Text to Speech & The Purple Puzzle Piece

Text to speech is a function of technology that allows users to hear accessible digital text. Learners can listen to content with a click of a button. Text to speech allows users to experience text with their ears in addition to their eyes, and provides a way to edit their own written work in a way that allows their ears to catch the mistakes their eyes miss. Text to speech allows users to learn words they might otherwise have trouble decoding and experience curricular content regardless of reading ability. 

Text to speech is a feature of the Read&Write for Google Chrome extension available to any person in LCPS. Go to the Chrome Web Store and do a search for Read&Write for Google Chrome. Then press “Add to Chrome” to add the extension to your Chrome browser. A purple puzzle piece will appear to the right of the URL bar. Click on it and follow the onscreen instructions to enable the extension. Then, start exploring the toolbar including the text to speech tool.

 

 

What is Inclusive Design?

Educators create experiences to support learners as they work to acquire and enhance new skills and abilities. Technology can be used to design the experiences for any learner. Educators provide options understanding that learner preferences are paramount. Not every learner needs to do the same thing the same way at the same time.

FLEXIBILITY IS KEY

The video below focuses on how designing instruction for students with disabilities leads to strategies used by the masses. Learn how to use accommodations as a roadmap for designing inclusively for all learners!