Embedded Files
These tools allow mark up of documents, define unfamiliar words, and pull readable text out of images or PDFs.
What is Annotating?
What is Annotating?
It is the process of marking up a text while reading. Instead of just passive reading, annotating allows students to highlight key points, write questions, draw connections, and leave notes directly on the page to build deeper comprehension.
Annotating tools allow students to mark up, highlight, and take notes directly on digital texts to improve comprehension.
OrbitNote: This is Texthelp's specialized PDF tool. It allows students to highlight, type, draw, and insert voice comments directly onto digital documents, making static PDFs fully collaborative and accessible.
Kami: An interactive PDF and document annotator. Kami excels at turning static worksheets into dynamic, fillable documents where students can use freehand drawing, shapes, text boxes, and voice/video comments to show what they know.
Apple Preview: The built-in image and PDF viewer for macOS. It offers a robust, free set of markup tools that allow students to highlight text, add text boxes, draw freehand, insert shapes, and leave notes directly on any PDF document.
What is the Dictionary tool?
What is the Dictionary tool?
It is an on-demand vocabulary aid. Rather than stopping to search for a word elsewhere, these tools provide instant definitions, translations, and visual aids right on the screen so students can quickly understand tough words and keep reading.
Dictionary tools provide instant definitions, translations, and visual aids right on the screen.
Read&Write for Google Chrome: Features both standard written dictionaries and a Picture Dictionary that provides visual symbols alongside definitions—ideal for English Language Learners (ELLs) and visual learners.
iOS Accessibility: The iPad and iPhone's built-in "Look Up" feature, which allows students to highlight any word in a document or web page to instantly see its definition or translation without leaving the app.
Google Translate: Available as a web extension or mobile app, it allows students to highlight any unfamiliar word or phrase to get instant translation, definition, and audio pronunciation in over 100 languages.
Microsoft Immersive Reader: Features a built-in Picture Dictionary (powered by Boardmaker) and instant translation. Students can click any word to see a clear visual illustration, hear it read aloud, or translate it into dozens of different languages on the fly.
What is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?
What is Optical Character Recognition (OCR)?
OCR is technology that scans images, locked PDFs, or photos of worksheets and pulls the text out. It turns "unreadable" images into real, live text that digital tools can read aloud, translate, and highlight.
OCR tools extract text from scanned worksheets, photos of paper handouts, and image-only PDF documents.
Read&Write for Google Chrome: Features the Screenshot Reader tool. Students can drag a box over any image, math equation, or locked PDF, and the tool will instantly convert the locked image into readable text
OrbitNote: Features a powerful, one-click OCR scanner that instantly turns physical paper documents or scanned "image" PDFs into accessible, editable, and readable digital documents.
iOS Live Text: Built directly into iPad and iPhone system settings. Students can simply open their Camera app or any photo/screenshot, tap the Live Text icon, and instantly select, copy, translate, or listen to the text found directly inside the image.
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