Supporting pupils with reading difficulties

Select to Speak

The free built in Select to Speak text to speech facility on Chromebooks is useful for learners with dyslexia and English as an additional language.  You have to turn it on in the Accessibility settings.  Further information is in the video below.

Immersive Reader

Microsoft's Immersive Reader is built into Office 365 apps. If your learners have reading difficulties, consider using Microsoft Word Online documents (through Glow) instead of Google Docs.  You can post a link to the document from your OneDrive to Google Classroom.  

Immersive Reader will read the text to you and has visual impairment and dyslexia friendly options, plus Boardmaker symbols and translation support, for learners with English as an Additional Language.

You can download an extension to use Immersive Reader on websites on your Chromebook here:  you select text, right click (two finger tap on some Chromebooks) and select Help Me Read This.  Please note that this doesn't work on Google Docs.

TextHelp Read and Write toolbar for Chrome

Read and Write for Chrome toolbar has free text to speech for websites, documents etc. and with an additional subscription has more features including text prediction and research tools.  An introduction video and installation instructions are below.

Coloured overlay

The Color Veil extension, which is approved for use by pupils and staff on stirlingschools.net accounts, tints the webpages you view to reduce background glare or increase readability of text on the screen.  You choose the background colour you prefer, which is then added automatically added to most websites, including Google Docs.   This is useful for users with dyslexia, some visual impairments and for those who prefer to avoid the glare from white screens.

Open Dyslexic Font for Chrome

Many readers with dyslexia find the Open Dyslexic Font helpful - the letters are heavier at the bottom which helps to anchor the text to the line to avoid the sensation of the letters moving around for some learners.  

While Open Dyslexic is available free in many word processors, the free Open Dyslexic Font for Chrome extension allows you to automatically change the font of any website text, including navigation, to Open Dyslexic.

Speech Recognition

Voice Typing

How to use the free Voice Typing feature in Google Docs.  This works on both Chromebooks and in the Chrome browser on Windows computers.  

Voice recording 

Recording short audio messages is a great way to evidence learning, without writing or typing.  It is really useful for short answers, such as quizzes and reading comprehension activities.  It is particularly suitable for pupils with dyslexia and motor control difficulties.  

Talk and Comment Chrome extension

Installing this extension (approved for staff and pupil use on stirlingschools.net accounts) on your Chromebook, or the Chrome browser on a Windows PC or laptop, will let you click on a microphone icon and save a voice note into various applications, including Google Classroom and Google Docs.

This video explains how to add multiple voice notes to Google Docs using Talk and Comment and the Insert Comment feature.

Supporting pupils with visual impairment

Making content accessible

How to add information to images to support VI learners

ChromeVox Screen Reader

This free tool reads aloud text and other information on the screen.  

Magnification settings

How to use the magnification feature on G Suite and Chromebooks. This feature can be helpful with students with impaired vision or anyone who needs a little extra vision assistance. 

Braille Display

ChromeVox also has an option to support Braille users.

How to add subtitles and translations to any YouTube video

Advanced:  Adding permanent on-screen subtitles in YouTube Studio

CALL Scotland Chromebook Guides 

CALL have recommended Apps to support learners in various categories.  You can click or tap on the apps on each wheel to view more details in the iPad App Store.