Accessibility

According to Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching, students learn best when they feel respected, included, and that instructors are invested in their development. Understanding how to use technology in a way that allows students to contribute in a variety of ways is one classroom engagement strategy that will benefit ALL learners.

Google Drive

Google Drive can store any type of file in addition to Google files including Word, PPT, Excel, PDFs, JPEGs, PNGs, etc. Offline accessibility allows for continued productivity even without a wifi connection. Make things even easier by creating templates for easy-to-access content in Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drawings.

Google Docs and Slides

To utilize voice typing, just go to TOOLS>VOICE TYPING to begin typing a Google Doc or notes in Google Slides. A complete list of commands can be found HERE when using voice typing. Use Read&Write for text to speech, word prediction, dictionary tools, screen reader support, highlighter tools and more.

Google Classroom

Differentiated and individualized instruction is made easy in Google Classroom by posting assignments to individual students/groups of students.




Google Chrome

Google Chrome has several accessibility options built right into the browser. Customize these settings by clicking on the three horizontal lines in the upper right corner of the browser and click SETTINGS>ADVANCED>ACCESSIBILITY. Here you can shrink/enlarge browser content or use the color enhancer or high contrast mode for those that are visually impaired. Kami PDF annotator available in Web Store allows the annotation of PDFs.


Read&Write for Google Chrome

Read&Write is available to all students in grades 4-12 in Mahwah Township Public Schools. It provides students with tools to boost their confidence in how they read, write and express themselves.

Features include:

  • Word prediction offers suggestions as you type

  • Text-to-speech to hear passages with easy-to-follow highlighting

  • Speech -to-text to dictate words for writing assistance

  • Audio makers to create and listen to voice notes in Google Docs

  • Study highlighters for summarizing and research

  • In document text and picture dictionaries

  • Simplify text on web pages to make it less distracting

Read&Write

Enhancing Instruction with Read&Write

Co:Writer and Snap&Read

Co:Writer uses grammar- and vocabulary-smart word prediction, translation support, and speech recognition to help generate ideas and get them to flow in writing. Co:Writer helps give you the words and phrases you’re intending as you type—even if your grammar and spelling are way off. Just type a letter or two and Co:Writer “predicts” words and phrases in real time.

Snap&Read reads text aloud, levels vocabulary, and translates, delivering usage data to teachers who then can more easily assess students’ reading needs individually.

Snap & Read and CoWriter

Learn more about these tools at Don Johnston's LEARNING ACADEMY

Learn More

Supporting all learners with Google for Education Accessibility Tools