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Converting documents

Side view of a pile of magazines

Some documents can't be read aloud by text to speech software and are therefore inaccessible. Here are some tools to convert these into accessible formats.

SensusAccess

SensusAccess is a web service that will convert from one format to another.

It will convert from:

  • different file types (including images of text and PDFs)
  • web pages
  • text (e.g. cut and paste from websites or documents)

You can choose the output to be:

  • an audio file (so you can listen to your text read aloud)
  • a text or Word document
  • an e-book (for example to read on your Kindle)
  • a Braille document

More instructions are available in the SensusAccess LibGuide.

Go to our Library SensusAccess web page and follow the instructions to convert your files. You can use this service from home and the conversion is emailed to you.

ClaroRead

ClaroRead is a toolbar to support reading and writing (go to our Reading & Writing page for more information). ClaroRead has options to:

  • convert screen content to Word or PDF (select the text that you wish to convert)
  • scan from a paper document and convert into Word or PDF ( only if there is a scanner attached and setup)
  • scan from a PDF and other file formats (containing text or images of text) and convert into Word or PDF.

For video tutorials and text instructions go to the Wyvern Training Portal. (Request your free account by emailing: assistive.technology@arts.ac.uk) Sign in, select the ClaroRead icon and scroll down the menu to Scanning Options.

Read&Write Gold

Read&Write Gold is a toolbar similar to ClaroRead (go to our Reading & Writing page for more information). The scanning options are:

  • scanning and converting from the screen (by selecting the screen area that you wish to be converted)
  • scanning and converting from different types of files.

It can convert into Word, HTML, PDF and epub formats.

For video tutorials and text instructions go to the Wyvern Training Portal. Request your free account by emailing: assistive.technology@arts.ac.uk. Sign in and then select the TextHelp Read&Write for Windows icon and scroll down the menu to Scanning Options.

How do I find the software?

On a Windows PC

  1. Log on to the PC.
  2. Click on the Start Menu, click on All Programs, click on Zen Works application window.
  3. Click on Assistive Technology in the left-hand menu.
  4. Double click on the program you want to use.

On a Mac

  1. Log on to a Mac.
  2. Click on Launch Pad (the rocket icon on the bottom toolbar).
  3. Click on Self Service (you will need to login to Self Service)
  4. Select Assistive Technologies from the right-hand menu.
  5. Click on the program you want to use.

Note: The programs can take up to 20 minutes to install if they haven't been used before on the machines.