This is an occasional bulletin of the National Aphasia Association (NAA) that passes along items of interest to the aphasia community. Although the two internet resources mentioned below were not designed specifically for people with aphasia, they may be helpful for people who have difficulty reading printed material. They both involve "talking" components. If you try either of them, please let the NAA know what you think. Legally speaking, this information is being provided as a service by NAA and we are not responsible for these websites and their content or any issues related to their use. This listing is not an endorsement.


For people who have difficulty reading websites, WeMedia (www.wemedia.com) is offering a free talking browser. When asked, WeMedia said they had not received any comments from people with aphasia, so if you try it, please let WeMedia -- and the NAA -- know whether you find it helpful. To download the browser, click here!


Bookshare (www.bookshare.org) is a website that has a collection of digital books that can be downloaded from your computer and read aloud by Realplayer or other devices. There is no charge to download books that are in the public domain. To download copyrighted books, there is a $25 setup fee and a $50 annual membership fee. Membership allows you to access as many books from the full collection as you like. While the website is not aphasia-friendly, the concept may be useful for some people with aphasia. If you have aphasia, you will probably need someone to help you use the site.


If you need to download the basic version of Realplayer (which is free) go here!


If you try either of these services, please let the NAA know if you find them helpful:


Joan F. Peters, Esq.
Executive Director
National Aphasia Association
naa@aphasia.org
www.aphasia.org