Quick-Start Video Guides

This guide provides an overview of product features and related technologies. In addition, it contains recommendations on best practices, tutorials for getting started, and troubleshooting information for common situations.

Quick-Start Video Guides

1. Document Reader for any document (Intro video 1:06)

·         Listen to a highlighted portion or a complete page.

·         Great to use for “listening to your own paper” for errors.

**Extensive DocReader Training Video (15:41 video) – in-depth tutorial showing all features (or choose from shorter “tool” videos below.

2. Text Aid Web Reader Tool (1:14 Intro video) - for files in your Brightspace course content

·         Reads text online, highlights words

·         Only available files created in the Content section

·         Click on the LISTEN button

·         Will read the entire file or section that you highlight

**Extensive Text Aid Training Video (25:18) or choose from shorter “tools” videos below.

3. Tools in Text Aid (5:50 video)

·         Uploads Research Articles into TextAid Library

·         Colored highlighters

·         Annotation tool (copies in article citations)

·         Dictation section for those who do not type well.

·         Image to Text function:  note-taking with phone

·         Distracted Reading (ADD/ADHD) or Accessibility

o   Screen Mask shades words (0:45 video)

o   Screen Ruler – covers areas/words below the ruler

o   Enlarged Text Tool – on the Listen lower toolbar icon. (1:09 video) - Used for heavy details or vocabulary of reading

o   Other font settings (1:46) – font size, style, background color (for dyslexia or eye strain)

o   Settings – color blind (sentence underlined)

o   Text mode – gets rid of distractions

o   Show/hide sidebar - The Show or Hide Sidebar tool is a toggle switch of sorts. Depending on your screen size, you may wish to swap between these choices. For smaller screens, you may wish to keep the left sidebar turned off. When the left sidebar is shown, you will see either thumbnail images of the pages or the headings for the pages and sections throughout the document.

·         Download mp3 files: Listen to lessons while multitasking – for on-the-go listening, no internet required.  This is in Text Aid. 

·         Dictionary Tool – (1:23 video) - vocabulary terms

·         Rewind or Fast forward (five seconds) buttons (0:47 video) – to re-listen or skim document

·         Help Tool (1:02 video) – learn about each WebReader tool (1:01 video)

·         Hoover Tool (0:49 video)– a visual tool to skim down to a specific section you want to read.

·         Change Gender or Language (1:31) – Choose male or female, and match the reading language to the document language for correct pronunciation. (Swap for long                                                                          periods of listening)

·         Change Settings (1:25).  Change Reading Speed (1:14) – personal preference or train to hear information quickly.  Can also change volume (0:56). 

·         Different settings are customizable for laptop, phone, desktop.  Can turn page automatically, and can keep reading.

·         ESL Translation Tool – Uses Google Translate for a word or phrase, not the entire document.

·         Highlighter (for study skills) Designate colors to identify subjects [e.g., test information (green); ask instructor/tutor (red)].  Use pointer for highlights.  After highlighting, collect them so you do not lose them.