Allow User to Add Their Name Pronunciation to Profile (phonetically + audio file)

[Connie_DelaCruz]

I am a high school teacher, and it would be wonderful if all users had a “speaker” icon that they could use to record their name pronunciation in their own voice. This feature could be part of the User Profile dashboard. Canvas could also provide a field for users to phonetically spell their names. I thought these features would be helpful to staff, allowing them to learn how to pronounce students' names and provide an inclusive environment from the very first day of school.

[carriedickson]

I like this one as well. Happy Pride Month! 

[SHendersonWong]

This is a fantastic idea, we're seeing professional networking sites like LinkedIn adopt this model.  It supports diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom.  Names are important and saying everyone's name accurately and having the tools to do so is a huge step forward.

[FrannyHowes]

I would love this feature!!!

[JanetLarsen]

We had to get an outside company to gather name pronunciations (along with other data) for our graduating students this year.  It would've been SO NICE to have this info from the first day of class.  (It would also be nice to not find out that we've been pronouncing someone's name wrong for the past 4 years.) 

[guyr1]

We recently found out that we may be losing access from our name coach tool. I would love if this was a feature baked into Canvas. 

[pohlmanma]

I'd love to see this added to Canvas so all of our students feel seen and heard...correctly! 

[jmwatson1]

This is huge. We are looking into NameCoach but it doesn't seem to integrate deeply with Canvas and has to be a separate link in the course or account settings. I would much rather Canvas add this natively and display the speaker icons everywhere the name appears (Attendance tab, People tab, grades, discussions, etc.). If it is available for other students to click, it would need to have a report feature so that students who decide to record something inappropriate can have theirs taken down. 

[HYeee]

We need to add an option to enter your own custom pronounce in canvas, it will be more inclusive, we shouldn't leave anyone behind.

[james_trebisovs]

Count me in with those that would love this. @jmwatson1  What did you end up doing? NameCoach? I'm curious to hear how that's going.  Does it just put links in the bio?

[NathalieHager]

We need a typed field connected to the user name for the phonetic pronunciation of user names provided by the users. An audio file too, perhaps.

[jmwatson1]

@james_trebisovs, we are still searching for a better way to do this. We are about to meet and demo NameCoach but nothing in place just yet. 

[STUARTA]

This would be a fantastic feature. If not a recording, then a very basic text box should be added in order for students to add their own phonetic pronunciations. As we promote equity in education, it is important that all students are referred to respectfully. While my name is an easy one to pronounce, I have many friends and coworkers who have struggled with people mispronouncing their names all their lives. It has left them frustrated when people don't even try to say their names correctly. As an online educator I want to be sure that I am helping my students feel like a respected part of my classroom community when receiving audio/video feedback or attending a synchronous session, rather than an outsider in the classroom.