Windows 7 Narrator - Text to Speech.

Windows 7 Narrator is a basic but powerful text to speech software package that is included with the operating system. It works in the same manner as it did in Windows Vista. Narrator will read aloud what is on screen as you navigate using both your keyboard and mouse.

Narrator Reads:

Program Windows: Switching between program windows, Narrator will announce which window currently has focus.

Keystrokes: Narrator will echo each keystroke. Note: If you type very, very slowly the echo of the keystrokes works well. If you type fast, all you hear is "space", "space", "space" and the odd letter or number between pauses.

Reads text within some programs:
Narrator will read text or selected text within some programs but not all programs. Example: Narrator reads text from Notepad, yet not many people use notepad. Narrator does not read text from Internet Explorer or Windows Mail which many or most of us will use daily. Use SpeakComputer free Text-to-Speech software for the Text-to-Speech features for Internet Explorer and Windows Mail

Configure Narrator.

To start Narrator, click start, Control Panel and double click "Ease of Access Center".

Click "Start Narrator".

On the Narrator dialog box, you can configure basic settings for how Narrator reads text aloud.

Conclusion:
Microsoft Windows 7 Narrator is very limiting in control. But what is does, it does well.


Controlling what Narrator reads aloud. Use the following keyboard short cuts to control what Narrator reads. Remember Windows 7 Narrator reads text only from certain programs, not all programs.

keyboard shortcut	do this
CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER	Get information about the current item
CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR	Read the entire selected window
CTRL+ALT+SPACEBAR	Read the selected window layout
ALT+HOME	Get information about the current item
ALT+END	Get a summary of the current item
INSERT+SHIFT+G	Read a description of the dependent elements of the currently selected element
INSERT+CTRL+G	Read a description of the non-dependent elements adjacent to the currently selected element
INSERT+CTRL+HOME	Enter Virtual Menu navigation mode, which allows you to access Narrator commands without switching from the program that you're currently working with
CTRL	Stop Narrator from reading text
INSERT+Q	Move the text selection to the start of the previous text pattern
INSERT+W	Move the text selection to the start of the next text pattern
INSERT+E	Move the text selection to the start of the current text pattern
INSERT+R	Move the text selection to the end of the current text pattern
INSERT+F2	Select all of the text with the current text pattern
INSERT+F3	Read the current character
INSERT+F4	Read the current word
INSERT+F5	Read the current line
INSERT+F6	Read the current paragraph
INSERT+F7	Read the current page
INSERT+F8	Read the current document