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Pear Deck includes 2 optional tools that support students who need read-aloud, translation, or reading-display options during a session: Student Toolbox and Immersive Reader. Teachers turn on these tools in their Pear Deck account settings before starting a session.
These tools provide in-session reading and language support. Follow your school or district’s process when documenting or assigning formal student accommodations.

Choose a Tool

The right tool depends on the slide content and the support a student needs.
  • Use Student Toolbox for quick read-aloud and translation while the student stays on the original slide. Its text-detection technology can identify text across the slide, including text in images and screenshots.
  • Use Immersive Reader for more extensive reading controls in a separate reading view. It works with text typed directly into the slide and includes display, grammar, focus, dictionary, and broader translation options.
For a feature-by-feature comparison, see Choose a Read-Aloud or Translation Tool in Pear Deck.

Use Student Toolbox

Student Toolbox keeps the original slide visible while a student selects text to:
  • Hear English text read aloud
  • Translate text into a supported language
  • Hear translated text read aloud
  • Copy translated text
Teachers turn on Student Toolbox from Pear Deck Home → My Account → Settings before creating a new session. Students open Student Toolbox in the lower-right corner of Student View, then choose Read Aloud or Translate. See Use the Student Toolbox for the complete teacher and student workflows.

Use Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader opens readable slide text in a separate view where students can:
  • Hear text read aloud and change the reading speed or voice
  • Change the text size, font, spacing, and background color
  • Focus on 1, 3, or 5 lines at a time
  • Split words into syllables
  • Highlight parts of speech
  • Open a picture dictionary for supported words
  • Translate a word or the full text into more than 65 languages
Teachers turn on Immersive Reader from Pear Deck Home → My Account → Settings. Students select the Immersive Reader button on a slide with readable text, then use the back arrow to return to the original slide. See Immersive Reader Integration for setup details and content limitations.

Verify the Tools Are Available

Start a new session and join it in Student View.
  • Student Toolbox appears in the lower-right corner and includes Read Aloud and Translate.
  • Immersive Reader appears on slides that contain text typed directly into Google Slides or PowerPoint Online.
If a tool does not appear, return to your Pear Deck account settings and confirm that the corresponding setting is turned on.

Resources

Compare Read-Aloud and Translation Tools

Compare supported content, student experience, reading controls, and translation options.

Manage Pear Deck Account Settings

Review the settings that apply to future Pear Deck sessions.
Last modified on September 22, 2026