SOSTX

This morning saw an announcement for a new Moodle plugin that provides text to speech translation of specific text. Was really cool but alas using Googles FREE (for now) TTS service is an issue.  Not unusual as Google could change the code at any time and thus, if the plugin isn't flexible enough, it's rendered un-usable. :(

After one selects the language parameters ... ie, English to Spanish ... just type into the box. As one types, it translates.  And, it provides a 'Listen' button below each box.  Clicking allows one to listen to the text in either language chosen.

Going further with Google Translate (has an iPhone/Pad app and a Android app) ...  has a web site where one can clip code and embed into any web page.  First thing that came to my mind was a Moodle.

The Tool: http://translate.google.com/translate_tools

In using the Tools page for Google Translate, it has options for translating the entire webpage or section of the web page and selecting the language - default for your site + the specific languages to make available to the user.  Example an ISD Moodle which is typically in English, would choose:
Add translation to a section of the web page
Section specifics: English and leave the other items at default.
Default Language: English
Translation Language: Spanish and English.
Set display mod as 'dropdown only'.

The code that is generated simply copied to the clipboard.

Then, getting into the edit mode of Moodle and opening the web page resource, at the very top of the content, open up a couple of blank lines by pressing enter 3 times.  This inserts three (line break tags).
Found this to be very useful to separate content from what is about to be embedded.

Switch the mod to HTML (the icon in the editor).
Replace the middle with your clipboard contents (in this case the Google embedded translate code).

Save

Then try it out! ;)

Can see it in action at:
http://sos.tcea.org/moodle19/
(look in right column of the front page).