What is ReadSpeaker?
ReadSpeaker is service that has multiple products to help users read online content. WebReader is tool to help user when reading text from screen. DocReader is tool for reading documents.
ReadSpeaker tools are service based so you can find WebReader or DocReader in some Aalto services but not all of them. This page is about ReadSpeaker services in MyCourses service.
How to activate ReadsSpeaker WebReader and DocReader MyCourses course space?
In course space ReadSpeaker is not activated by default. Teacher need to activate it for students in course spaces. When activated it will activate both Webreader and DocReader. Aalto licence includes three languages: English, Finnish and Swedish. Teacher can select one as a default language for course but user can change reading language when using system. If language is not selected default will be English. User can change reader language when using WebReader of DocReader.
Activate player on course space
- go to course space and Turn editin on
- open left side menu and find link "Add a block"
- from pop up menu select "ReadSpeaker webReader"
- Now you can see ReadSpeaker player on the right side of the page.
- ReadSpeaker is now active on you page.
Configure player and block
- open configuration from gear icon and select "Configurate listen to this page using ReadSpeaker block"
- Configure two things.
1. set the language EN, FI, SV
2. set the Dosplay on page types to "Any type" this means than block will be shown on any page on course.
- Save changes
How to make ReadSpeaker read content in course space
There are few different ways you can use reader when course space.
- If you just click play button reader tries to read page content. It does not read everything on page but it tries to find page content text.
- You can select text on page or if activate user can hover on page element to select readable content. After selection you will see menu where you can listen selected text. There is also Dictionary and Translation available (uses google translation)
- If teacher upload a text file (.odp .ods. odt .xls .xlxs .pps .ppt .pptx .doc .docx .rtf .epub .pdf) to MyCourses as a resource ReadSpeaker provides online service ReadSpeaker docReader where user can use multiple tool to read the file content. User can open document in online service by clicking ReadSpeaker icon (see image below) instead of document name. Icon will be added automatically to resource activities when ReadSpeaker block is added to course space.
