This blog post was authored by Tina Coll, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Azure Marketing.
Today, we’re unveiling the preview of Immersive Reader, a new Azure Cognitive Service in the Language category. Developers can now use this service to embed inclusive capabilities into their apps for enhancing text reading and comprehension for users regardless of age or ability. No machine learning expertise is required. Based on extensive research on inclusivity and accessibility, Immersive Reader’s features are designed to read the text aloud, translate, focus user attention, and much more. Immersive Reader helps users unlock knowledge from text and achieve gains in the classroom and office.
Over 15 million users rely on Microsoft’s immersive reading technologies across 18 apps and platforms including Microsoft Learning Tools, Word, Outlook, and Teams. Now, developers can deliver this proven literacy-enhancing experience to their users too.
People like Andrzej, a child with dyslexia, have learned to read with the Immersive Reader experience embedded into apps like Microsoft Learning Tools. His mother, Mitra, shares their story:
Literacy is key to unlocking knowledge and realizing one’s potential. Educators see this reality in the classroom every day, yet hurdles to reading are commonplace for people with dyslexia, ADHD, or visual impairment, as well as emerging readers, non-native speakers, and others. In the spirit of empowering every person to achieve more, the features of Immersive Reader help readers overcome these challenges.
Azure is the only major cloud provider that offers this type experience as an easy-to-use AI service. Skooler, an ISV on a mission “to do education technology better,” integrated Immersive Reader. As Tor Henriksen, Skooler’s CEO and CTO remarks, “In 27 years of software development, this was the easiest integration we’ve ever done.” Multiple businesses to date have already started embedding Immersive Reader into their apps, including: 
With millions of users like Andrzej having discovered the power of the written word with Immersive Reader, we look forward to seeing what people can achieve with what you build.
To start embedding Immersive Reader into your apps, visit the Immersive Reader product page. The service is available for free while in preview.
