Students and instructors who use eTexts through the ICON Direct program will soon experience exciting new features, like flashcards and student-generated study guides. Beginning in summer 2022, the Unizin Engage eReader will be powered by RedShelf. Students and instructors will access the RedShelf eReader through the familiar Unizin Engage link in ICON.

This change does not affect instructors who order digital learning tools (an eText plus a homework site) through publisher platforms, such as McGraw-Hill Connect, Pearson MyLab, or Macmillan’s Achieve. These classes will continue to use the eReader within the publisher platforms.

RedShelf eReader features include:

• Text to speech. Launch a screen reader with the click of a button. Just click the “play” icon in the upper right corner of a web or mobile browser.
• Flashcards. Create flashcards with a prompt on one side and the answer on the other—perfect for self-assessment.
• Personalized display options. Customize the content font, font size, letter spacing, display colors, and margins.
• Highlights. Easily mark important text using one of four colors.
• Notes. Quickly add notes to eTexts to clarify content, add detail, and more.
• Student-generated study guide. Create a study guide by combining all completed student notes in one location.
• Collaboration. Students can choose to share their notes or to subscribe to their peer’s notes. Students must be in the same class with the same eText.

Learn More About RedShelf

In a new training opportunity, the OTLT Academic Technologies team will demonstrate RedShelf’s features and discuss how the ICON Direct program contributes to improved accessibility for UI students while providing digital materials at a lower cost. Sessions will be held: 

• Wednesday, March 2, from 10 to 11 a.m.
• Tuesday, April 5, from 10 to 11 a.m.

Register for a training session. 

If you have questions about the RedShelf eReader or the ICON Direct program, email ICON-Direct@uiowa.edu.