uPar just got better: new features and more control

Our product teams have been working hard to upgrade uPar with SpeechStream—a powerful text-to-speech (TTS) tool that reads digital text aloud, making it easier for all students to understand and engage with written content.?

With customizable options, SpeechStream enhances accessibility and creates a more personalized learning experience, especially for students with reading challenges or dyslexia.

What’s new?

• Updated toolbar: Play, Stop, Pause, and Settings functions are now in the SpeechStream toolbar at the top of the page.
• Simplified interface: The progress bar has been removed, streamlining the experience.
• Rate/speed adjustment moved: Now located within the Settings menu (gear icon) instead of on the main screen.
• Customization options: Students can now change the color of text highlights.
• Enhanced playback control: Students can highlight words or sentences for repeat playback.
• Improved TTS voice: A clearer, more natural-sounding voice for better comprehension.

What's staying the same?

• Stories will continue to automatically play after selection.
• Sound check, grade selection, and story selection remain unchanged.

Why this update matters

This release enhances usability and ensures students have a smoother experience when engaging with text-to-speech. While some changes—like the removal of the progress bar—may take a little getting used to, we believe the new features will ultimately provide a more flexible and user-friendly experience.

This update is especially important for diverse learners, including students with reading challenges, as it provides greater control over how text is read aloud. By allowing students to adjust playback speed, repeat words or sentences, and customize highlights, this update helps improve comprehension and confidence.

Coming soon…

This is phase one of the modernization of the text-to-speech function in uPar. Setting the stage for an upcoming release that will introduce even more natural, high-quality speech options to further support diverse learning needs.

Keep an eye on our blog for when this update lands.