MWISD Tech Tip Tuesday
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Chrome Extensions For Struggling Students and Special Needs- #30
Chrome Extensions
You will find a list of extensions below that assist students in reading comprehension, focus, text to speech, and readability.
First, what is an Extension?
Reading Comprehension Extension
With this extension, you can double click any word to view it's definition in a small pop-up bubble, you can view the complete definition of any word or phrase using the toolbar dictionary, and you can store a history of words you've looked up to practice them later. Foreign words are automatically translated to your language of choice.
Text To Speech Extension
Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader
Text-to-speech is an assistive technology that reads digital text aloud. It's sometimes called "read aloud" technology. After installing it, just click it and TTS can take words on a computer or other digital device and convert them into audio. TTS is very helpful for kids who struggle with reading. TTS works with nearly every personal digital device, including computers, smartphones, and tablets. All texts can be read aloud. The user is able to determine the speed, voice type, pitch, and volume of the extension.
Speech to Text Extension
VoiceIn uses speech recognition capabilities on mostly all websites and textboxes. VoiceIn uses Google's speech recognition engine. After installing be sure to close and then reopen your browser. You can start the dictation by clicking in the text box, right click, and choose start recording. Or, you can just click on the extension icon from the browser.
Readability Extensions
The Mercury Reader extension for Chrome removes ads and distractions, leaving only text and images for a clean and consistent reading view on the site of your choice. You're able to disable clutter, adjust text size, and toggle between light or dark themes.
OpenDyslexic is an open sourced font created to increase readability for readers with dyslexia. This extension overrides all fonts on webpages with the OpenDyslexic font, and formats pages to be more easily readable.
BeeLine uses a color gradient to guide your eyes from the end of one line to the beginning of the next to make reading substantially easier and faster. This allows you to transition between lines quickly and effortlessly. This extension can also be used with Google Docs. You can read as much as you want for two weeks. After that, you can use BeeLine up to 5 times every day for free.
As well as being a great general purpose screen dimmer, Visor's overlays and point of focus feature may be assistive to users with visual perceptual difficulties.
MWISD Instructional Technology Specialist
As the Instructional Technology Specialist, I will strive to serve the academic and digital needs of our students and provide equitable opportunities to prepare students for our ever-changing global community.
I will strive to assist teachers in appropriately incorporating and implementing technology in their classroom by being available for one-on-one meetings, PLCs, staff meetings, and providing professional development that meets our teacher's technology needs.
Email: jmartin@mwisd.net
Website: https://www.mwisd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=762152&type=d&pREC_ID=1344172
Location: 906 Southwest 5th Avenue, Mineral Wells, TX, USA
Phone: (940)-325-6404
Twitter: @jmartin