text Talker requires 500 MB of hard disk space and 20 additional MB of RAM.

Source: PR web