Online Markup for Item Bank Assessments – SchoolCity

Online Markup for Item Bank Assessments includes popular tools for online testing like Text to Speech (TTS) for passages and/or items, adding Pop-Ups and Rollovers, as well as creating or uploading Resources for the assessment as a whole or for specific items.

In this article, we will review the various Online Markup features available.

Where to Start

Online Markup is found in the Summary step of the assessment creation process.
- Select Online Markup. This takes you to the Markup Panel, where you will see the Markup Options in the upper right.
- The Markup options include setting Text to Speech (TTS), adding Custom Speech (SSML), creating Pop-ups and Rollovers, and adding Resources.

Delete Markup removes all markups from the current screen or from the entire assessment.

The Markup Panel options determine whether the item or passage will have the text to speech, custom speech, pop-ups, and/or rollovers when the respective online setting is enabled for the assessment.

For example, if an item has the Text to Speech box checked in the Markup panel, but the Text to Speech setting is not enabled at the item, assessment, or student accommodations level, then the Text to Speech functions will not be available in the Student Portal for that item.

Online Markup Options

Text to Speech (TTS) - Check the box next to items and/or passages to allow Text to Speech functions to appear for the item and/or passage in the Student Portal when the Text to Speech Online Setting is enabled for the assessment.

Selecting the TTS checkbox for an item or passage does not enable or disable the Text to Speech online tool for that item or passage on the assessment. The TTS Markup option can be used to control the visibility of TTS functions for the relevant item or passage when the Text to Speech online tool is enabled for the assessment.

When unchecked for an item or passage, TTS functions for that item or passage will be hidden when the TTS online tool is enabled for the assessment.
When checked for an item or passage, TTS functions for that item or passage will be visible when the TTS online tool is enabled for the assessment.

One example use case for the TTS Markup tool could be that students are allowed to have the Text to Speech online tool during testing, but passage content should not be read aloud. In this scenario, the TTS Markup can be unchecked for passages to prevent TTS controls from appearing for an assessment that otherwise has the Text to Speech online tool enabled for students.

Custom Speech - Allows users to specify how text will be read via SSML (Speech Synthesis Markup Language) markup. When Text to Speech is used to read out the selected text, the custom speech markup will be read aloud instead. The SSML tags listed below can be added to selected text. Once SSML tags have been added for some text they can be previewed by clicking on the applicable text from the Markup Panel screen to open a pop-up that displays the SSML markup that was added, a preview audio (Play) button, and remove the SSML tags (Delete Tag) button.

Custom Speech Options

Pause - Add a pause.

Emphasis - Emphasize words.

Paragraphs - Add a pause between paragraphs.

Prosody - Control volume, speaking rate, and pitch.

Sentences - Add a pause between sentences.

Say-as - Control how special types of words are spoken.

Sub - Substitute words or sentences.

Pronunciation - Specify part of speech.
- Interprets the word as a verb (present simple).
- Interprets the word as past tense, or as a past participle.

Reference Guide - Explains each markup option.

Review the SSML / TTS - Custom Guide for additional information.

Pop-up - Used for definitions of words or phrases. Highlight text for which you want to add a Pop-up, then select Pop-up. Enter the Pop-up Content, then select Add Markup.
- The pop-up will display as an underlined word in the text. Students can select the word, and the Pop-up will appear directly above the word or phrase.

Rollover - Used for phrases or sentences. Highlight text for which you want to add a Rollover, then select Add Markup.
- The Rollover will display as an arrow to the right of the sentence. Students can select the arrow, and the Rollover will appear above the original sentence or phrase.

Resources - Select the Upload icon to upload a PDF of a resource for a specific item or for the test as a whole. Once uploaded, the upload icon will be green.

Select the + icon to create a resource for an item or whole test. Name the resource, and use the CKEditor formatting tools to create the resource. Use the trashcan icon to delete a resource.
Select Save & Preview to view the resource from the students’ point of view, or Save.

Delete Markup - Remove all markups from the current screen or the entire assessment.