Literacy Support Features

Need to support students with reading difficulties or visual impairments? ePlatform's built-in literacy tools allow every student to personalise their reading experience.

eBook Settings

Inside the eBook viewer, clicking the "Aa" icon opens the Display Settings menu. Students can adjust these settings at any time, and the platform will remember their preferences for the next book.

eBook Settings on ePlatform

Font Style: Choose from 11 different fonts, including OpenDyslexic for readers with Dyslexia.
Font Size: Choose from 36 different font sizes.
Background Colour: Choose from 18 different background (page) colours.
Text Brightness: Set text brightness between 30 and 90. Higher numbers make the text darker.
Letter Spacing: Set letter spacing between 0 (Standard) and 5 (Wide).
Word Spacing: Set word spacing between 0 (Standard) and 9 (Wide).
Line Spacing: Set line spacing between 1.0 (Compact) and 2.4 (Loose).
Page Layout: Choose Single-Page (One Column) or Two-Page (Side-by-Side).
Text Alignment: Set text alignment to Left (Standard) or Justify (Straight Edges).
Night Reading Mode: Enable to switch to a black background with soft white text for easier reading in the dark.
Dyslexia-friendly Settings Wizard: A pop-up will guide the user through selecting display options.
Reset Default: Restore the default display settings.

Immersive Reader (by Microsoft)

Inside the eBook viewer, clicking the Immersive Reader icon opens the eBook in the Immersive Reader Viewer. The Immersive Reader contains additional accessibility features like Line Focus, Picture Dictionary, Translation, Parts of Speech, and more.

Text Preferences

Text Sizing: Adjust text size from 14 (Small) to 96 (Very Large).
Spacing: Turn Increased Spacing on to widen the gaps between letters and lines for better readability.
Font: Choose from 3 font styles (Calibri, Sitka, or Comic Sans).
Themes: Select from 21 background colour themes to reduce eye strain.

Grammar Options

Syllables: Break words into syllables (e.g., syl-la-bles) to help with pronunciation.
Parts of Speech: Highlight Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, and Adverbs in different colours to identify sentence structures.
Labels: Show small abbreviations (like n. or v.) above words to indicate their part of speech.

Reading Preferences

Line Focus: Highlight 1, 3, or 5 lines at a time (like a reading ruler) to reduce distractions.
Picture Dictionary: Click on a word to see a picture representation of its meaning.
Translate: Translate individual words or the entire document into over 150 languages (with read-aloud support for 50+).

Voice Settings

Voice Speed: Adjust the reading speed from 0.5 (Slow) to 2.5 (Fast), with 1.0 as the standard speed.
Voice Selection: Choose between a Male or Female voice for the read-aloud feature.

Play Narration

Select to listen to the eBook read aloud, highlighting each word as it is spoken.

Search & Define

Search

Find a word or phrase (by typing or clicking) to see a clickable list of all mentions and page numbers.

Define Tool

Select or type any word to instantly view its definition without leaving the page.

Notes & Highlights

Select any text to highlight it and choose from 4 colour options. It is optional to include a corresponding note with each highlight. Access a clickable list of your annotations inside the eBook to jump to specific pages, or view your Notes & Highlights for all titles from your Loans tab.

Audiobook Settings

Supplementary Files

Some publishers may provide additional content. View attached reference materials, such as PDFs or diagrams, that accompany the audio.

Play/Pause

Start or stop the narration.

Playback Speed

Adjust the reading speed to listen faster or slower than standard.

Forward 10 seconds

Skip ahead by 10 seconds.

Reverse 10 seconds

Rewind by 10 seconds to replay a section.

Next Chapter

Jump to the start of the next chapter.

Previous Chapter

Return to the start of the previous chapter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can teachers see the notes and highlights a student makes?

Yes. While students can view their own annotations within the eBook, teachers can generate a Notes and Highlights Report via the Classes area. This report provides a summary of student engagement, helping teachers track comprehension and identify specific areas of interest to better support student learning.

How does the Immersive Reader support students with diverse learning needs?

The Immersive Reader is designed for broad inclusivity, supporting students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and cerebral palsy, as well as emerging readers and non-native speakers. By reducing visual clutter and providing multi-sensory cues, it allows students with varying abilities to engage more deeply with the text.

Is there proof that the Immersive Reader actually improves reading?

Yes. Research, including a 2017 study by RTI International, demonstrated that reading comprehension among groups of fourth-grade students improved by an average of 10% when using these tools. The combination of visual and auditory reinforcement is a proven method for boosting literacy outcomes.

Do these features work on the mobile app?

Yes. All literacy support features—including the eBook display settings, the Immersive Reader, and Audiobook controls—work seamlessly across both the ePlatform web portal and the mobile apps for iOS and Android.

Can students read and listen without an internet connection?

Yes. Students can read eBooks and listen to Audiobooks without an active internet connection. To do this, the student must first be online to search for and borrow the title. Once the title is borrowed, Once the title is borrowed, they should open the book within the web portal or app to initiate the download. Note for Audiobooks, there is a manual option to download for offline listening. After the download is complete, the book is saved to their device, allowing them to continue reading or listening anywhere—even without Wi-Fi or mobile data. The title will automatically be removed from their device once the loan period expires.

Will students have to reset their font and colour settings for every book?

No. ePlatform remembers a student's individual display preferences. Once they set their preferred font, size, and background colour in one eBook, those settings will automatically apply to every other eBook they open on that device.

How does the translation feature help EAL students?

Using the Immersive Reader, students can translate individual words or the entire text into over 150 languages. They can also toggle between the original English and their native language, helping them build vocabulary and comprehension while reading the same material as their peers.