Text-to-Speech software: What faculty need to know 

Background:

As a follow-up to early January's D2L trial of the "ReadSpeaker" tool, here are some FAQs about campus wide TTS tools (Text-to-Speech) available to all students at Normandale. 

What are the current TTS tools available to Normandale students? 

Any student can install or download "Read&Write," which is a licensed product managed by the Office for Students with Disabilities. 

How can students access Read&Write? 

From the D2L Homepage, any user can find the documentation in the "Tech Help" menu in the upper left of the D2L navigation bar. 

How would ReadSpeaker be different than Read&Write? 

• ReadSpeaker is easier for students to find, access, and use.
• It would be embedded into the D2L interface.
• Our license would include a "web reader" extension for external websites, and a “Doc Reader” option for uploaded documents.    

  The screenshot below shows the ReadSpeaker tool at the top of a D2L webpage.

Can TTS tools like Read&Write or ReadSpeaker be "turned off" for individual courses or activities in D2L? 

• Generally no, as these tools follow principles of "Universal Design for Learning" (UDL). (There is an "Exam Mode" in ReadSpeaker which we are still learning about.)
• Further, the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is requiring that all digital spaces for public entities be digitally accessible by April of 2026, which would include any webpage or digital space within our D2L platform. 

If current students are not using the licensed Read&Write tool, what other TTS tools might they be using? 

• Most browsers have free TTS tools in the "Accessibility settings," or students can install a free browser extension such as "Read Aloud," or paid subscriptions such as "Speechify." 
• Other students may be using downloaded screen reader software such as JAWS.
• This IT Knowledge Base article provides more information about the options listed above. 

How will I know if my students are using TTS tools or screen readers in an online environment? 

• There is no official way to know, as students are not required to disclose a disability, and any student may be using these tools for a variety of reasons without informing their instructor.
• If ReadSpeaker is something that is licensed at Normandale, it is likely that more students will use it than are currently using other TTS tools. 

Is ReadSpeaker going to replace the Read&Write tool at Normandale, and if so, when? 

• The current Read&Write license expires in March 2025, and we are currently working on the logistics of whether we renew our license with Read&Write, or switch to ReadSpeaker at that time.
• We will provide communication to faculty, staff, and students either way. 

Questions?

Contact ctl@normandale.edu