How Do I Improve Text Accessibility?
Welcome to the page on how one can improve text accessibility! This page contains much information on tools offered at DMU and an introduction of how to use it. More details can be found below for further reading.
If you have any questions about this tool, please contact DMU Support at support@divinemercy.edu.
Reasons for Using Text Accessibility Tools
Many reasons exist for using accessibility tools. All students, including those with learning disabilities, those on the go, those who are visually impaired, and those wanting a multi-sensory experience, can use accessibility tools and might find them helpful. It can also improve content understanding and retention as well as improving coursework reading skills.
Accessibility Technology at Divine Mercy University
DMU has enabled a new tool for students and faculty to use that will provide Text to Speech options for your course. With this tool, you can listen to online lessons, documents, quizzes, discussions, assignments, and more! Features also include enlarging text, changing voices, highlighting, and dictation. Anyone can use the accessibility technology tool at Divine Mercy University, and it has many benefits for all. There are 3 main parts to this tool:
1. Listen to Text throughout Your Canvas Course
This part is useful for reading Canvas text.
2. Text to Speech for Embedded Documents in Canvas
This part is useful for reading documents, such as handouts, and articles, in Canvas.
3. Text to speech for documents outside of Canvas
This part is useful for websites outside of Canvas or resources within the DMU Library
To Listen to Text Throughout Your Canvas Course
1. In Canvas, you will find an icon in the left navigation below the Help button. Click this icon to open the text to speech menu.
2. The text to speech menu will allow you to play the text on screen.
Watch the following video playlist to view step-by-step demonstrations showing how to use all the different features of this tool:
To Listen to Text to Speech for Embedded Documents in Canvas:
1. Text to speech icons will appear next to embedded documents throughout Canvas. If you see a resource that does not have this icon, you will need to use #3 below.
2. After you click the text to speech icon, the document will open in a new window with a text to speech menu at the top.
Watch the following video playlist to view step-by-step demonstrations showing how to use all the different features of this tool:
To Listen to Text to Speech for Documents outside of Canvas:
1. You can use this for websites outside of Canvas or resources found within the DMU library. To open this tool, go to Modules in the left navigation of your course and then choose TextAid under the Course Resources module.
2. We recommend bookmarking or making a favorite of this link in your browser.
Here is a video that demonstrates the basics of using this tool (Vimeo):
Please proceed to the lesson linked below to explore detailed instructions. :