Effective communication
Playwright George Bernard Shaw said, "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." Effective communication can make or break any new initiative. Leaders must make sure all stakeholders stay informed regarding the move to blended learning. Ensuring all stakeholders are informed means addressing and meeting diverse communication needs.
Modes of communication
Communication sent to stakeholders should be available in text, audio, and video form, when possible. Leaders can use tools such as Flip to create video or audio files (referred to as a "Short") that are posted online, on a school website, or even sent through email by including the video's link. Flip Shorts can be closed captioned, making the video and audio files as inclusive and accessible as possible. In addition, Immersive Reader inside a Flip video allows viewers to convert closed-captioned text into over 100 different languages.
Language translation
Leaders can also use Microsoft Translator to translate real-time conversations during committee or parent meetings with cross-language understanding and live captioning. Microsoft Translator helps bridge communication gaps and effectively increases school-to-home communication during the move to blended learning.
Common file format
To increase the receiver's ability to open digital files, documents and school newsletters created in Microsoft Word can be saved in a portable document format (PDF) before being emailed. When posted on a school's website, parents and guardians using the Microsoft Edge browser can also open a PDF file inside the browser and use the Read Aloud feature to have the file's content read to them.