[Speedgrader] Rich Text Editor in Speedgrader Comments

[CommunityTeam]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas LMS

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Add the Rich Text Editor to the Comments section of Speedgrader.

"I want to recommend books, etc., or to properly format foreign words, and so on, and want to set the example, of course, of doing so properly.  Thank you"

"Instructors have told me they'd like formatting (bold, italic, colors) in the comment boxes in order to emphasize a statement without typing all caps (which seems like they're yelling at the students)."

"As an instructor in a virtual classroom I need to be able to make my communication with students richer to better get my points across.  Add rich text capabilities and allow me to make the Comment boxes larger while you are at it."

Transferred from the old Community

Originally Posted By: Joshua Shannon
Special thanks for contributions by: Teri Portman, Albert Turner

[CliveStocker]

Yes please - this would be really important and useful. 

[danaleeling]

How is it seven years since this was requested, two years into a global pandemic that forced almost all of us into online communications, and there isn't even basic markdown capabilities in the comments dialog box? I am not even asking for a full rich text editor, just markdown would be a huge plus. Markdown code modules exist, how hard would this be to integrate? I am appalled at how primitive the comments dialog box is - stripping out even line returns making paragraphs impossible, a basic building block of English syntax. Students see only large blocks of text...

[adam_c_voyton]

I agree that it would be a very useful feature to be able to use the rich content editor into the comment text box in Speedgrader. 

A simple way to do this would be for Canvas to adjust the placement of the rich content editor to appear in SpeedGrader. 

It seems like an odd design decision to have the RCE available in most other areas in a Canvas course where a text box appears (including discussions, syllabus, pages, and announcements), but it doesn’t appear in Speedgrader where it’s definitely needed.  

This has been posted on the Idea Conversations since 2015, but it doesn’t have been implemented yet. 

Hopefully this feature can get added into the Canvas roadmap in the near future. It’s a high priority need for my institution. 

[CarolaUSC]

We would like to embed iFrames and/or hyperlinks into SpeedGrader comments, as well as formatted text comments. 

[LindsayNFoster]

Please update Canvas to meet Accessibility for ease of navigation and screen readers by allowing links to be incorporated into text rather than pasted as a URL. This is already part of the Rich Content Editor but it is not in the feedback, comments, and Comment Library options. Understanding Success Criterion 2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context) (w3.org)

[LindseyMorris]

I completely agree. Not being able to embed URLs makes feedback difficult for students reliant upon assistive technology.

[SusanNiemeyer]

This would be a great addition to SpeedGrader. It would be helpful to directly link students to resources that might help them. For example, last summer, I was teaching an ESL listening and speaking course. One of my students was from France, and I wanted to direct her to a YouTube video that dealt specifically with pronunciation tips for French students learning English. She was the only French speaker in the class, and directly providing a link in SpeedGrader would have very helpful (i.e. just-in-time remediation). 

[BrianKinsman]

Is there a way to add links in the comment section of SpeedGrader? I use a Microsoft Form in an assignment, some students overlook this aspect of the assignment, and I would like to be able to add the link into the comments for incomplete grades.

[leovegildach]

We've tried adding images in SpeedGrader's comments, but it only accepts text. It is a resource that is necessary for the teachers of the institution. Is it possible to update its text editor to use an already existing one with more functionalities (i.e., the one used to edit Pages)?

[ahenery]

When grading, it would be helpful to be able to link text (or at least be able to paste a link that is then clickable) within a submission comment in SpeedGrader. I often would love to drop a link to a resource that would enhance the feedback on an assignment.