Can Khan Academy be used with a screen reader or read-aloud tools?

Khan Academy offers a few options for learners who use a screen reader or read-aloud tools. This article can help you find which option(s) work best for you or your students!

First, let’s clarify the differences between screen readers and read-aloud: 

• Screen reader: 
  • Definition: An assistive technology to make websites accessible for users with low or no vision 
  • Functionality: It converts text, buttons, navigational elements, images, and other screen elements into speech or braille. Then the user can click on the elements and navigate the site as a sighted person would 
  • Intended audience: People with no or limited vision
• Read aloud: 
  • Definition: A software feature or application that uses text-to-speech (TTS) technology to convert written text into spoken audio
  • Functionality: It allows users to listen to written text instead of reading it
  • Intended audience: Younger students, students with dyslexia, or anyone who would benefit from having written text read aloud to them while still seeing the words on a screen. 

How to use a screen readers with Khan Academy:

For users with low or no vision, we recommend the below screen readers and browser combinations for your Khan Academy learning journey: 

• NVDA for Google Chrome browser
  • NVDA + Google Chrome is the recommended screen reader and browser combination when using Khan Academy
  • Note: If you opt to go for NVDA, installing the Mathplayer or Mathcat plugins is a must for equations on Khan Academy to be read to the user

• JAWS for Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browsers
• VoiceOver for iOS or macOS devices with the Safari browser

How to use read-aloud tools with Khan Academy:

While we don’t have a built in read-aloud functionality on the Khan Academy site itself, below are some options for you to explore.

• Please note: the below read-aloud tools are imperfect on our site, as we prioritize and test our site for the screen reader use cases, rather than read-aloud. 

1. Use the built-in read-aloud tool on your device 
   • Some devices have read-aloud tools pre-installed
   • If you have a Chromebook:
     • You can use the Immersive Reader feature called ChromeVox by clicking on the "Select to speak" option.
     • Resource: Google Help Center: How to use the built-in screen reader 
   • If you are using an iOS device (iPhone or iPad): 
     • Siri may be able to read the webpage out loud to you.
     • Resource: Apple Help Center: Use Siri to listen to a webpage in Safari on iPhone. 
   • If using the Safari browser:
     • Highlight the text you would like read aloud, then click “Edit” in the upper menu, followed by “Speech” and “Start Speaking.”
2. Install a read-aloud browser extension 
   • Google Chrome Extension: Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader 
   • Firefox Browser: Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader
   • Note: installing these may interfere with the Khan Academy site functionality and you may need to disable the browser extension for troubleshooting purposes 
3. Copy and paste Khan Academy content into your preferred read-aloud software
   • We don’t place any digital rights management (DRM) restrictions on Khan Academy content, which means you are free to copy and paste articles into read-aloud software.
4. Copy and paste text from Khan Academy into a document, and save it as a PDF
   • Open the PDF in a PDF reader— Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, for example, is free.
   • In Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, click on the Read Out Loud option in the View menu.
5. Use Khanmigo to read aloud the text on the screen  
   • If you have access to Khanmigo, it has a built in read-aloud feature. Click the headphones icon to enable the Khanmigo Voice and ask it to read the text on the page. 
   • Resource: Does Khanmigo have a read-aloud or Text-to-speech feature?

Give these options a try and see if they work for your needs!

Need additional help? You can reach out to the Khan Academy Support Team here.

Have accessibility feedback to share? You can contact Khan Academy's accessibility team: accessibility@khanacademy.org