The Library: Alternative Formats Service

Read & Write supports your study skills through a toolbar which works alongside other applications such as Microsoft Word, email and the Internet. It is designed to provide support for people with writing, reading and spelling difficulties.

Here are just some of the tools available:

• Text-to-speech - it will read the content of web pages and documents aloud
• Dictionary - gives dictionary definitions of words
• Spell checking - check your spellings with definitions and example sentences
• Sounds like and confusable words - check and correct your use of words such as their and there or weather and whether
• Speech Input - types as you speak (requires a microphone)
• Screen Masking - change the colour of the whole screen to make it easier to see and read
• Highlighters - highlight useful text and then collect these into a new document, which is useful for taking notes

Read & Write is available on all Library PCs.

Read & Write video tutorials and Read & Write user guides are available on the TextHelp website.  Try out a useful tool which allows you to discover the Read & Write toolbar bar buttons.

Read & Write for Google Chrome is a toolbar which offers many of the functions of the full Texthelp Read & Write software within the Chrome web browser.  It works with webpages and files accessed through Google Drive such as Google Docs, Google Slides, PDF files and ePub files.

Here are just some of the tools available:

• Text-to-speech - it will read the content of web pages or Google Docs files aloud.
• Dictionary - gives dictionary definitions of words
• Speech Input - types as you speak (only available in Google Docs and requires a microphone)
• Screen Masking - change the colour of the whole screen to make it easier to see and read
• Highlighters - highlight useful text and then collect these into a new document which is useful for taking notes

Video tutorials on using Read & Write for Google Chrome, a Read&Write for Google Chrome - Quick Reference Guide and an interactive guide to Read&Write for Google Chrome Tools are available on the TextHelp website.

ClaroRead supports your study skills through a toolbar which works alongside other applications such as Microsoft Word, email and the internet. It is designed to provide support for people with writing, reading and spelling difficulties.

Here are just some of the tools available:

• Text-to-speech - it will read the content of web pages and documents aloud.
• Spell checking - check your spellings and look up dictionary definitions 
• Homophones - check your use of words such as their and there or weather and whether
• Screen colour- change the colour of the whole screen to make it easier to see and read

ClaroRead is available on all Library PCs.

ClaroRead video tutorials and ClaroRead user guides are available on the ClaroRead website.

ClaroRead Chrome is a toolbar which offers some of the functions of the full ClaroRead software within the Chrome web browser.  It works with webpages and files accessed through Google Drive such as Google Docs and PDF files.

It provides:

• Text-to-speech - it will read the content of web pages or Google Docs files aloud.
• Screen Overlay- change the colour of web pages to make it easier to see and read

Installing the ClaroRead Chrome extension

1. Go to the Chrome Web store ClaroRead Chrome page
2. Click on the + Add to Chrome button
3. Click on the Add Extension button
4. Once installed you will see the ClaroRead Chrome icon on your Chrome toolbar.  Click on this to access the toolbar.

ClaroRead Chrome help guides are available.

To find out more about the accessibility features built into Adobe Reader please see the FAQs below.