Speaking text and highlighting speaking text

[Glasgow, David]

Dear all,

two questions:

1/ I like to have my Mac read big blocks of statistical data (I have entered) back to me while I can scan the original to check for typos.  This saves having someone else read the screen, while I look at the paper, and is incredibly efficient.  I have never worked out to do this on my PC.  I thought it might be fun to make a cross platform data entry checker, with a few bells and whistles that Appleworks can't provide.  Of the many (mostly stupid) voices   available, I like Victoria. Before I start on the data checker, is this hard to implement under Windows?  Is there a WinVict dot something?  My PCs have never uttered a word to me...... I can't seem to find references to synthesised speech, but do recall it being mentioned previously on this list (or maybe MC)

2/ In some ways related, perhaps.  I have a psychological assessment that speaks the questions for people with a reading difficulty.  It speaks once automatically, and any additional number of times at the users request.  I highlight the whole sentence by colouring the text as the thing is read, and then it turns to black again.  Now, how would I highlight *words* as they are being read.  Like you get in Grandma and Me?  I have assumed that chopping up the Aiffs into words would be a silly way to go.  So perhaps I use QuickTime and colour/decolour words at particular points in the playback?  I know I could just experiment, but I am confident that someone out there must have tackled this previously.

BTW, great to see so many new users.  Nice to know the answers to a few questions for a change, too !

Best wishes,

David Glasgow