Text-to-speech enhanced eBooks for emerging literacy development

Abstract

Mobile technology and mobile development platforms provide a rich ecosystem within which language and speech related technologies can be developed. Specifically, text-to-speech (TTS) technology provides the opportunity for personalised and interactive reading of content as it converts written text into synthetic speech. The aim of this study was to develop and test the effects of using a mobile application addressing aspects of emerging literacy using TTS technology in a South African context. Although similar commercial mobile applications that are geared towards literacy development are available, none are available in the 11 South African languages and none have had content developed specifically for the South African environment.