NameCoach provides accurate audio name pronunciation
The new resource is now available to students on Canvas
Miami University has added a new resource to promote and sustain an inclusive community: NameCoach, which provides accurate audio pronunciation of names.
“This is a major move to create more inclusion by ensuring that names — a key part of our identities — of students, faculty, and staff are pronounced correctly,” said Cristina Alcalde, vice president for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and professor of Global and Intercultural Studies who uses it under her own email signature.
The tool is provided thanks to Information Technology Services and the Office for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion. It is covered this year by the student tech fee, which IT oversees.
NameCoach is designed to allow users record the correct pronunciation of their names and include that pronunciation on their Canvas profile and email signatures. It is integrated with Canvas, so instructors can know the pronunciation of students’ names.
There are two ways to record your name with NameCoach:
- Record your name in Canvas
- Record your name directly in NameCoach for your email signature, social media accounts, or professional biography
Note: To have a pronunciation show up in Canvas, you must record in Canvas.
“We hope everyone will find this tool useful and easy to navigate,” Alcade said. “During this pilot semester, we will assess the value of this tool for our community.”
David Seidl, vice president for information technology and chief information officer, uses NameCoach, too.
“As someone whose last name is often mispronounced, it has always been important to me to try to get names right. Having a tool that makes that easier is a win for inclusivity and courtesy,” he said.
