[Athen] French class using Voice Over

[Schwarte, David M.]

Hello Lorraine,

The Macintosh and iPad can automatically switch languages in Voiceover if they are marked in the text.  It is possible to manually switch the voice language, but it is tricky and will switch the language for the entire device.

In html there is a <lan> tag that will switch the language.  It is possible to add these tags in the html for blackboard pages.  For example, <lang=frfr> and </lang> would surround words that are spoken in French (specifically French from France).

In the Microsoft applications on Windows the words in a different language can be highlighted, then select the Review tab, Language, and select the specific language.  I know this will work in MS Word and Outlook with Voiceover.  I don't know about PowerPoint for Macintosh, but I know JAWS switches in PowerPoint for Windows.

I have successfully created properly reading multi-language documents in DAISy and ePub.  The challenge is getting a reader that will switch the language.  I don't know of any way to have a PDF let the assistive technology know about the language.

The important thing to know is that this will require someone to go through the text and manually tell the assistive technology to switch the language.  I suspect you will get more information from others who have more experience with this.

Thanks,
David Schwarte




From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu> On Behalf Of Norwich, Lorraine S
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2023 1:08 PM
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Subject: [Athen] French class using Voice Over

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Dear All,

We have a student who is in an introductory French class.  She is using a Mac with Voice Over and having trouble reading documents that are in French and English.  She can either read in French or in English.

Any thoughts on how to be able to go back and forward in English and French.  She also has a iPad and she is having trouble working with that.

She is using it with Blackboard, Yellow dig and Myfrench hub as well as PPT converted to PDF.   We are able to OCR the PDF so that is not an issue.

Thanks

Lorraine

Lorraine S. Norwich, BSME, MSIS

Assistant Director of Disability & Access Services

25 Buick Street 3rd Floor, Boston MA 02215

lnorwich at bu.edu<mailto:lnorwich at bu.edu> (email)

617-353-3658 (vox)

617-353-9646 (fax)

www.bu.edu/disability<http://www.bu.edu/disability> (website)

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