ClaroRead Plus for Mac is a highly effective multi-sensory software solution for supporting students who struggle with reading, writing and learning. Designed with maximum simplicity, adaptability and flexibility, students of any age and level of ability will have a world of information unlocked through ClaroRead for Mac.
Item# LR3294
As ClaroRead is closely integrated with Microsoft Word and Safari, practically any text can be spoken aloud by this powerful software. ClaroRead can assist in delivering high quality documents through using the "proofreading" capability. With ClaroRead Plus, you can also scan any paper document or convert a PDF and have it spoken back with complete clarity.
Users can also benefit from the addition of included visual tools that colour, highlight and focus on difficult to read text as it is spoken by the computer. Words can also be spoken back as they are typed, ensuring the accuracy of written papers, tests, and study notes.
Available in Standard and Plus versions, ClaroRead is easy-to-use and provides the perfect integrated text to speech tool for use with Microsoft Word 2004 and 2008. ClaroRead for Mac V4 works on Mac OSX 10.4 and above.
The range of additional voices in over 20 languages is also helpful for those learning an additional languages.
Why ClaroRead Plus?
ClaroRead Plus is a combination of ClaroRead Standard and a full copy of Readiris Pro for Mac, an optical character recognition scanning software. The scanning can be launched from the ClaroRead toolbar, making it ideal for scanning or converting books, articles and other content to become accessible, readable and editable.
Readiris Pro converts any paper, PDF or image documents into digital files that you can edit, share and save
Retypes scanned documents and image files and converts PDF files in editable text, maintaining the original layout and offering an unprecedented speed and OCR accuracy.
With Readiris Pro you scan your document with your flatbed scanner, or open a PDF file or image document. Once the file is opened in the software, you click on "recognize and save," and within seconds your document is converted into and editable digital file. The final step is to export your document into you favorite application, such as Word, Excel, Acrobat (PDF), Internet Explorer (HTML), and more.
More Information
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ClaroRead for Mac V4 contains a range of features:
Text to Speech helps users who have difficulty reading and writing.
Microsoft Word integration allowing users to carry on using their prefered document writing software package but being able to have additional functions through ClaroRead.
Font & Spacing helps to arrange and colour the user's Word document in theway they wish.
Homophones, Spellings and Meanings ensures users have used the correct words.
Word Prediction helps users with typing.
Scan Paper & PDF enables users to scan documents into accessible formats to be read back by ClaroRead.
ScreenRuler, an on-screen ruler follows the mouse focussing the eye on the active area of the screen.
Claroview, a screen colour overlay - tints the computer screen for easier viewing.
The new focus sentence feature greys or dims out sentences in MS Word not being spoken by the ClaroRead voice. This is helpful for focussing the eye on the text, and also tracking the position in a document. The word trail feature makes words colour progressively as they are spoken by ClaroRead. This mode allows effective word by word highlighting, with minimal visual disruption. Any colour can be chosen to highlight the text.
New! Research and capture information
The new ClaroCapture program included with ClaroRead for Mac V4 lets you collect text from any document and web page, grouping it as a project file. The research file can be sent to Word or PowerPoint. It can also extract highlighted text from Microsoft Word documents. A great study skills tool.
New! Scanning paper and converting PDF files
ClaroRead Plus for Mac V4 now comes with a Scan button to launch Readiris Pro 11 OCR software. The highest quality Optical Character Recognition is now included in ClaroRead Plus, making it ideal for scanning or converting books, articles and other content to become accessible, readable and editable.
Improved! Word check window
The Check window now integrates homophones, spelling suggestions and meanings in one window while working in Microsoft Word. There is also a dictionary lookup button which gives you direct access to the Mac’s Dictionary. Any spelling corrections you make in the Check window are remembered, and you can review your own spelling corrections later under the Check tab in the Settings pane. You can use this information to build your personal correction list which inserts your personal corrections above all others in the Check window.
New! High quality voices
Claro has always aimed to offer the highest quality voices for inclusion with ClaroRead. ClaroRead for Mac V4 UK Edition now ships with two high quality Acapela female voices Lucy and Rachel and two CereProc voices: British English William and Scottish Heather.
New! ScreenRuler for Mac
ClaroRead for Mac V4 now comes with ScreenRuler. ScreenRuler provides an on-screen ruler which tracks the mouse pointer to help focus on a particular area of the screen.
New! Word Prediction
ClaroRead for Mac V4 now includes a word predictor which learns as you type and can be trained from Word documents or the clipboard. There are a range of different settings for you to customise to your needs under the Prediction tab in the Settings pane.
New! Scan Settings
New to ClaroRead For Mac V4.1 is the Scan Settings feature. This feature enables you to choose which scanning software will by used by ClaroRead for Mac.
New! Extras Button
The Extras button on the toolbar gives you access to the other software bundled with ClaroRead: ClaroView, ScreenRuler and ClaroCapture. There is also a link to the Mac’s calculator giving you quick access to this Mac application.
Please take a look at the extras tutorials to learn about these extra applications:
ClaroRead speaks back text as it is typed, allowing a student to check and proof-read their work quickly and easily. Text can be spoken at any point by highlighting individual sections of text and pressing Play - great for proofreading.
Close integration with Microsoft Word means you can click and play at any point in a document.
Spoken words can be tracked using a custom colour selection. Any accessible text under the mouse can be spoken if needed.
Make audio files from text documents for listening to on your Mac or a portable audio player. Simply select and Save - great for revision or listening on the move.
A Text to Speech Pronunciation Dictionary is available to modify the way words are pronounced if needed.
Please take a look at the following speech tutorials to learn more:
You can also take a look at the Voice Samples Video to hear all voices which come in the UK and US Editions. It is possible to add on any of the other Acapela voices for an additional license fee.
ClaroRead for Mac V4 provides a single toolbar for use in Microsoft Word that combines a homophone and dictionary, font and spacing commands, a thesaurus, spell checker and a save to audio function. All have clear graphic icons for ease of recognition.
Text character, line and paragraph spacing using Microsoft Word menus requires some detailed knowledge. ClaroRead makes it simple to space out text in Microsoft Word. Pressing the Spacing button when working in Word will help you:
Expand character spacing
Change line spacing
Changes the number of points (spaces) after the end of each paragraph.
Please take a look at the Formatting Tutorial to learn about formatting text in Microsoft Word using ClaroRead.
Homophones are words that are pronounced alike even if they differ in spelling or meaning, such as "pair" and "pear".
ClaroRead Homophone features will:
Mark in colour all the homophones and confusable words in a document. Using the Check tab in the settings, you can also add additional tricky and confusable words.
The Check Feature will list alternative words that sound the same, along with the meaning of each word.
Word with Pictures: Over two thousand pictures included in ClaroRead, helping users to select the correct homophone or choice of wording. Pictures can be turned on or off.
Please take a look at the Homophones Tutorial to learn about formatting text in Microsoft Word using ClaroRead.
ClaroRead provides a single Check button for use in Microsoft Word that combines a homophone dictionary, thesaurus, reference dictionary and spellchecker, making the checking of your text and documents easier and more comprehensive.
If a word is a homophone the "homophone" check window will appear, along with meanings. If the word has alternative words with the same or similar meaning, the "meanings" check window will appear. You can click on the Lookup button to see the dictionary definition from the Mac's Dictionary. You can spellcheck individual words or the whole of your document at any point.
The Check window is fully speech enabled, so clicking on a word/suggestion if you have mouse selects or hover switched on will make them speak. We also have over 2000 picture icons to help with word meanings.
Please take a look at the Check Feature Tutorial to learn about the check feature in ClaroRead.
With ClaroRead Plus V4 the powerful Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology means that any paper document or PDF file becomes accessible. Through providing a full copy of Readiris Pro 11, textbooks, photocopies and handouts are easily converted into Word documents. The text can then be spoken out by ClaroRead or edited. PDF files can also be unlocked and edited, opening a wealth of material for accessibility to every student, regardless of the format.
Please take a look at the Scanning Tutorial to learn about the scanning in ClaroRead.
New to ClaroRead For Mac V4 is the scan settings feature. The scan settings feature allows you to choose which scanning software will by used be ClaroRead for Mac. Please note: this feature will only be available if Readiris Pro or Omnipage Pro X is installed on your Mac.
In the scanning section you are able to select which scanning software will launch when you click on the Scan button in the ClaroRead toolbar. Users who select Readiris Pro will also get the option to setup Readiris for ClaroRead. Clicking this button will run the setup process for Readiris. The 'Scanner Preferences' button will allow you to link your scanner to the scanning software.
Users who select Readiris Pro will also have the 'Scan Type' option available to them. You can select from the following two options:
Quick - When you click on ClaroRead's Scan button, Readiris will launch and perform the scan automatically according to its settings.
Advanced - When you click on ClaroRead's Scan button, Readiris will launch allowing you to configure it the way you want to before scanning.
ClaroRead for Mac V4 contains a word prediction feature, which can be useful for certain computer users. ClaroRead uses a base prediction dictionary consisting of the most frequently used words in the English language. The dictionary learns as you type, and rejects words that don't pass the automatic spellcheck.
The prediction list will automatically appear during typing.
Under the "Predict" tab in Settings, you can create a number of prediction dictionaries, by importing words from existing documents. Ideal for creating subject and curriculum specific dictionaries, it puts the tool into the hands of the teacher.
Please take a look at the Prediction Tutorial to learn about the prediction feature in ClaroRead.
For ClaroRead for Mac V4 we are adding more applications and utilities (ClaroRead Extras) to enrich the toolkit available to you. We have still concentrated on Ease of Use, so many of the Extras are neatly tucked away. However, you have the peace of mind knowing that the feature is there should you need to turn it on for a particular task or assignment.
ClaroRead Extras neatly groups together a range of accessibility utilities such as; ClaroView screen colour filter, ScreenRuler reading ruler, Mac Calculator and ClaroCapture.
ClaroCapture (included with all ClaroRead editions)
The new ClaroCapture program included with ClaroRead for Mac V4 lets you collect text from any document and web page, grouping it as a project file. The research file can be sent to Word or PowerPoint. It can also extract highlighted text from Microsoft Word documents. A great study skills tool.
ScreenRuler (included with all ClaroRead editions)
ClaroRead includes the separate program ScreenRuler. ScreenRuler is a separate application that works as a reading bar. This allows part of the Mac screen to be highlighted in a horizontal band.
This will assist anyone with viewing and concentrating on text or objects. It provides a 'strip' or 'ruler' across the screen which you can change contrast, ruler size and 'grey' or 'dim' the background.
Make your Mac speak with a human sounding voice
Integration with Microsoft Word 2004 & 2008
Font and colour changing
Spacing
Homophones and tricky words
Check word - a single button press
Scan paper & convert PDF files into Word
Word Prediction
ClaroRead Extras
ClaroCapture
ScreenRuler 
ClaroView 
