How to set up: 

The following videos show you how to set up accessibility features, use text-to-speech, and use speech-to-text. Scroll past the videos if you prefer text directions to help you with setting up. 

Setting Up

Using Select-to-Speak: 

Using Voice Typing:

Text Directions for Set-Up:

Getting your settings to stay put

When setting up a student's accessibility settings on a classroom Chromebook, first follow these important steps. If you do not, the settings will get erased as soon as the student logs out! 

1. Click the time (at the bottom right of the screen) to open the menu. 

2. Click settings (gear symbol)

3. On the left-hand menu click "Advanced", then "Accessibility"

4. Toggle "Always show accessibility options in the system menu" to "on". 

5. Click Manage accessibility features. Now you are ready to add the features your student needs! Don't close the settings window just yet. Continue on to the sections below:

Adding Text-to-Speech

My preferred text-to-speech setting on a Chromebook is Select to Speak. It allows the student to click a button, then draw a box around the text they want to hear. It will read only that text out loud, rather than the whole screen. To enable this setting:

6. From Manage Accessibility features, scroll down to the "Text-to-Speech" section. 

7. Toggle "Enable Select-to-speak" to "on". 

8. You will now see the select-to-speak button (a small speaker) appear on the bottom menu. 

Adding Speech-to-Text

9. From Manage Accessibility features, scroll down to the "Keyboard and Text Input" section. 

10. Toggle "Enable Dictation" to "on". 

11. You will now see the dictation button (a small microphone) appear on the bottom menu. 

12. You can now close the settings window, and your student is ready to begin using their new settings. 

Tip:

Teaching students to use select-to-speak (TTS) and voice typing (or speech-to-text) requires teaching them some self-monitoring skills. I like to show students the "Think it, Say it, Check it, Fix it" method which you can find in full here: Speech Recognition as AT for Writing - A Guide for K12 Education, or download my easy, printable visuals here: