Please note: The algorithm descriptions in English have been automatically translated. Errors may have been introduced in this process. For the original descriptions, go to the Dutch version of the Algorithm Register.

Readspeaker

Read-aloud software on municipal website that a visitor can use to convert text on the website to speech.

Last change on 30th of September 2024, at 14:45 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0
Publication category
Other algorithms
Impact assessment
Field not filled in.
Status
In use

General information

Theme

Organisation and business operations

Begin date

2019-01

Contact information

gemeente@beekdaelen.nl

Link to publication website

https://www.beekdaelen.nl/toegankelijkheid

Responsible use

Goal and impact

The aim of this algorithm is to support visually impaired users. There are many people in the Netherlands who have reading difficulties and thus have problems understanding texts on websites. Think of low-literates, non-native speakers, people with disabilities, poor vision, concentration problems, etc. On the municipality of Beekdaelen's website, a visitor can use Readspeaker. This is software that can read text aloud. Anyone can use ReadSpeaker.

The version of this reading aid is accessible, AVG-proof and extended with extra functionalities, such as reading out with mouse selection, magnification function, screen masking and much more.

Considerations

Advantageously, this algorithm makes the municipal website more accessible to people with visual impairments. Although ReadSpeaker strives for high accuracy, no text-to-speech solution is guaranteed to be 100% error-free. This is because language is complex and dialects and specific terminology can also impact accuracy. The better the pronunciation, the higher the chances of an error-free conversion.

Human intervention

ReadSpeaker automatically converts the text on the municipal website to speech, no human intervention (required).

Risk management

Field not filled in.

Legal basis

WCAG 2.1, level A and AA are mandatory.

From 5 October 2023, WCAG 2.2 A and AA will be recommended.

Links to legal bases

Tijdelijk besluit digitale toegankelijkheid overheid: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0040936/2018-07-01

Operations

Data

All texts (all content) on the website are read aloud.

Technical design

The pre-reading software on our website, ReadSpeaker also includes a (DNN) algorithm. "ReadSpeaker uses next-generation Deep Neural Network (DNN) technology to structurally improve voice quality at all levels." This means that ReadSpeaker uses an advanced technology -based on neural networks- to structurally improve the quality of conversion to speech.

External provider

ReadSpeaker

Link to code base

Link naar externe pagina https://readspeaker.com/about/

Similar algorithm descriptions

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