Dear Katherine,
Good day! Thank you for posting in the community.
I understand your query and you are absolutely right, in the classic Outlook Read Aloud function is available when users are composing/drafting emails. However, in the new Outlook this feature is not yet available. I understand that the Read Aloud function is an important feature for many users, especially those with disabilities. I will forward your feedback to our product team for consideration. Unfortunately, I do not have any information on when this feature will be available for composing/drafting emails at the moment. However, Since the new outlook for windows (Preview ) is still under development, the current version may not include certain functionalities, rest assured that Microsoft is actively working on product development and improvement. I suggest keeping an eye on the Microsoft Outlook blog Things to look forward to in the new Outlook for Windows - Microsoft Community Hub or the Microsoft 365 roadmap for any updates on this feature Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365. In the meantime, I do apologize for any inconvenience caused by missing this feature in the New Outlook, if you heavily rely on this feature, you may consider Toggling out of the new Outlook for Windows preview - Microsoft Support for now. You may also provide feedback or share your ideas for enhancing the New Outlook in the new outlook in-app feedback site directly to the new outlook developers. To do this, Open New Outlook -->Click on the Help menu -->Select Feedback. Your valuable input will contribute to refining the product and enhancing user experience.
I will also update here once I get additional information and the specific timeline for the feature will be added. Appreciate your patience and understanding.
Thank you for your precious time. Have a nice day!
Best regards,
Community Moderator