If you're looking for a tool to bring accessibility to reading academic papers, Audemic Scholar is a great option. The system converts ordinary research PDFs into an interactive and accessible format for reading and listening. It has text-to-speech, natural voices, translation into many languages and a range of accessibility options like speed control and dyslexic font support. It's geared for making hard-to-understand material easier to grasp and more engaging for people with learning difficulties.
Another option is Peech, a text-to-speech reader that works in more than 50 languages. It can convert text to audio on the fly, with lots of customization options, and can handle a variety of input formats, including web pages, PDFs and ebooks. Peech can be useful for people with vision problems, dyslexia or reading difficulties, but it also can be used for multitasking and content creation.