the speech module converts a speech requirement and a behaviour into actual speech
it also allows voice selection for text to speech functions

the speech module   interrogates a msaccess database to find the correct piece of speech for the required circumstance
this allows speech sets to be customised easily for a particular audience or language

the speech returned by the database may be in the form of a wav file of audio which is replayed using standard ms multimedia dll calls or a text string which is converted to speech using text to speech technology

ms speech api (sapi) version 5.1 was downloaded from the ms website and example programs were used as a basis for the code

a comprehensive web trawl was executed in an attempt to find a free or low-cost uk english voice
no such voice could be found for sapi version 5.1 but a free lernout and hauspie uk english voice was found for sapi version 4
the speech system was downgraded to sapi version 4.0 so that this voice could be used

the sapi5 version of the module was superior in that it used a com control rather than an activex control which means that an invisible form is not required
both sapi4 and sapi5 allow control over emphasis in the speech by use of embedded tags