This feature, located along the top right of most Canvas content pages, assists a variety of learners by:
reading text aloud at adjustable speeds
removing visual clutter to minimize distraction (but will read alt text -- indicated in brackets in the screenshot below)
allowing users to adjust fonts and sizes (especially helpful for dyslexic and low-vision users)
providing adjustable spacing to help support reading comprehension and retention
Immersive Reader also facilitates language translation and includes a picture dictionary, which can assist students with communication difficulties. The Immersive Reader tool aligns with principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by fostering multiple means of representing information and multiple ways for learners to engage with that information. You might consider demonstrating it for students and adding it to your syllabus accessibility statement or resource list. If you play around with Immersive Reader on Bruin Learn and find it helpful, you can also download the free Chrome extension to support your web reading. You can also view research behind Immersive Reader here.
