Microsoft’s free Learning Tools keep getting better. This week Microsoft announced ten updates that are either available now or will be available soon to Word and OneNote users. And if you’re not currently using Word or OneNote some of these updates just might make you give Word and OneNote a try. Here are some of the highlights of the updates announced this week.
More Implementations and Options for Immersive Reader
Immersive Reader is a fantastic tool that greatly improves the accessibility of documents and notes. You can watch my short introductions to it here and here. For 2019 Immersive Reader will have the following new options:
- Microsoft Translator features are being added to Immersive Reader. This means that you will not only be able to hear pages read aloud while words are highlighted, you’ll also be able to hear and read those pages in multiple languages.
- Immersive Reader + Math Assistant = reading aloud the steps to completing a mathematics problem. This feature will be available in OneNote for Windows and OneNote online.
- Immersive Reader + Math + Word = Immersive Reader reading aloud math problems that appear in Word documents.
- IT administrators will now be able to push out the Immersive Reader app from the Microsoft Store. This applies to the OneNote 2016 Learning Tools add-in.
Dictation and Dictionaries
In addition to Immersive Reader, Microsoft’s Learning Tools include some excellent dictation and dictionary functions for students. Here are the highlights of what’s available in 2019:
- The dictation function is now available to all OneNote Online users.
- Dictation in the online version of Word will be completely rolled-out by February.
- Parts of speech and image picture dictionaries will be available in Korean, Arabic, and Hebrew. These options will be available in Word Online, OneNote Online, Windows 10 app, iPad and Mac, Outlook Online, Teams and Flipgrid.
Read the complete list of ten updates with illustrations of the new features right here.
