This system provides a student with a visual association between text and audio in a manner that will assist in learning vocabulary, enhance their reading ability.

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Overview Researchers in Trinity have developed a system for the presentation of text which is synchronised with recorded speech as an aid in the learning of languages and literacy. This system provides a student with a visual association between text and audio in a manner that will assist in learning vocabulary, enhance their reading ability and will reinforce correct pronunciation. As the words are heard by the final user they are simultaneously highlighted on a screen. Initially, the system takes an audio recording and its associated text transcript, partitioning the audio recording into discrete words enabling the creation of instantaneous highlighting of text on the screen. This novel aid functions as a support to teaching. This system uses natural human voice of the teacher rather than the standard synthesized voice found on other text audio compositors. In this way intonation and linguistic emphases are maintained. Advantages Studies show that synthetic speech does not engage the student while aiding in the acquisition of reading skills or while learning a second language. This system overcomes this disconnect by allowing the teacher to record the audio portion The information is presented in custom software programme developed in Java. This Player has been developed to support a choice of type and size of font for the text and is intended to be operable across many platforms including desktops, laptops and mobiles. The structure of the system provides the student with interactivity to replay selected segments of text, audio or video and audio. The system can support exploration of the text with access to pronunciation assistance and dictionary/thesaurus facilities. In large-size unmanageable classroom such a software package could provide a close alternative to personalised training. Patent A Priority Application has been filed 20/02/08 Principal Inventor(s) Prof. Frank Boland, Darren Kavenagh, Liam O’Sullivan, Sean Devitt TCD Ref: FB01-138-01  

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