Go to  Settings

• Accessibility
  • Spoken Content
    • slide the Speak selection toggle to ON
    • slide the Speak Screen selection toggle to ON
    • slide the Highlight toggle to ON

With these features are on, you can tap and hold any text until the selector tool appears or you can swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen to hear the content of the screen.

Open your device's Settings app

• Select Accessibility, then Text-to-speech output

• Choose your preferred engine, language, speech rate, and pitch.

Note: The default text-to-speech engine choices vary by device. Options can include

• Google's Text-to-speech engine

• the device manufacturer's engine, and

• any third-party text-to-speech engines that you've downloaded from the Google Play Store.

• To hear a short demonstration of speech synthesis, press Play.

To install voice data for another language, select

• Settings

• then Install voice data.

• Choose the language that you want to install.

Narrator is a screen-reading app that's built into Windows 10. There are three ways to turn Narrator on or off:

1. Press Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter on your keyboard

Note: In earlier versions of Windows, you may need to press Windows logo key  + Enter

2. On the sign-in screen, select the Ease of Access button in the lower-right corner, and turn on the toggle under Narrator.

3. Go to Settings  > Ease of Access > Narrator, and then turn on the toggle under Use Narrator.

On your Mac, from the Apple menu  , click System Preferences

• Click Accessibility

• Select Speech

  • Select the voice that you want to use

• Select the “Speak selected text when the key is pressed” check box

  • By default, your Mac speaks text when you press the keyboard shortcut Option - Esc. To set a different keyboard shortcut, click “Set Key to assign a keyboard shortcut”. This will be the shortcut you use to hear text read aloud

Chromebook: Hear text read aloud

Turn on Select-to-speak

1. At the bottom right, select the time. (Or press Alt + Shift + s)
2. Select Settings .
3. At the bottom, select Advanced.
4. In the "Accessibility" section, select Manage Accessibility Features.
5. Under "Text-to-Speech," turn on Enable select-to-speak.

Select and hear text

Important: Depending on your keyboard, you can press the Search key  or the Launcher key  for some shortcuts. Both keys work the same

To select what text you’d like to hear:

• Highlight the text and press the Search key  + s.
• At the bottom right, near the time, select Select-to-speak . Then select a line of text or drag the pointer over an area of the screen.
• On a touchscreen: At the bottom right, near the time, tap Select-to-speak . Then tap a line of text or drag your finger over an area of the screen.

Your Chromebook will read the section aloud and each word will be highlighted.

To stop Select-to-Speak while it’s reading, press Ctrl or the Search key . You can also select Stop .

Tip: With navigation controls, you can pause and play, adjust speed, and skip lines of text.

Word documents

• Listen to your Word documents with Read Aloud
• Speak is a built-in feature of Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
  • You can use Speak to have text read aloud in the language of your version of Office.

PDF

• Adobe Reader (free) Windows, MAC
• Previewer (built in MAC)

Capti Voice

Available as an app, web app and Chrome extension. You can listen to web pages or upload a variety of file formats (PDF, Word, ePUB, etc.) from many sources (computer, Google Drive, OneDrive, Bookshare, etc.) to your Playlist and listen to the text with high quality text to speech, personalize visual modifications to make the text more readable, etc. Capti Voice has a free version which offers a lot of features or you can upgrade to a Premium version. Explore the FREE version first!

ClaroRead Software

Software for Windows, Mac and Chromebook. You can read any on-screen text out loud and improve your writing in Microsoft Word. ClaroRead Plus and Pro also let you read aloud scanned paper books and documents.

ClaroSpeak

Reading and writing app with high-quality text-to-speech, formatting controls, a wide range of fonts and styles and cloud storage integration 

• High quality installed voices

• Text to speech with customizable highlighting

• Rich-text document editing

• Word prediction

• Open from Dropbox and Google Drive integration

Legere Reader (Android)

An accessible reading tool for mobile and tablet devices. With advanced text-to-speech and a highly configurable screen layout, it can be tailored to suit every reading style from completely auditory to completely visual, plus synchronized combination of both.

• supports reading PDF, DRM-free EPUB and DAISY eBooks and more
• can load files from file sharing apps like DropBox, Box and OneDrive, or directly from your local device
• direct integration with the Bookshare book-sharing service.

NaturalReader Software

Read many formats, all in one place - downloadable text-to-speech desktop software for personal use. This easy-to-use software with natural-sounding voices can read to you any text such as Microsoft Word files, webpages, PDF files, and E-mails. Available with a one-time payment for a perpetual license.

NaturalReader App

• Text-to-Speech APP for iOS & Android
• Text to Speech: PDF, eBooks, Word documents, and webpages
• Highlight: Read along the highlighted words with automatic scrolling
• Magnify: Toggle zoom to easily follow small print

Apps: Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, email attachments.

Voice Dream Reader (Apple)

An accessible reading tool for mobile and tablet devices. With advanced text-to-speech and a highly configurable screen layout, it can be tailored to suit every reading style from completely auditory to completely visual, plus synchronized combination of both.

• Text-to-Speech
• Recognize text for scanned PDF documents
• Bookmarking, text highlighting and annotation
  • Highlights and notes can be exported
• Full-text search
• Built-in dictionary
• Automatically skip text in PDF header and footer
• supported document formats: PDF, Plain text, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, RTF, and Google Docs, as well as Web articles, Bookshare Books, DAISY text-based books and audiobook, Audiobooks in MP3, MP4 or zipped MP3 format, Rich text and image support for all documents and EPUB eBooks. (DRM-free books only. Note: Kindle, iBooks and most commercial eBook platforms are not supported.)
• Native support for Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, Pocket, Instapaper and Evernote
• Native access to Bookshare
• Safari extension to save Web pages and Web addresses

OpenStax 

Textbooks available online completely free and there's an app!

Text-to-Speech support via web browsers

• Microsoft Edge (Immersive Reader)
  • To enter reading mode, go to the website you want to read (listen to) in Microsoft Edge

  • Select Enter Immersive Reader in the address bar  or use the keyboard shortcut F9. 

    • Tip:  If you don’t see the Immersive Reader Icon in the address bar, you can still view the text in Immersive Reader. Select the text you want to read, right-click, and select Open in Immersive Reader from the shortcut menu

• Listen to spoken text (Mac)

  • On your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, click Accessibility, then click Spoken Content.

  • Select the “Speak selection” checkbox.

    • By default, your Mac speaks text when you press the keyboard shortcut Option-Esc. To set a different keyboard shortcut and change other settings, click Options

Tech-to-Speech web extensions

• Capti Voice
• Microsoft Edge Read Aloud
• Read&Write for Google Chrome
• Read the Web
• TTSREADER

The softwares listed below are offered to eligible Ventura College students. Schedule an appointment with your EAC Counselor to determine your eligibility.

• Bookshare

  • FREE online library with over 800,000 books, including textbooks and classroom resources for students with dyslexia, blindness, low vision, cerebral palsy, and other reading barriers. Students can read books on virtually any device and customize their reading experience in ways that work for them. 
  • In order for you to become a Bookshare® member, an expert must confirm that you have a print disability that severely inhibits or prevents you from reading traditional print materials.
  • Visit the Bookshare Learning Center for additional information and resources

• Kurzweil 3000

  • a comprehensive reading, writing and learning software solution for any struggling reader, including individuals with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder or those who are English Language Learners. 
  • customizable text-to-speech audio options to improve comprehension.
  • word Predictions
  • writing templates
  • graphic Organizers
  • access the Kurzweil tools anywhere on your PC, MAC, iPad, and with or without an internet connection
  • Visit the Kurzweil Academy for videos and tutorials

• Learning Ally

  • an educational service for students who cannot effectively read standard print because of visual impairment, dyslexia, or other disabilities. Learning Ally produces and maintains a library of educational accessible audiobooks.
• Read&Write: offers support with everyday tasks like:
  • reading text out loud,
  • understanding unfamiliar words,
  • researching assignments and
  • proofing written work
  • enjoy the benefits of Read&Write on Windows PCs, Macs, Google, iPad and Android tablets

The Immersive Reader is available when viewing pages in CANVAS.

The Immersive Reader provides a variety of tools and options to enhances one's reading experience by improving accessibility and boosting reading comprehension:

• Read text aloud
• Change the speed of reading
• Highlight sets of one, three, or five lines for greater focus
• Change font size, text spacing, and background color
• Split up words into syllables
• Highlight verbs, nouns, adjectives, and sub-clauses
• Choose between two fonts optimized to help with reading
• Select a word to see a related picture and hear the word read aloud as many times as necessary

How the Immersive Reader in Canvas?

Microsoft Edge (Immersive Reader)

• To enter reading mode, go to the website you want to read (listen to) in Microsoft Edge

• Select Enter Immersive Reader in the address bar  or use the keyboard shortcut F9. 

  • Tip:  If you don’t see the Immersive Reader Icon in the address bar, you can still view the text in Immersive Reader. Select the text you want to read, right-click, and select Open in Immersive Reader from the shortcut menu

OpenStax - Offers FREE textbooks viewable online or downloadable as a PDF.  

Additional resources including videos available in the OpenStax + SE app.

  Thorium Reader is a free cross-platform eBook reading app (Windows 10, MacOS and Linux) and supports screen readers like Jaws and NVDA on Windows and Voice Over on Mac.

Access formats such as EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, ZIP, LPF, Audiobook, Webpub, LCPA, LCPDF, LCPL, Divina, Daisy, and OPF.

Students of Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura Colleges, are eligible for a Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus account ... for Free.

• Get started with OFFICE 365 for free
• VCCCD student OFFICE 365 account setup (PDF)

To select specific text on a page to be read to you, turn on Select-to-Speak.

Turn on Select-to-speak

• At the bottom right, select the time. Or press Alt + Shift + s.
• Select Settings .
• At the bottom, select Advanced.
• In the "Accessibility" section, select Manage accessibility features.
• Under "Text-to-Speech," turn on Enable select-to-speak.

Select and hear text

After enabling select-to-speak: Settings - Advanced - Accessibility - Manage accessibility features - Text-to-Speech - Enable select-to-speak.

To select what text you’d like to hear:

• Press and hold the Search key  and select a line of text.
• Press and hold the Search key  and drag the pointer over an area of the screen.
• ​Highlight the text and press the Search key  + s.
• At the bottom right, near the time, select Select-to-speak . Then select a line of text or drag the pointer over an area of the screen.
  • On a touchscreen: At the bottom right, near the time, tap Select-to-speak . Then tap a line of text or drag your finger over an area of the screen.
• Your Chromebook will read the section aloud and each word will be highlighted.
• To stop Select-to-speak while it’s reading, press Ctrl or the Search key . You can also select Stop .

Important: Depending on your keyboard, you can press the Search key  or the Launcher key  for some shortcuts. Both keys work the same.

Tip: With navigation controls, you can pause and play, adjust speed, and skip lines of text.

If you are using Select-to-speak, each word will be highlighted as it's spoken. You can turn off highlighting, change the color of the highlighted words, or shade the screen behind selected text.

After enabling select-to-speak: Settings - Advanced - Accessibility - Manage accessibility features - Text-to-Speech - Enable select-to-speak

• Select Open select-to-speak settings.
• Under “Highlighting,” you can:
• Turn on Highlight each word as it is spoken.
• Select a color next to “Color for word highlights.” 
  • Tip: To get the strongest contrast, we recommend using green or pink, especially if you’re using high contrast mode.
  • Turn on Shade background content: This allows you to shade the whole screen, except for the text being spoken.

• At the bottom right, select the time. Or press Alt + Shift + s.
• Select Settings .
• At the bottom, select Advanced.
• In the "Accessibility" section, select Manage accessibility features.
• Under "Text-to-Speech," select Text-to-Speech voice settings.
• Customize your text-to-speech voice:
  • Change the volume: Under the "Speech Properties" section, choose the rate, pitch, and loudness.
  • Change the language: In the "Preferred Voices" section, choose the language you'd like to hear.
• Choose the type of voice. By default, Chromebooks have 2 speech engines with voices: Chrome OS TTS and eSpeak. In the "Speech Engines" section, select Settings, then choose a voice.
  • Note: Chrome OS TTS voices have a more human-sounding quality and are very responsive when navigating. eSpeak voices have a more computer-generated sound and are available in a wider variety of languages.

You can use dictation instead of your keyboard to enter text with many apps and features that use the keyboard on your iPhone or iPad.

Dictate text

To enter text, tap the microphone button  on your keyboard, then start speaking. As you speak, the text appears on the screen. To finish, stop speaking, then tap the keyboard button .

You can use dictation instead of your keyboard to enter text with many apps and features that use the keyboard on your Android (also known as Google Voice Typing)

From the Home screen, touch the Apps icon

• Open the Settings app
• Choose Language & Input
  • Some Samsung tablets title this item Language and Input, and it’s found on the Controls tab
• Ensure that a check mark appears next to Google Voice Typing
  • If not, touch the box to place a check mark there
  • Touch the Home icon to return to the Home screen
• The Microphone key now appears on the onscreen keyboard

Note: This feature is only available in Chrome browsers.

Start voice typing in a google doc

• Check that your microphone works
  • Devices and microphones vary, so check your computer manual for instructions. Microphone settings are typically in the System Preferences on a Mac, or the Control Panel on a PC
• Open a document in Google Docs with a Chrome browser
• Click Tools  Voice typing. A microphone box appears
• When you're ready to speak, click the microphone
• Speak clearly, at a normal volume and pace
  • Note: punctuation should be dictated as well
• When you're done, click the microphone again

Correct mistakes while voice typing

• If you make a mistake while you're typing with your voice, you can move your cursor to the mistake and fix it without turning off the microphone
• After you correct the mistake, move the cursor back to where you want to continue
• To see a list of suggestions, right-click words underlined in gray

Be prepared for class

• Review course syllabus
  • understand expectations
  • office hours
  • attendance policy
  • reading schedule
  • due dates: assignments, exams, etc.
• Prior to each class
  • review notes and what has already been covered
  • complete required readings
  • re-read chapter summary
  • identify vocabulary
  • assess your understanding
  • are there questions you have about the material?
  • things you’re still confused about? 
  • write these down and bring to class
• Arrive early and get a good seat
  • reduce/avoid distractions
• Interact with instructor; actively participate
  • ask questions
  • contribute with comments 
• Come organized with all necessary course supplies

During lecture

• Actively Listen
  • Focus on the speaker - give your undivided attention
  • Don't prejudge or assume you already know the material
  • Ask for clarification
  • Listen for verbal cues and watch for nonverbal cues
  • Listen for requests

After lecture

• review notes after class

• if needed, rewrite lecture notes

  • fill in gaps from your memory while they are still fresh in mind 
  • rewriting provides an opportunity to (re-)organize your notes in a more logical or coherent fashion
    • make note of your questions and ask instructor next class

How to take notes in College

Strategies for taking effective notes

Tips for taking online courses

Listed below are a few apps you may want to explore for electronic Notetaking.  Note: Try the "free" version before purchasing.

• AudioNotes2
• Evernote
• Glean
• Margin Note
• Noteability (iPad)
• OneNote
• Otter.ai
• Squid (Android)

• Time Management Tips for Busy College Students

• 10 strategies and tips to maximize your time and build your focus

• Time Management Inventory

• Time Management and S.M.A.R.T. Goals - video

• Time Management Skills - 5 skills that the most productive people master

  • Planning
  • Decision making and prioritization
  • ‍Setting boundaries and saying no
  • ‍Delegating and outsourcing tasks
  • ‍Building a system and diligently following it

Short list of time management techniques

Give them a test run ... you may find one that works for you!

• 7 Minute Life

  • Spend 7 minutes in the morning to plan your day and 7 minutes before you go to sleep to review your day and prepare the plan for tomorrow.

• Do it now

  • If it takes less than 3 minutes to complete, do it now, without any thinking or planning.

• The Checklist Manifesto

  • Turn every one of your projects or tasks into a series of easy‑to‑follow, step-by-step checklists

• To - Done list

  • Keeping a list of all the tasks you have already completed will motivate you to achieve even more.

• The Medium Method
  • Combine the best of paper work and digital work. You will need:
    • a main notebook to capture ideas, tasks, quotes, notes, meetings etc.
    • a travel notebook – same as above, but for traveling
    • a Post-It note for every day to list all the appointments and 3 most important tasks for that day
    • a pen or pencil
    • a task management app
• an online calendar app
• a note‑taking app

Longer list of Time Management Techniques

• Google Calendar
• S.M.A.R.T Goals
• FocusList (Apple & Mac)
• Pomodoro Timer - Online
• Mindful Browsing
• Stay Focusd (Chrome)
• Time Out (Mac) - Break reminder
• ClearLock (Android)
• Cold Turkey
• Freedom - Block Distractions (Apple)
• Hocus Focus (MacOS)

Assignment Calculator - is a guide to help you plan and schedule your assignments.

Start by entering the due date of your assignment. The calculator will then break down your assignment into manageable steps, which include tips and online resources to help you complete your assignment by the due date.

Please keep in mind that the Assignment Calculator is only a guide. You may work at a different pace.