AT in GoogleLand
Explore our Google resource page to learn more about using Google and the Chrome environment as an AT tool. You'll find strategies and suggested tools that work best with Chromebooks, to get you up and running with Chrome in your classroom.
Delve deeper into Google with resources, tips, and strategies from Bridges:
NEW: Kurzweil 3000 Chrome App and Extension
Quick and Easy Worksheet Accessibility on Chromeboook/GAFE
Chrome Extensions and Privacy: 4 Questions to Ask
Extensions: What work is done in the Cloud vs. the local computer?
Cloud Privacy: Can you turn your extensions off?
Cloud Privacy: How is your extension paying for its development?
Cloud Privacy: When the Extension's Servers are Breached
Top 8 Chromebook Simple Switch Activity Sites
Problem: Accessibility in Chrome. Solution: Windows?
Chromebooks and Switch Access
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Joysticks, Mice and Other Alternative Tools
Any plug ‘n play USB pointing device should work on a Chromebook. However, special drivers for these devices are generally not yet available for Chromebooks, and the Chrome OS doesn't have as many options as there are in Windows and Mac environments.So don't expect all the settings options for accessibility you may be used to on a Windows or Mac PC.
Bridges Recommends BJOY Sticks and Buttons
With the BJOY pointing devices, you can customize accessibility settings to run on any PC, even Chromebooks or Linux machines. Install the free BJOY software on a Windows computer, plug in the BJOY device and you can adjust and set: orientation, direction, button function for click and drag, double click and more.
Those settings are saved to the specific device and travel with it.
When you plug that device into any Chromebook (or Mac, Android, Windows or Linux computer) all that customization will be there without the need to install any specific drivers on that device.
Chromebook Switch Access
Those USB ports sure do come in handy! With a Chromebook you can connect via Buetooth or USB. But if a USB switch interface requires software/drivers, chances are it won’t work on a Chromebook. There just aren't any software drivers for switch access written for the Chromebook that we know of. Popular switch interfaces that aren’t compatible with the Chromebook at this time include, Crick Switch Interface Box, Joy Cable, Joy Box and Intelliswitch.
Bridges Recommends for Chromebook Switch Access
The Blue2 Switch and Interface, as well as the Don Johnston Switch Interface Pro V6, work with Chromebooks.
The DJ Switch Interface Pro is a USB connected switch interface that lets you change settings to emulate mouse/keyboard strokes on the device itself -- no software or drivers necessary. So it does work with the Chromebook. Websites, Chrome apps and extensions you want to access with the DJ Switch Interface need to respond to the mouse/keyboard inputs that are available in the interface. For more details, see the article Chromebook and Switch Access.
Reading and Writing Supports
Writing and reading on the web now goes way beyond a document in Google docs. And that goes double for Chromebooks.
When looking at reading and writing tools in the Chromebook, consider how that tool works in all literacy media on the internet including:
- PDFs
- Flash
- Images of text
- Blogs
- Comment areas on websites
- Facebook posts, Tweets, and other social networking tools
Also consider if you can use one tool within another. If a student needs word prediction or voice recognition support, then she’ll need that inside her organisational tool, or her reading tool when she’s adding notes.
Can your literacy support tool work everywhere a student reads or writes?
Bridges Recommends for Chromebook/GAFE Reading and Writing Supports
Unlike any other accessibility extensions, Co:Writer and Snap&Read do almost all of their work on the local computer. This ensures not only unmatched privacy and security for teacher and student on a cloud based tool, but also a functioning tool even without the Internet.
That's right, both of these cloud based tools can perform all of their most important functions even if the WiFi is down or if you're at home, or a friend's where you don't have internet at all.
Read more on our 360° Literacy Support Page
Co:Writer Universal uses grammar- and vocabulary-smart word prediction to help students better express their ideas in writing across devices. And now built-in speech recognition and automatic content based topic dictionaries adds new ways to get your ideas out, accurately.
Snap&Read delivers unprecedented reading to learn supports. Including dynamic levelling, extract to outline, automatic citation, multi-lingual support, and worksheet and pdf reading.
Supporting High Instructional Needs on the Cloud
There aren’t many apps or extensions developed for the Chromebook for students with complex cognitive and physical challenges.
Instead, look for websites that run in the Chrome web browser where you can create materials and activities.
The websites listed below are great tools that work in a Chrome web browser. So they will work in on many kinds of computers: Windows, Mac, even many Android tablets.