Essays downloaded to Word. How to send back so students can see annotations

[rcooper3]

I download essays from Canvas to Word, and grade them using Dragon Naturally Speaking so that I leave very detailed comments.  When I attach the graded essay so students can see the comments, I am not sure they are getting them.  What to do?

[greydon · Accepted solution]

Hello @rcooper3 

Thank you for contacting the Instructure Community. Although I'm not familiar with Dragon Naturally Speaking, if you download a student's submission to word - make comments or annotations - you are then re-uploading to the comments section of their submission? If you uploaded the file that you edited outside of Canvas back to the comments section (or sent them personal messages using the inbox) They should see the file as is when you finished making adjustments and downloaded to your computer. However, if Dragon Naturally Speaking is a special software that requires an installation for students to view all of your annotations you made in Word, then you would need your students to also have that software. That is a question you would need to ask them directly. Also, if you have already uploaded some of these back to your course - speak with an admin at the school who can masquerade as a real student and let you know if they appear as you want them to be. Or you could ask students directly of course. 

Essentially, it depends on this software you are using and you will need to test either in Canvas by speaking with the school or contacting the company directly. Canvas has built in annotation tools of course that you are probably familiar with, but just in case you are not:

How do I add annotated comments in student submiss... - Instructure Community