Chrome Tools: Extensions & Apps for All Students

This PowerPoint is a compilation of some excellent Chrome apps & extensions available to everyone! A few are paid, but most are completely free and available at the Chrome Web Store. Click on the post title for the PowerPoint.

Local Classroom Technology Integration Specialists

Gaby's website

Justin's website

We find ourselves very fortunate here in the U.P.!  We have some awesome Instructional Technology Integration specialists to help us out with issues related to Google Chrome, iOS devices, Android, etc. Here's a few sites where you can find instructions (Justin's video tutorials) and resources (Gaby's Diigo collection). Justin works with Dickinson-Iron districts and Gaby can be found in Marquette-Alger districts. It's great to have these experts to rely on!

Center on Technology and Disability launches new site!

The Center on Technology and Disability just announced the launch of the CTD Institute website. The site has a pleasing layout with sections on professional development (Learning Center), a weekly moderated chat (Cafe') and searchable resources on assistive and instructional technology (Library). Registering for an account is easy and allows access to the chats and learning center events. I'm looking forward to exploring it further.

ChromeAT presented by Mike Marotta, ATP

Here's another resource put together by Mike Marotta who demystifies apps and extensions for Reading, Writing, Math, Learning and Visual Impairments.  

Seriously Shiny Chrome presented by Ron Houtman, Educational Technology Consultant, Kent ISD

Ron presented this session at Kent ISD's AssisTechKnow conference on October 9th. Check out these tips, apps and extensions like Readability, Cruxlight and SpeakIT.  

Eyebridge, an app with human interaction for visually impaired!

An Eyebridge subscription provides live, on-demand, remote visual assistance to help blind or visually impaired individuals with navigating a crowded street, taking public transportation, object identification or written word interpretation. With a wifi connection and Bluetooth headset, a user connects to the service that automatically enables the rear facing camera on a smart phone for live video assistance anywhere in the world, 24/7!



INTRODUCTION TO EYEBRIDGE from EyeBridge on Vimeo.

New Chrome AT Toolbox 2.0 Beta

Back in March, I posted about the Chrome AT Toolbox, a searchable collection of free or low-cost apps & extensions. Well, now it's even better and easier to use! With V2, the database has been rewritten and anyone can write reviews to Chrome apps & extensions. New reviews are posted automatically and the database is searchable with filters for Tasks and Keywords. For example, you can search by the Task Organization, and by Keyword Bookmarking to narrow results. The editors are hoping to start fresh with new reviews, and if you disagree with a review, you can share your perspective.

Keep this valuable resource in mind when you're looking for ideas - I know I will! Thank you to John Calvert and Mark Surabian for creating it.

QIAT Resource Bank - UDL Apps!

Have you been to the QIAT Resource Bank lately?  I was looking for a document and ran across this beautiful Placement of Core Apps Serving Learning for All!  Each of the three separate sections, Representation, Expression and Engagement, list apps in categories by student area of difficulty: LD reading, LD writing, LD executive functioning, physical, visual, hearing and communication.

If you're looking for educational app, I'd start here!  Thank you to Barbara Welsford, M.Ed., ATP, ADE for putting this together!

This is just one example of the excellent resources on the QIAT Resource Bank.  Check it out at http://indicators.knowbility.org/resource-bank.html

Chrome Resources for Struggling Students

A big thank you to  Lynda S. Hartman, M.A., M.L.S., Assistive Technology Consultant for Northern Suburban Special Education District, Highland Park, Illinois.  Lynda has put together a Google Site dedicated to supporting struggling learners with Google Chrome.  Her categories include Accessibility, Reading Tasks, Writing Tasks and Executive Functioning Tasks.  New things are available in Chrome everyday, and will be added periodically.  Check out how Google Chrome can help you!

Chrome AT Toolbox

Google has many accessibility features built into the Chrome browser and many add-on Apps and Extensions.
What's the difference between an App and an Extension?  A web app is basically a website that runs within the browser and may not require any downloads.  Google Docs is an example of an app because it runs within the browser and doesn't require a download.  On the other hand, an extension affects something global on your browser.  Extensions are downloaded to modify your browser.
The Chrome Toolbox is a searchable collection of free or low cost apps and extensions that follow the user wherever there's an Internet connection.  The tools are attached to the user's profile and available when they're logged in to Chrome.  The collection focuses on alternative access and is searchable by specific task or disability profile.  Check it out!