All Access Pass:
Using Digital Tools to Support Diverse Learners
Laura Cahill
Focused Instructional Technology Coach
Office of Instructional Technology and Digital Learning
Worcester Public Schools
laura@engageducate.com
@engageducate
Table of Contents
Topic | Slides |
3-8 | |
9-15 | |
16-24 | |
25-31 | |
32-44 | |
45-49 | |
50 |
What is the goal?
Participants will be able to use digital tools to remove learning barriers.
Universal Design “Design for ONE, Extend to ALL”
universal design [ yoo-nuh-vur-suhl dih-zahyn ]
(noun) an approach to creating products and environments that are usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design
accessible [ ak-ses-uh-buhl ]
(adjective) having the legally required features and/or qualities that ensure entrance, participation and usability of places, programs, services and activities by individuals with a wide variety of disabilities
Accessed from: https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/tolerance-lessons/universal-design
7 Principles of Universal Design
1. Equitable Use
Useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities • Provides the same or equivalent means for all users • Avoid stigmatizing or segregating any users • Make design appealing to all users
2. Flexibility in Use
Accommodates a wide range of preferences and abilities • Provide choice in methods of use • Accommodate left- and right-handed users • Facilitate accuracy and precision • Provide adaptability to user’s pace
3. Simple and Intuitive Use
Easy to understand, regardless of user’s experience, knowledge, language skills or concentration level • Eliminate unnecessary complexity • Be consistent with user expectations • Accommodate variety of literacy levels • Highlight most important information
4. Perceptible Information
Communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or user’s sensory abilities • Use different modes to repeat essential information (pictorial, verbal, tactile)
• Provide contrast between essential information and its surroundings • Maximize “legibility”• Differentiate elements in ways that make it easy to give directions or instructions
• Provide compatibility with devices used by people with sensory limitations
5. Tolerance for Error
Minimizes hazards and negative consequences of accidental or unintended actions • Arrange elements to minimize hazards and errors • Provide warnings of hazards and errors • Provide fail-safe features
6. Low Physical Effort
Can be used efficiently and comfortably with minimum fatigue
• Allow user to maintain neutral body position • Use reasonable operating force • Minimize repetitive actions • Minimize sustained physical effort
7. Size and Space for Approach and Use
Appropriate size and space provided for approach, reach and use, regardless of user’s body size, posture or mobility
• Provide a clear line of sight to important elements to any user
• Make reach to all components comfortable for any user
• Accommodate variations in hand and grip size • Provide adequate space for assistive devices or personal assistants
Accessed from: https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/tolerance-lessons/universal-design
Which principles apply here?
Which principles apply here?
Which principles apply here?
Which principles apply here?
What might this look like in a classroom?
Gallery Walk
Chromebook Accessibility
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
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
Turn on the built-in magnifier
Settings > Accessibility > Enable Screen Magnifier
To adjust, hold Ctrl and Alt and scroll 2 fingers on the trackpad.
Adjustable mouse cursor
Some users prefer a larger mouse cursor.
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.
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.
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 3 dots (next to alt) and select the pen tool!�
In-App Tools
Translate a document
Google slides can be used as a running notebook in lots of ways. Create a new slide for each day’s notes, link slides to other slides, and link images, videos, and websites to a topic slide.
When creating assignments in Google Classroom, differentiate by assigning the appropriate work for each student or groups of students. This is ideal for flexible grouping and collaborative work.
Google Docs and Slides has a microphone to be used for speech-to-text.
The closed captions feature is available when presenting in Google Slides. It uses your computer’s microphone to detect your spoken presentation, then transcribes—in real time—what you say as captions on the slides you’re presenting. When you begin presenting, click the “CC” button in the navigation box (or use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + c in Chrome OS / Windows or ⌘ + Shift + c in Mac).
As you start speaking into your device’s microphone, automated captions will appear in real time at the bottom of your screen for your audience to see.
Closed Captions in YouTube
Enabling subtitles on YouTube®:
Extensions
Read & Write for Google is a powerful tool to support any student
• Text-to-speech to hear words, passages, or whole documents read aloud with easy-to-follow dual color highlighting��• Text and picture dictionaries to see the meaning of words explained��• With speech-to-text, dictate words to assist with writing, proofreading & studying��• Word prediction offers suggestions for the current or next word as you type��• Collect highlights from text in documents or the web for summarizing and research��• Create and listen to voice notes directly inside of Google Docs��• Simplify and summarize text on web pages to remove ads and other copy that can be distracting
Google Cast for Education is a free Chrome extension that allows students and teachers to share their screens wirelessly from anywhere in the classroom. Cast for Education carries video and audio across Wi-Fi school networks, has access controls for teachers, and works seamlessly with Google Classroom.
Read Aloud Chrome Extension
Read out loud the current web-page article with one click. Supports 40+ languages.
Tired of sitting, tired of reading? Click a button, jump on your bed, and have the article read aloud to you. You can choose from many available male and female voices. You can also set the pitch of the voice and the reading speed. Supports PDF.
Mercury Reader Extension
Mercury Reader strips away all the add and extra clutter from a web page so that students can read and research without distraction. On any webpage article, just click the extension icon and it works automatically.
The #1 screen recorder for Chrome.
Capture, edit and share videos in seconds.
Screencastify is Chrome's most trusted screen recorder.��✔ 8 million weekly users�✔ 2.2 million hours recorded in 2017�✔ #1 most installed Chrome screen recorder ��🎥 Record�▸ Desktop, browser tab or webcam capture�▸ Narrate with your microphone’s audio�▸ Customize your resolution and FPS�▸ Embed your webcam into the screencast
Extension
Visor is a Chrome Extension is designed to support screen reading. The extension provides a screen dimmer and reading aid. It can help with improving fluency, eye-strain, concentration and comprehension. It has been known to help individuals with low vision issues.
Need a break? The Mindful Break Chrome extension gives you a mindfulness tip and guides you through a short breathing exercise. You can even set reminders to help you remember to breathe. Focus on your breath when you’re feeling an intense emotion. Breathing can reset your state of mind.
Securely edit, fax and sign PDF and Word documents for free. Fill forms. Merge documents and reorder pages. Create templates.
Sign, edit and share PDF and Word documents online: DocHub - the way the world manages documents.��Editor Tools:�* Insert Text�* Draw (lossless, vector based)�* Highlight�* Comment�* Erase�* Sign�* Insert Image�* Stamp�* Undo/Redo
Alice Keeler’s Split Screen extension allows you to have two web-connected windows open side-by-side. This gives students the opportunity to access all the content and tools they need without toggling back and forth!
Spreed is a Chrome Extension added onto your Chrome browser. Once added the extension can be used to speed up or slow down how the user reads any document or website. Want to increase the rate of speed or slow down how you read then Spreed is for you. Spreed will show one word at a time on the screen and you control how fast or slow the words appear.
Chrome Extension Font
OpenDyslexic is an open sourced font created to increase readability for readers with dyslexia. This is a Chrome extension that overrides all fonts on webpages with the OpenDyslexic font, and formats pages to be more easily readable.
Web Tools
A Soft Murmur is a white noise app that gives students the power to avoid upsetting distractions and noise so they can concentrate. It is very simple to use and select from 10 different sounds...or combine a few to set a tone. Great for individual and whole class use.
Seeing AI is a free app that narrates the world around you. Designed for the blind and low vision community, this ongoing research project harnesses the power of AI to open up the visual world and describe nearby people, text and objects. Seeing AI demonstrates how technology can make the world more inclusive. Available in the iOS App Store.
What is Creatability?
Creatability is a set of experiments made in collaboration with creators and allies in the accessibility community. They explore how creative tools – drawing, music, and more – can be made more accessible using web and AI technology. They’re just a start. We’re sharing open-source code and tutorials for others to make their own projects.
Website
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Teleprompt.me is a voice activated teleprompter that supports students to practice public speaking at their own pace. The words scroll in response to the student’s voice and the text can be displayed in 4 colors and sizes to accommodate a variety of needs.
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Additional Resources
This presentation was created, in part with resources accessed from:
https://twitter.com/cterrillteach
https://twitter.com/scotlandlouise
https://twitter.com/LisaBerghoff
#BetterTogether