ReadSpeaker is a company that provides text-to-speech solutions on the web. Their solutions provide users with alternative methods of consuming text-based content, such as through listening to it directly or downloading it as sound files without the need to download and install additional software.
The ReadSpeaker docReader integration for Brightspace provides audio rendering of supported document types in Content, Quizzes, Discussions, and Assignments.
D2L also supports a ReadSpeaker integration solution that automatically enables ReadSpeaker online text-to-speech technology for HTML content in Brightspace. Any user can hear their HTML course content spoken aloud or download it as an MP3 using only their internet browser. Users can also highlight and play back a subset of the content.
Key features of ReadSpeaker docReader
Once you turn on and configure the ReadSpeaker docReader integration for your organization, learners can easily access this feature inside a Content topic via the Open with docReader button or the topic's context menu. The docReader viewer integrates seamlessly within Content.
The ReadSpeaker docReader integration offers audio playback of the following document types:
- EPUB (.epub)
- Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (.pps, .ppt, .pptx)
- Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
- OpenOffice/OpenDocument Presentation (.odp)
- OpenOffice/OpenDocument Spreadsheet (.ods)
- OpenOffice/OpenDocument Text (.odt)
- Portable Document Format (.pdf)
- Rich Text Format (.rtf)
Note Ensure that any text you require ReadSpeaker to narrate is contained within the <body> tags of the HTML file. Any text that is externally referenced by the HTML file (through JavaScript, for example) will appear as expected in BrightSpace, but will not be narrated by the ReadSpeaker integration.
Administering ReadSpeaker docReader
Organizations must have a ReadSpeaker account to access ReadSpeaker docReader. Contact your client account manager if you need assistance acquiring access to ReadSpeaker technology, and enabling the integration for your instance.
Once you have the ReadSpeaker docReader integration installed, you can turn on access to it for your organization using Organization Tools in Brightspace. You can view and set configuration variables for docReader using the Config Variable Browser tool.
Note: Ensure that any text you require ReadSpeaker to narrate is contained within the <body> tags of the HTML file. Any text that is externally referenced by the HTML file (through JavaScript, for example) appears as expected in BrightSpace, but is not narrated by the ReadSpeaker integration.
Turn on and configure ReadSpeaker docReader in Brightspace
- Do one of the following:
- If you want to turn on the ReadSpeaker docReader for an org, from the Admin Tools menu, click Organization Tools.
- If you want to turn on the Readspeaker docReader for a specific course, click Course Admin.
- In the Tool Availability list, turn on ReadSpeaker docReader Integration.
- From the Admin Tools menu, click Config Variable Browser.
- Search for docReader variables and set the following configurations:
- Click d2l.3rdParty.ReadSpeakerDocReader.CustomerId and enter the customer ID provided by ReadSpeaker.
- Click d2l.3rdParty.ReadSpeakerDocReader.DocReaderUrl and enter the docReader URL provided by ReadSpeaker.
- Click d2l.3rdParty.ReadSpeakerDocReader.DocReader and check the URL that the integration interacts with. D2L has worked with ReadSpeaker to provide the default URL as the instance value. However, if ReadSpeaker or D2L has provided a different URL, then you can add an org-level override value.