QR codes are a fast way of retrieving information from URL’s on websites, blogs or from a QR code on hard copy. A prior post QR Codes as AT reviewed QR apps and QR Voice, an online resource for creating a QR Code that provides audio from short texts (100 characters).

Is there any way of creating QR codes from longer texts?

Yes there is!

Chirbit is a free membership web-based service that will convert audio recordings, MP3 or Wav files, video and text to audio.

Chirbit also creates a URL with the conversion that allows you to embed in a blog, website or convert it to a QR code.

My trials produce a conversion of short story sketches from text I used from Gutenberg which when copied and pasted into Chirbit and converted quickly produced an audio recording. I could listen to the audio conversion online in my account. Use a provided URL link to embed in a website or blog (see below) or create a QR code to retrieve the source of the link and audio. The audio is not the highest quality when converting text to audio and I have not found a way to improve that yet. Here is the link to the URL and the QR code created for the converted text from The Project Gutenberg EBook of “A Few Short Sketches”, by Douglass Sherley: http://chirb.it/x0fHAh

As a QR code, with a QR reader you can take a picture of this from printed source or from the computer screen to get the link and listen to the text.

Here is an example of a text that I recorded into Chirbit then converted to audio link which yields a URL for use in a website or blog – http://chirb.it/4EJz49 or a QR code:

Not for everyone but I could see this used for students who can manage a smart phone or iPod/iPad with QR code reader app to take a picture. It doesn’t take much to click and read a code to retrieve a website, a message or reminder with the QR code. My favorite QR app is QRafter (free and 2.99 version which can made a QR code within the app). It also can keep a history of the QR codes taken for easy retrieval at a later time.

QR codes require wi-fi or a data service to link to the URL that is associated with the QR code. I think it has application for special needs students for reading, link to information, providing directions or reminders on hard copy when presented for an appropriate task.

Have you used QR codes? What might you use them for with your clients?

Carol