Overview

ReadSpeaker is a text to speech tool for HTML pages within the Content, Assignments, and Quizzes areas of D2L Brightspace.  As the instructor, you do not have to activate anything--the tool is simply there for use.

About

Located at the top of the text box within the content area of any HTML page created within the Content section of D2L Brightspace. An HTML page is indicated by the globe within a file icon: icon

screenshot step1

Once you click on the play button the tool will expand to show all of its functionality:

  1. Play Controls
  2. Sound Control
  3. ReadSpeaker Settings 
  4. Download audio (audio from HTML pages can be downloaded as MP3 files)

 step2 screenshot

Settings Option

Change some of the basic settings to suit your needs.

Highlighting

  • Text highlighting: Turn on (default); Turn off
  • Highlighting options: Word and sentence (default); Sentence only; Word only; No highlighting
  • Word color (highlight will follow voice)
  • Sentence color (sentence will be highlighted, indicating where the voice will read next)

Reading

  • Speed: Slow; Medium (default); Fast

General

  • Automatic scrolling: On; Off (default)
  • Pop-up button: On (default); Off

screenshot settings

New Features Added

Dictionary and Translate are two new features in Readspeaker

Select a section of text from an HTML page in Content, a popup menu will appear.

screenshot

Selecting either Dictionary or Translate will open another pane with the definition or the translation. Note: These features do not work in Quizzes along with the Download feature.