Introduction
Read&Write is a multi-platform literacy support toolbar to support implementation of the Universal Design for Learning framework within instructional environments. Use Read&Write to:
- Proofread or highlight a document.
- Convert digital text into spoken audio and vise-versa.
- Look words up in a dictionary or picture dictionary.
- Translate words and paragraphs.
- Read websites, Google Docs, Microsoft Office, and PDF Files aloud.
Read&Write can run on Windows, MacOS, as an Extension within Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, and on mobile devices.
The Accessible Technologies group in Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies provides Read&Write to the Virginia Tech community.
Contents
Instructions
Read&Write Feature
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Windows
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Mac
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Google Chrome
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Microsoft Edge
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iPad**
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Android**
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Text to speech |
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Dictionary |
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Picture dictionary |
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Prediction |
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Hover speech |
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PDF reader |
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Screenshot reader |
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Screen reader |
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Screen masking |
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Highlighting |
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Spell check |
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Translator - single word |
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Speech input |
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Speak as I type |
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*Selected features; for a complete list, see Read&Write Feature Comparison Matrix.
** Instructions for mobile devices are not included here. Instead, see Read&Write resources below.
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Installing Desktop Read&Write
- Up-to-date versions of Read&Write for Windows and Mac are available on the Texthelp website.
Download from Texthelp Website
- Go to Texthelp: Read&Write.
- Scroll down and click the dropdown arrow for Try Read&Write and click on your operating system.
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- Follow the prompt to download the installer.
Install & Register - Windows
- Open the download.
- Allow Read&Write to make changes to your computer.
- Click Install.
- Click Accept and Install.
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- After installation, a desktop shortcut will appear. Open Read&Write.
- The Read&Write handle will appear at the top of your screen. Click on the Read&Write icon.
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- If this is your first time installing the software, you'll go to the sign in page for Read&Write. Click Sign in with Google.
- Sign in with your Virginia Tech Google account.
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- If a firewall security alert appears, click Allow access.
Install & Register - MacOS
- Click read&write.dmg.
- In the popup, drag the Read&Write icon to the Applications folder.
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- In the Applications folder, open Read&Write.
- After Read&Write verifies, you'll get a pop up about Read&Write being an app downloaded from the Internet. Click Open in the popup.
- Click on Open Privacy & Security to toggle the accessibility permission for Read&Write on, then navigate back to the popup and click Done.
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- Click I accept the User Terms, then OK.
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- Click Sign in with Google and sign into your Virginia Tech Google account.
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- The Read&Write tool bar will appear.
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Read&Write Voice Files
Additional Voices files for both Mac and Windows are available for download via Google Drive. Installation instructions can be found at on TextHelp's support website.
- You must be logged in with your Virginia Tech Google Account to access and download these files.
- Note that Mac only has US and UK Female additional voices available.
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Adding Read&Write Browser Extensions
Adding Google Chrome Read&Write Extension
- Go to Read&Write for Google Chrome™ and click Add to Chrome.
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- In the pop-up click Add extension.
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- The extension will download and install. If you're asked to log into your Virginia Tech Google account, do so and click Allow. Your information will remain private.
- Click the purple puzzle piece on Chrome's toolbar to open Read&Write.
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- The Read&Write toolbar will appear. Move the toolbar using the drag-and-drop arrows (you can't move the Google Workspace for Education app version).
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- If you're using a Google Workspace for Education app, click the puzzle icon in the Doc, Sheet, or Slide to show the toolbar.
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- Access the Getting Started with Read&Write for Google Chrome guide for an overview on where and how to access the product once the extension is installed.
Adding Microsoft Edge Read&Write Extension
To use the Read&Write extension on your Microsoft Edge browser, please access the installation instructions on Texthelp's website for the step by step guide.
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Setting Read&Write Options
- Read&Write options are similar across platforms, so only instructions for the Google Chrome extension are detailed here.
- On the Read&Write toolbar, click on the Settings icon.
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- Set options. By default, language is set to US English and all features are enabled.
- Click Speech to change reading speed, reading pausing, and default translation language.
- Click Prediction to change the number of prediction results for typed words and predicted text size.
- Click Screen Masking to change the background and reading light colors and opacity.
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Reading Text Aloud
- Read&Write has four tools for converting on-screen text to audio.
- The following instructions are for the Google Chrome extension, but the tools work the same in the desktop versions unless otherwise noted.
Hover Over Text to Read it Aloud
- Click the Hover Speech icon.
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- Hover your mouse point over onscreen text (other icons are grayed out when using Hover Speech).
- Read&Write will read the text aloud and continue reading down the page until you hover over a different place.
- The sentence will be highlighted in yellow, and the word being read in blue.
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- Click the Hover Speech icon again to exit Hover Speech mode.
Select Text to Read Aloud
- Select text.
- Click the Play icon in the Read&Write toolbar.
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- Read&Write will read the text aloud, continuing down the page.
- Click the Stop icon to exit Play mode.
Read Screenshots Aloud
- In the Read&Write toolbar, click the screenshot reader icon. (The first time you click the screenshot reader icon, you'll be prompted to add the Screenshot reader extension to Chrome. Do so.)
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- Draw a box around the section you want to read and click again when finished.
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- The Screenshot Reader will begin to read the words. Don't click outside the box while it's reading or the reader might freeze.
- Click X in the top right of the screenshot to close Screenshot Reader.
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Create Audio Files From Text
- Highlight text and click the Audio Maker icon.
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- Read&Write will make a recording of the selected text read aloud and download it to your computer.
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Screen Mask
- Screen Mask dulls your screen except for the row your cursor is in.
- Click the Screen Mask icon.
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- Move your cursor up and down the page.
- You can only use Read&Write tools in the masked area.
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- Click Screen Mask icon again to exit masking mode.
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Looking Up Words
Dictionary and Picture Dictionary
- Highlight a word with your cursor.
- Click the book icon to look up the formal definition or click the picture icon to see a picture.
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- A Dictionary or Picture Dictionary window will pop up with definitions or pictures.
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- Click the play icon next to the word or definition to hear it read aloud.
- Click X to close the popup.
Web search
- Highlight a word or term with your cursor.
- Click the web search icon.
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- Google search results will appear in a new tab.
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Translating Words
- Select a word to translate.
- Click the translate icon.
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- A popup will appear with the translation.
- Change language in Options -> Speech next to Translation.
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Highlighting Text & Collecting Highlights
- You can highlight text in different colors, then filter for highlighted text.
- Select text:
- Click the highlight icons to highlight it.
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- Click the Clear highlights icon to remove highlighting.
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- Filter text:
- Click the Collect Highlights icon to show all highlights or highlights by color.
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Composing
Predict Words Based on What You Type
- Click the Prediction icon.
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- Begin typing. Prediction will show a list of predicted words based on what you typed.
- Click a word to insert it.
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- Click the Prediction icon again to exit Prediction mode.
Convert Speech to Text
- Read&Write includes voice recognition - Talk&Type.
- Use Talk&Type to insert text in Google Workspace for Education.
- Click the Talk&Type icon. Allow Read&Write to access your computer's microphone if you haven’t already.
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- The Talk&Type tool will open in recording mode, and a microphone popup will appear on screen.
- Red microphone = recording
- Black microphone = standby
- Speak. Talk&Type will recognize your speech and convert it into text.
- Say "period," "new line", etc. to enter punctuation.
- Click the microphone to stop converting speech to text.
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- Click the X on the microphone popup to exit Talk&Type.
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Editing
Check Spelling and Grammar
- Check spelling in Google Workspace for Education applications.
- Click the Check It icon.
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- Read&Write will underline spelling and grammar errors.
- Click an underlined word to see:
- Spelling errors and suggested correct spellings. Click to select a replacement word.
- Grammar errors, explanations, and editing suggestions.
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- Click the Check It icon again to exit Check It mode.
Make Spoken Comments
- Record comments up to one minute long.
- Insert comments in Google Workspace for Education documents.
- Click the Voice Note icon. The Voice Note popup will appear.
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- Click the microphone to record a voice note; click again when done.
- Click Insert to insert the voice comment.
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- Click X to exit Voice Note mode.
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Reading PDFs
Texthelp has a new tool called OrbitNote that provides expanded capability with PDFs. Users of Read&Write desktop applications on both Mac and PC can still use the PDF button on the toolbar to open a PDF and get basic read aloud functionality. Please see PDF Annotation Tool - How to use OrbitNote for information on how to access and use this tool.
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Troubleshooting
Getting Error That Downloaded File is Damaged.
In MacOS, a security setting can prevent installation, giving the error Read&Write is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the trash. Change your security settings to allow it. Instructions vary by MacOS version:
MacOS 10.11.6 El Capitan
- Make sure you're logged in as an administrator.
- Open System Preferences.
- Go to Security & Privacy.
- Click the lock icon and enter your password to make changes.
- On the General tab, under Allow application downloaded from, select Anywhere.
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- Click Allow From Anywhere and close the Security & Privacy window.
- Install Read&Write Gold.
- After you activate it Read&Write, you can your Security & Privacy settings for Allow applications downloaded from back to Mac App store and identified developers.
MacOS 10.12 Sierra & MacOS 10.13 High Sierra
- Make sure you're logged in as an administrator.
- Open Finder and go to Applications -> Utilities.
- In the Utilities folder, start Terminal.
- In Terminal type: sudo spctl --master-disable
- Enter your password.
- Open System Preferences.
- Go to Security & Privacy.
- Click the lock icon and enter your password to make changes.
- On the General tab under Allow application downloaded from select Anywhere.
- Click Allow from anywhere when prompted, then close the Security & Privacy window.
- Follow the installation instructions to install Read&Write.
- Open Finder and go to Applications > Utilities.
- In the Utilities folder, locate Terminal.
- In Terminal, type the following command: sudo spctl --master-enable
- This will reset Security & Privacy to the default.
Can't Read Online Text Aloud.
- Make sure you're using the Google Chrome extension. Desktop versions of Read&Write can't read online text.
- Make sure the Google Chrome extension is registered and you're logged in to your Virginia Tech Google account.
- Use the Hover Text tool or play the page instead of the screenshot reader, which is less stable.
Google Chrome Read&Write Toolbar Won't Open.
- Make sure the Google Chrome extension is registered and you're logged in to your Virginia Tech Google account.
- Refresh the page and/or click the puzzle icon again.
Google Chrome Screenshot Reader Won't Process Text After Screenshot is Taken.
- Texthelp is working to solve issues with the screenshot reader. In the meantime, close the Screenshot Reader, re-open it, and try again.
Google Chrome Screenshot Reader Stopped Working.
- If you click outside the box while using the screenshot reader is reading, it might stop. Take another screenshot and start again.
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Getting Help
Read&Write Training
Read&Write Resources
Read&Write Tech Support
Texthelp, the makers of Read&Write, support it. Contact their support team via:
Read&Write Usage & Info
For an introduction to or help using Read&Write, contact Accessible Technologies:
Resources
Printable quick reference cards and additional resources:
Video tutorials:
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