Google Accessibility Features in Chrome (OS and Browser)

Google Apps and Chromebooks, and the Chrome Web Browser, offer a tremendous amount of accessibility features to help vision and/or hearing impaired students. 

Google Accessibility, Using Google Products, http://www.google.com/accessibility/products/, contains a wealth of information and resources, along with apps, that can help students, and teachers. 

Chrome Toolbox http://www.chrometoolbox.com/ - This collaborative space was created to celebrate the many Apps and Extensions made by developers which serve the accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities. 

Accessibility Options on Chromebooks   http://www.chromestory.com/2013/02/accessibility-options-on-chromebooks/

Some of the main features:

• Chrome Browser - includes screen readers and magnifiers, full page zoom, high contrast color, and more.
• To zoom in on a page on a Chromebook, click CTRL +       to zoom out CTRL -
• The newest update to Chrome OS (Nov 2013) now has support for USB-connected Braille displays
• Chrome OS and ChromeVox - Chrome OS (Chromebooks) include a built in screen reader, ChromeVox. It is also an extension for the Chrome Browser. http://www.chromevox.com/ 
• Google Docs and Sites - screen reader allows ease of use
• YouTube Captions
• Magnifier Extension for Chrome - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/magnifier-extension/mmknioomkplkkfgaobefmklldbanoaok?hl=en-US 
• Voice Comments - allows you to leave voice comments, instead of just text, in Google Drive/Docs https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/voice-comments/hcdoaikeblbbiphjibkhliiedjhnbbke?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon
• Alternatives to Inspiration: http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/2012/04/6-free-mindmapping-appsservices-for.html

Google updates Drive and Docs with improved screen reader, Braille display, and accessibility phone support

http://thenextweb.com/google/2014/09/11/google-updates-drive-docs-improved-screen-reader-braille-display-accessibility-phone-support/ 

Speech to Text and Text to Speech

Read&Write for Google Docs - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/readwrite-for-google/inoeonmfapjbbkmdafoankkfajkcphgd?hl=en-US

Introduction to Read & Write for Google http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPqbk7TJKLo&feature=youtu.be

• Boost reading confidence. Make the web and Google Docs accessible to students with learning difficulties, dyslexia or ELL/ESL.NEW! FREE for TEACHERS! Teachers get a FREE subscription to Read&Write for Google. To register and activate your premium subscription, go to rw.texthelp.com/freeforteachers after installing Read&Write for Google. Read&Write for Google™ offers a range of powerful support tools to help students gain confidence with reading and writing. • Hear words, passages, or whole documents read aloud with easy-to-follow dual color highlighting • See the meaning of words explained with text and picture dictionaries • Hear text translated into other languages • Predicts the next word as you type • Highlight interesting or relevant text and collect it for use in other documents Read&Write for Google™ is a friendly browser add-in for use with PCs, Macs and Chromebooks. It works with web pages and common file types in Google Drive, including: - Google Docs - PDF - ePub - KesSpeech Input, Simplify and Summarize Now Part of Read&Write for Google!

• Speak It - Google Chrome extension that enables you to have the text on most webpages read to you. With Speak It installed just highlight the text on a the page you're viewing then right-click to activate Speak It. Then click the play button to have the text read to you. The voice is very digitized, but it is clear. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/speakit/pgeolalilifpodheeocdmbhehgnkkbak
• Select and Speak lets you select text from almost any website and make it talk 
• Voice Recognition - Type with your voice. Dictation turns your Google Chrome into a speech recognition app
• DictaNote Speech Recognizer https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dictanote-speech-recogniz/aomjekmpappghadlogpigifkghlmebjk?hl=en

Increased accessibility with Braille display support for Google Docs, Slides and Drawings
If you use a Braille display, you can now enable Braille support in Google Docs, Slides and Drawings to read and enter text. This option is currently available for Google Chrome and Internet Explorer.
http://googleappsupdates.blogspot.com/2014/06/increased-accessibility-with-braille.html

ELL Resources

5 Good Apps for ESL / ELL Students: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/03/5-good-apps-for-esl-ell-students.html#.Ux75Qj9dWN0 

Evernote - another great, free application - also has some accessibility features and extensions for Chrome.

Evernote for Education: http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/p/evernote-for-education.html

Evernote Clearly - one click for distraction free online reading - Clearly is a browser extension that eliminates ads and other parts of a web page and just shows the article. This eliminates distractions, helping students read the article. It also has text-to-speech capabilities to read the web page to the user.