Accessibility for All

October 2020 | Louise Jones

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Twitter: @scotlandlouise

Email: admin@scotlandlouise.com

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Sections in this Deck

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Knitting it all together - Leveraging G Suite for all Learners. Further resources.

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What is Google for Education? Introducing G Suite and Chromebooks. Inspiring the future.

Features with 3rd Party Apps and Extensions.

Out the box! Baked in functions on Chromebooks.

What is Google for Education?

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An ecosystem that provides shareable devices, in a variety of form factors, collaborative tools built for teachers and learners.

Education projects that bring a whole new perspective to learning experiences.

G Suite for Education

Core Apps and Essential Extensions.

Use G Suite for Education on any web browser, or the mobile application on Android and iOS

• Feedback and Reflection
• Collaboration
• Education Workflow
• Communication
• Identity

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• Smarter with Machine Learning
• Secure and GDPR Compliant

The typewriter, books on tape, closed captions, voice-enabled TV and voice controls– all initially meant �to focus on solutions but found a much broader use case.

This goes to show that finding solutions today can lead to the technology breakthroughs of tomorrow. We have to ensure young people are encouraged to voice their requirements and are the developers of the future. Google Developers Club

Inspiring Transcendent Technology

Baked in Functions on Chromebooks

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Accessibility out of the box

The Chrome operating system makes it easy to organise and find your work by using bookmarks, rearrange apps in the app launcher, pin tabs and pin recently used apps to the shelf on a Chromebook. Uniquely, once set these features sync with you.

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With stylus supported Chromebooks, practice fine motor skills, magnification and improve handwriting.

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Chromebooks and other Chrome devices aim to be delightful to everyone, including users who need additional features right out of the box.

Let’s start - No Accessibility Icon?

3. Docked Magnifier

Settings > Accessibility > Docked Magnifier

Watch the video to hear and see more!

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2. Increase size of all items on the screen

Press Ctrl Shift + to increase and Ctrl Shift - to decrease

Note that the tab strip and status tray enlarge too

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1. Increase the size of browser content

Press Ctrl + to increase or Ctrl - to decrease; Ctrl 0 to reset��The rest of the desktop is unaffected

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Do you have a Stylus?

Some devices with a stylus have a Magnifying Glass Feature!

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Chromebooks that are stylus enabled

Acer / Asus Chrome Tab or Google Pixelbook

Simply turn on on the stylus tools!

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Highlight the mouse cursor, text caret, and focus

In addition, colored circles can highlight the mouse cursor, text caret (insertion point), and the object with keyboard focus.��They automatically fade out after a second so they're not distracting.

Adjustable mouse cursor

Some users prefer a larger mouse cursor.

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High-contrast mode

We also offer lots of options for users who just want to make the screen a little bit easier to see.

Some users prefer High-contrast mode, which inverts all colors.

Press Ctrl + Search + H to toggle.

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On-screen keyboard

The on-screen keyboard enables typing into any text field using a touchscreen or with the mouse.�It also supports handwriting and dictation. Click the wiggly line to use a stylus on touchscreen.�

Handwriting Recognition

Listen to the Ormiston Primary Learners!

On-screen keyboard Emojis

Physical keyboard & touchpad settings

For users who have difficulty using a mouse, touchpad, or keyboard, there are many options to make them easier to use.

Audio and captions

For any users who may have limited hearing in one ear, there's a Mono Audio option to play the same sound through both speakers.

In addition, Chromebooks support the latest standards for video closed captions.

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ChromeVox Screen Reader

The built-in ChromeVox screen reader makes everything accessible using synthesized speech.��Press Ctrl+Alt+Z to enable or disable it at any time.

Lots of ChromeVox improvements in the last year!

• Faster, more consistent experience
• Simplified keyboard shortcuts
• New ChromeVox Panel with speech and optional Braille output
• New ChromeVox Menus for more efficient navigation
• New set of navigational sounds (“earcons”), with stereo positioning
• Ability to navigate with Braille display keyboard commands

ChromeVox Menus

Select-to-Speak

For users who only need synthesized speech on occasion and/or prefer the words to be highlighted when spoken we offer Select-to-Speak.

Turn on via the Accessibility system menu

Change voice, highlight colour and speed!

Support Here and New video here!

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Select-to-Speak

To select what you’d like read, you can:

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• ​Highlight the text and press the Search + s
• Click the icon on your shelf and simply select text

Or you can try

• Press and hold Search and click a line of text.
• Press and hold Search and drag the pointer over an area of the screen.

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Your Chromebook will read the section aloud and each word will be highlighted.�

To stop Select-to-Speak while it’s reading something, press Ctrl or Search.�

Note: Select-to-Speak won’t work with a stylus or the on-screen keyboard.��

Select-to-Speak

Children’s Voices for Chrome

& Scottish Voice Rhona

Purchase Voices via the Chrome Accessibility Settings

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Purchase and use more than 100 Acapela voices to read aloud text in 30+ languages on Chromebooks, including a variety of children's’ voices.�

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Voice Search with Google

Search + d - to dictate!

In any place where you can type on screen you can now with ChromeOS Version 69 and above simply press the search key + d and the option to voice type will appear! Making it even easier for users!

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Check out the Divine Dictation Deck for more ideas and fine details!

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ChromeVox braille support

Visually impaired users can also attach a compatible USB refreshable braille display. To enable teachers and technicians to work with visually impaired users, both the braille and its text equivalent are also shown at the top of the screen.

Enable Accessibility Options in Sheets & Slides

• Ctrl + Alt + Z in Windows/Chrome
• Cmd + Alt + Z on Mac
• Tools - Accessibility

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Help and type toggle screen reader

Enabling Braille in Sheets

New! Reduce Visual Crowding in Docs

Google Docs now offer eight different Lexend font families that have varied widths and spacing, so users can choose the font style that’s best for their reading speed.

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To access these fonts in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides:

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From the Font menu in the toolbar, select “More fonts”.

Then, search for Lexend and select the fonts to add them to your saved fonts. These will now appear in the “My fonts” list and in the Font menu in the toolbar.

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Full Blog Post

Organisation

The great thing about the Chrome Browser is that it is really easy to find and organise content or apps that matter.

Some helpful functions

• Use bookmarks to quickly link to websites and files
• Rearrange the order of the apps tiles in the drop down app launcher, drag the tiles to the preferred order.
• Right click on an open tab to ‘pin tab’ too!
• On a Chromebook - use the ‘Pin to shelf’ feature to quickly find apps used more often - Right click and Pin to shelf
• Rearrange the shelf icon order

Swipe to Manage Your Tabs!

Manage applications and tabs

It can be challenging clicking back and forth between multiple tabs and windows. Here’s how you can take a glance at open windows, hop between tabs, and work quickly across them all.

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• See all open windows: Swipe up or down with three fingers. If you have Australian scrolling turned on, swipe up. If you have traditional scrolling turned on, swipe down.
• Move between pages: To go back to the page you were previously on, swipe left with two fingers. To go forward to a page you were on, swipe right with two fingers.
• Switch between tabs: If you have multiple browser tabs open, you can swipe left and right with three fingers to switch between tabs.
• Open link in new tab: Point to the link, then tap or click the touchpad with three fingers.
• Close a tab: Point to the tab, then tap or click the touchpad with three fingers.

Features with 3rd Party Apps and Extensions

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A web destination that enables educators and developers to work together in order to showcase Chromebook content and engaging Chromebook activity ideas for every classroom.

Now available:

The Chromebook App Hub

chromebookapphub.withgoogle.com

• Removes clutter from busy websites

• Limits time you spend on each site
• Huge help for students with ADHD

• Blocks all ads to reduce distraction and clutter

Stay Focusd

MagicScroll Web Reader

Adblock Plus

Reducing clutter and distractions

• Reduces eye strain
• Assists with eye tracking
• Dyslexic-friendly font

BeeLine Reader

• Customizable color filter
• Improves color perception

Google Color Enhancer

Increasing visibility

• Turns computer into a video magnifier
• High contrast, magnification, and color viewing options

MagX

• Useful for Music and Teleprompter
• Huge help for students with ADHD

AutoScroll

Customisable Scroll

Change Page Contrasts - Midnight Lizard

This extension changes page colors, brightness and contrast to increase readability and brings dark night mode to all websites.

Change Website Content & Google Docs Font

Dyslexia Friendly & Magic Reader

Dyslexic Reader - Changes Layout / Size

• Word prediction
• Text to speech
• Picture dictionary
• Voice notes
• Collect highlights
• Scottish Voice

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• Splits screen on a Chromebook like a dual monitor
• Helps with focus

Read&Write

Dualless

Improving content consumption

• Embed questions into videos
• Great for flipped lessons and grading

• Simple way to take notes and leave annotations on videos

VideoNot.es

EdPuzzle

Making videos more engaging

• Personalised and rich feedback
• Record visual and oral feedback
• BSL / Makaton signed feedback
• Screencast your feedback
• Leave actionable steps verbally
• Students can playback as required
• Share direct to classroom

Multi-modal feedback

• Create new Google docs right from your Chrome toolbar

Google Docs Quick Create

• Sharing URLS via tone
• Works in close proximity and over a Hangout

Google Tone

Moving forward, faster

These research-driven AAC tools provide literacy support for non-verbal communication.

Cricksoft

Clicker Apps

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SuperVision for Google Cardboard

Works with or without Google Cardboard

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Transform your smart phone into an impressive magnified reader.

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Available for Android or iOS

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SuperVision website

Learn Essential Typing Skills with Doorway

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Knitting it all together - Leveraging G Suite for all Learners

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• Explore Drive with colour coded folders
• Decide on Folder / Sub Folder Naming conventions
• Folder Descriptions
• Use Emojis for the Drive / File name
• Change the view - Tiles or List
• Shared folders added to Main Drive
• Google Drive / Team Drive Themes! GIF Headers!
• Files accessible in Bookmarks and Favourites with a Star
• Files in duplicate locations (Shift Z)
• Offline access enabled
• Develop Search skills in Drive

Google Drive

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It can be personally organised or very quickly become a mess!

Google Classroom

• With the Google Classroom mobile app the teacher can record a video intro, thus bringing opportunities to engage learners, add another dimension to instructions to a task, even sign language introductions!
• With the right pedagogical approach - Universal Design of Learning and Differentiated Learning is easily facilitated by assigning tasks to individual or groups of learners.
• ‘Anytime, Anywhere Learning’ as part of an inclusive approach.
• Feedback both individually and as part of social stream.
• The social presence of the teachers is increased.

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• Customise the appearance and context, GIF headers!

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Share to Google Classroom

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Get your class on the same (web) page or docs, instantly. A simple class management tool - create a slide with a notice or image on and ‘share’ the published link! Example here ��Google Classroom Teachers: Save time and create a more interactive class with the Share to Classroom extension. The extension allows you to push webpages to any of your Classroom classes, so they open instantly on your students' computers. With this extension, you can get your students on the right page, quickly and reliably every time. You can also post announcements, create assignments, or save webpages to post to Classroom later.

Add the Extension

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Google Docs

• Gives students independence - teachers and students can work together without sitting next to each other.

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• Consider embedding links to slides/images/videos to help with comprehension. You can also add ALT Text to an image, scrolling over the text pops up.

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• Built in Voice Typing, editing and formatting - Leverage speech to text for kids who may shut down when they are told to write. Punctuation commands here.

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• Version History and the ability to add Extensions to toggle on/off features. Useful for Exam Modes!

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Google Docs

It’s now easier for users of assistive technologies, like screen readers and braille displays, to keep track of real-time updates in a document.

With live edits, users now have an updated summary of changes in a convenient sidebar

Google Slides

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• Seamless ability to include images, videos, and annotations
• Easy to break down tasks and assignments on a per-slide basis, with helpful notes in the speaker notes section
• Search quickly for a slide by adding text in the speaker notes (e.g name and then CTRL F to search across a slide deck by name)
• Explore Function to build beautiful slides!
• Voice Type your speaker notes
• Create branching / scenarios for stories / instructions

Live Captioning!

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Real-time closed captions are available in #GoogleSlides. This accessibility feature uses machine learning to transcribe what you’re saying, as you’re saying it.

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Custom Captioning!

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Personalize caption text size and position while presenting in Google Slides.

While presenting, select the dropdown menu next to the Captions button on the toolbar. From there, you can then set the text size and position

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New! Adding Audio to slides and paired with closed captions gives educators many opportunities for learners with audio and visual support, ESL too.

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Learners can also use these functions when viewing the slides themselves.

Google Meet

• Meeting via Code
• Closed Captions
• Embed in the Calendar
• Share Screen and use a collaborative doc / Jamboard
• New Share Screen also shows Presenters Camera
• Verbal Cues
• Sign and Share!

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Helpful Tip! Find out tips and tricks for using Google Meet here

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Google Forms

• Tracking student growth
• Documenting IEP data
• IEP team collects and views data on goal growth
• Gathering information from students, parents, staff, etc.
• Student work submissions
• Flipped lessons
• Students gathering info. from each other
• Students can ask questions without verbally asking using a bespoke form

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Google Jamboard

• Next level real time collaboration
• Sketch to ‘Auto Draw’ / Sketch to angles / shapes
• Handwriting recognition
• Works as an IOS / Android App with touch screen devices, no hardware necessary.
• Creating storyboards / mind mapping for ideas
• Speech to Text Post Its
• Feedback and reflection between learner and teacher
• Integrates with Google Drive and Web
• Sketch to angles / shapes
• Lasso Tool! Capture and move parts of drawn text / images

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Helpful Tip! Check out Educator Tom Mullaney’s ThingLink Image and Blog!

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Google Tour Creator

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Create your own Google 360 Tours with new Google Tour Creator! Works beautifully on Chrome Browser.

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Add text and audio to your 360 image or Google Street View.

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• Multimedia / Immersive Learning Experiences
• Transition / Induction to a new area / school for learners
• Explore the world around - Developing Young Workforce, historical places, holidays and adventures
• Create and collaborate on points of interest using Docs and insert into Tours
• Visual storytelling and branching stories / scenarios with Google Slides

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What other great resources are out there?

Accessibility Flashcards

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Check out these flashcards to help your schools remember and learn all about the accessibility features built into Google for Educations' software and hardware.

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Great as an idea for purposeful freebies!

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Link Here and One Pager

3 in 1 - UK Case Study

Creating an “accessibility for all” culture in classrooms through technology

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Divine Dictation

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7 in 7

(seven tools in seven-ish minutes)

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(Full Deck Here)

@scotlandlouise

Self-Paced Professional Development

Resources & communication

Google Edu on Air

• Google Accessibility site: google.com/accessibility
• Google Product Specific Accessibility List: https://www.google.com/accessibility/products-features.html
• Chromebook Help Center: Personalize your Chromebook > Accessibility
• Chrome & Chrome OS Accessibility Video Series: https://goo.gl/IBcDFj
• Chrome Web Store Accessibility Category
• accessible@googlegroups.com
• chromebook-accessibility@googlegroups.com
• chromevox-discuss@googlegroups.com
• *New* disability-support-external@google.com

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Summary: Keyword Blog by Morgan Weisman

Tools that aim to reach all types of learners, wherever they are

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Google Edu on Air

New! Google for Education Accessibility

edu.google.com/why-google/accessibility

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Google Edu on Air

Identifying Appropriate Symbol Communication

https://iasc.mmu.ac.uk/

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Google Edu on Air

New! EDU in 90 Accessibility Quick Video

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Google Edu on Air

Thank you!