iPad iOS 15 - Speak Selection

[msalomon1]

Hello,

Before Apple switched over to iOS 15, Speak Selection would work within the Canvas App on an iPad. Speak Selection still works everywhere else on the iPad, Voice Over is not having issues.

I have tried toggling speak selection on and off and that did not work. Any known fixes for Speak Selection within the Canvas App? 

[ColtonSwapp]

Hello @msalomon1 

I was not able to see that there is an option/setting for speak selection within the canvas student app that can be toggled or configured since it typically a device setting. On the device settings, under accessibility there is an option for Spoken Content that can be configured when the student selects some text. 

When the student uses the mobile app on iOS, they can tap and hold over text and select the option for Speak and it will read the highlighted text out loud. HERE is the documentation I was reading about it. 

I did not see anything listed HERE about it. However, If the students are not getting the option for Speak when it might be best to reach out to support and see if there are any known issues on it. 

Hopefully this helps! 

-Colton 

[msalomon1 · Accepted solution]

Hello!

Speak Selection is a tool listed under the category of Spoken Content. It was working successfully in Canvas prior to iOS 15. The SPEAK button appears after you highlight the text, however, would only work on the selectable text.

I have since found a workaround using Speak Screen and from my trials seems more beneficial than speak selection. Thank you though!

[elopez5]

This is a problem still on the newest iOS to date. Any updates to this post?

[crhyland]

We have noticed the same thing in the iPad Canvas app and have found these two work arounds that will allow the students to use speak selection. It was working fine before OS15. Once we updated the iPad to OS15 and higher speak selection stopped working inside the iPad Canvas App. We have tested it on iPads running OS15+ and OS16.1

It appears this issue is only happening when utilizing the actual iPad Canvas App and works fine when logged into Canvas in Safari. The first and easiest solution is to log into Canvas in Safari. As long as the Speak Selection function is toggled "on" in the iPad settings it will work.

If you want to use speak selection in the iPad Canvas App follow the steps below.

1. Completely close the Canvas App (you do not need to log out of the app)

2. Go to the iPad settings > Accessibility >Spoken Content and toggle the Speak Selection tool OFF.

3. Open the iPad Canvas app back up and the Speak Selection Tool will work.

So, In essence, for the iPad Canvas app, it seems like it's working backwards. If Speak Selection is off it will work in the App. If it's toggled on it will not work in the app.