Announcify

Announcify is a text-to-speech extension that will read webpages aloud for you.  It also cleans up the webpage while it is reading it aloud, taking out the clutter.  Announcify helps keep your focus by blurring out all of the text except for the paragraph currently being read. 

There is a floating menu on the left side of the screen that allows the user to click the forward and backwards arrows to un-blur each paragraph in an article, one at a time.  It also has a play / pause button to stop and start the text-to-speech.

Unite for Literacy

Unite for Literacy is a website that contains a collection of short picture books that are read by a live narrator.  These original, non-fiction picture books support beginning readers of all ages. Features of the books include predictable, rhythmic language, images with clear, familiar subjects as well as text that ranges from one word up to a few sentences per page.

The 13 different categories of books range from "Animals" to "Healthy Me" to "Technology" and each contain a varying number of titles.

The library does not require registration or a password. You can read any of the books and listen to the narrations as much as you like.

Visit Unite for Literacy to read and listen to a book with your beginning reader today.

PicMonkey - Premium Content

Do your students like to include images in their written work?  
Would you like to add fun details, information or images to the assignments you give to your students?  
Are you looking for a new way to create social stories?

PicMonkey might be just the thing you need.  PicMonkey is a photo editor that can add color and pizazz to yours and your students work.  

PicMonkey is available as both a Google App and a Google Extension

The PicMonkey App is a free photo editor.  As a photo editor it has "Collage, Touch Up, Teeth Whiten, Fonts, Effects, Filters, Frames, Stickers & more" according to the website.

The PicMonkey Extension instantly allows you to edit web page images and screenshots.  You can "instantly grab images from any Web page and open them up in PicMonkey for editing."

PicMonkey is simple to use.  Here’s how it works: 

Click the PicMonkey icon when you’re viewing a web page. In one kajillionth of a second, every image on that page and a screenshot of the entire page appears as a tiny thumbnail in a sidebar. Select one to edit, and wah-la!  PicMonkey shows up to do your bidding.

PicMonkey is a free online photo editor that says Booyah! to whatever your creative heart desires. Its lean and fast engine lets you perform basic edits, like crop and rotate, and enhance your images with luscious effects, overlays, fonts, textures, frames and touch up tools.  Ridiculously easy, staggeringly gorgeous.

Phonetic Spell Checker

Spell checkers are getting more and more sophisticated.  They are able to pick up more misspellings, daily.  Even though, there are still times that Google or Word cannot determine what was written on the paper, they give you a squiggly line but no suggestions.

Werdz is a website that can help with this.  According to their website, "Werdz is a phonetic spell checker that uses the sounds of clusters of letters to determine how a word should be correctly spelled.  It correctly spells words like sossidge, lettis and menny utha werdz." 

Test it out for yourself.  Go to Werdz and type in a phonetic spelling of a word and look at all of the suggestions that populate. 

You can listen to the different options by selecting the speaker icon or selecting the work.  Selecting the word will take you to OneLook.  Selecting the speaker icon you will be re-directed to howjsay.com.

     

One Look not only provides pronunciations of words but it also provides different search options.  By going directly to the sight, you can look up a definition or a related word.  One Look also lets you search for portions of words or words related to word sections.  It is and interesting sight to explore.  

Rhyme Finder

Writing a poem?
Trying to think of some lyrics?
Looking for a rhyming word for any type of project?

Rhyme Finder is a Google Docs add-on that allows you to select words in your document and find rhyming words.  It is a fun add-on that could have a huge impact on writing.



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Google Docs has some great add-ons to help fill in some of the features gaps that exist in the base Google programming.  Please review my previous How to Find post for more instructions.   

#ChooseKind

Replace offensive comments and abusive language with expressions of kindness!

What if the internet could be a kinder place? Inspired by the movie WONDER, the #ChooseKind Chrome Extension will change the way you see the web by replacing abusive comments with positive and uplifting words. 

     

Using Chrome for desktop, the extension leverages powerful machine learning technology to spot abuse online — making it easier to focus on kindness as you scroll through social feeds and video comments on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. 

Natural Reader

Natural Reader (https://www.naturalreaders.com) is a professional text to speech program that converts any written text into spoken words.  It offers downloadable software, available for both Mac and PC, an online version, as well as Android or iOS apps.  

The free downloadable version of Natural Reader offers: 

• Text to Speech
• Works with PDF, Docx, TXT and ePub
• Change speed and speaker
• Floating bar to read text in other applications

The free web version offers:

• 20 minutes per day for Premium Voices
• Unlimited usage of Free Voices
• Supports PDF, Docx, RTF and TXT documents

With the free web version you can drag and drop your files, or type, paste, and edit text directly in the box on the page.  You can also convert files using the bookmark bar icon.

The free Android or iOS apps offer:

• support for PDF, Word documents, eBooks, HTML files, and PowerPoint
• provides a variety of ways to import text, including a built-in browser and copy and paste input
• access to Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive 
• synchronization with the NaturalReader desktop software 
• import function to access documents from your Android’s micro-SD 

DocHub

DocHub is a website that works with Google to let you mark up, manipulate, and annotate PDFs directly from your Drive account. DocHub, like so many sites these days, has a free and a premium version. The free version allows a user to view and edit 2000 documents and sign up to 5 documents per month.

Check out DocHub.com for videos and information about all of the wonderful things you can do with a PDF.

Listed below are some of the features available in DocHub, copied directly from their sight.

Editor Tools:

* Insert Text
* Draw
* Highlight
* Comment
* Erase
* Sign
* Insert Image
* Stamp
* Undo/Redo

Page Management:

* Merge documents
* Reorder pages
* Append pages
* Rotate pages
* Delete pages


Document Templates:

* Upload a template once then...
...easily fill it out a unique copy of it as many times as you need.
...send copies of it to multiple people for signing or filling.

Signing:

* Easily sign and save any document
* Create and import signature from phone
* Send documents to others to be signed

Open/Import Documents Directly From:

* Your computer
* Gmail
* Google Drive
* Dropbox
* Any webpage URL

Keyboarding a.k.a. Touch-Typing

I have recently been involved in some conversations about Keyboarding vs. Speech-to-text. Speech-to-text is an alternative to keyboarding, but is not as robust of an option, according some experts. Keyboarding or touch-typing on the other hand, is a life long skill that must be developed through time and practice. Below are some different keyboarding options to try with your students.

Typing Club is a Google App and a website (typingclub.com) with free keyboarding instruction for those who need to brush up!

Kidz Type (http://www.kidztype.com/) is a version of Dance Mat Typing.

TypingGames.Zone (https://www.typinggames.zone/) is a fun way for students to build fluency and speed.
- Have the "older kids" "test" the different games for lower grades. This makes typing practice more "authentic" (they are testing for it the younger kids).

Keybr.com (http://Keybr.com) allows you to create a user so you can track progress and continue lessons from where you left off.

Dance Mat Typing (http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr) has four levels to play, each divided into three stages.

If you would like to look at more keyboarding options please visit the High Incidence Accessible Technology website (http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/hiat-tech/) and search for Comparison of Online Keyboarding Websites.

For more information on Speech-to-Text you can see my previous Blog Post titled "Speech-to-Text a.k.a. Dictation"
(https://at-udl.blogspot.com/2016/07/speech-to-text.html).

WordArt.com

I have written about word clouds and word cloud generators in a previous Blog post.  As a reminder:

A Word Cloud is a graphical representation of word frequency.

A Word Cloud Generator is a tool that can be used to create visualizations from blocks of text. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more often in the text. 

I have learned about a new word cloud generator that I want to share:

WordArt.com

WordArt.com is an online word art creator that enables you to create amazing and unique word art with ease.  It is Easy, Fun and Customizable.

Word Central

Merriam-Webster has a fun word site called:



Word Central has amazing word games and challenges for spellers of all ages.  It has a standard dictionary, a thesaurus and will even create a rhyming words list.  

Word Central has some wonderful educational features as well as a "For Educators" section.

Check out wordcentral.com today! 

Bookshare: New apps for Reading

Bookshare is now available on new FREE apps for both iOS and Android devices.

For iOS you can now use: 
Dolphin EasyReader
By Dolphin Computer Access Ltd

For Android you can now use:

Go Read

by Benetech

Both apps allow for a variety of voice options, text color, background color and highlighting color options.  They both also offer users the option to change the reading speed.

Check out more information about these apps and others that are supported by Bookshare at:

Member Preferred Tools.

The Meaning Behind the Name, a reminder

AT / UDL Tips & Tricks for Everyone...
What does AT stand for?
What is the meaning behind UDL?

Truthfully AT and UDL go hand-in-hand.

AT - Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology consists of DEVICES and SERVICES that help children 
with disabilities carry out a functional activity in their environment.
UDL - Universal Design for Learning
U.D.L. Technology consists of DEVICES and SERVICES that help children
carry out a functional activity in their environment.

Blabberize, a reminder

Are you looking for a fun new way for your students to present a report to the class? Do you have a student that is shy and struggles with oral reports? Are you looking for a different way to give directions to your class, maybe for when there is a substitute? I have just the thing for you. Turn a photo into a talking report with Blabberize.

Blabberize is as simple as 1, 2, 3.

1. Upload a picture

2. select the mouth on the picture and 

3. record the sound.

Listen to "Abraham Lincoln" recite part of the Gettysburg Address.

Guided Access, a reminder

What is Guided Access? How can it help in my classroom?

Guided Access is a built in Accessibility feature on the iPad. It helps students stay focused on a task while using the iPad. It limits the device to a single app and lets the teacher control which features are available.

Guided Access is a great technology management tool and can be enabled in a couple of quick steps.

Speech to Text, a refresher

Consider for a moment your students. Think about the ones who struggle to get their ideas onto paper. How about the students who struggle with spelling or have fine motor control issues. 

Speech to Text is a tool that can help these students and many others. Speech to Text is an Accessibility feature built into most computers today. It is a tool that allows a writer to dictate their thoughts and ideas into a document. Many Speech to Text options also allow you to speak the punctuation and a multitude of voice commands for editing purposes.

Google Docs has a built in Speech to Text option called Voice Typing.

Google offers a fairly comprehensive instructional guide for Voice Typing. The guide includes a list of languages supported by Voice Typing as well as a list of punctuation that can be voice enabled. The guide also includes a list of voice commands for formatting or editing your document in the sections under “Voice commands”. There are also some troubleshooting tips located near the end of the guide.

Because it is an accessibility feature, you can enable Speech to Text on a Mac.

Apple also provides a set-up and use guide that includes a variety of voice commands.

Give it a try! You (and your students) will love it!

Text to Speech, a reminder

As the school year starts it is nice to have a refresher on some tools, tips and tricks. Over the course of the next couple of weeks I am going to be reposting a few of my blogs, the ones that I feel are the most helpful as both AT and UDL tips and tricks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Text to Speech is a tool that has multiple uses. It can be used to help with reading and writing. It can be used by students and teachers.

I use text to speech to edit my writing. I listen to what I have written to help with sentence structure or misused words. It helps me improve my writing. I use text to speech to edit all of my blog posts.

Text to Speech can be a useful tool for struggling readers, English language learners, or readers with dyslexia as well. Using Text to Speech as a reading tool can help a variety of students and adults.

On a Mac follow these directions to enable Text to Speech.

Try it out for yourself.  I am sure you will love it!

Screencastify

Wow! Here it is already Wednesday and I have not posted yet. The start of this school year is hectic and I apologize.

Are you looking for a Screen Video Recorder.  Screencastify might be the answer.

The Lite version of screencastify offers:

▸ 10 minute recording limit per video 

▸ 50 videos per month 

▸ Screencastify watermark

You will be able to easily create a screencast for video tutorials and record presentations.  It also supports desktop capturing, allowing you to record anything on your screen with audio.

Follow my tutorial for setting up Screencastify and start exploring all of the possibilities.

Scrible

If you haven't noticed yet, I love Google Extensions. There are so many wonderful things they can do and most of them are FREE.

  Scrible is a Google Extension and a Google App.  The app lets you annotate, bookmark, save, manage & share online articles. The extension offers a tool bar that is a great way to annotate, tag and share online articles and webpages.  Both the app and the extension offer a Scrible account for storing your information.  The app and extension have features that let you:

• move the tool bar, starts at the bottom of the page
• highlight text
• add post-it
• change text color
• Underline 
• Bold 
• Italic
• Strikethrough
• e-mail or save the annotated file for later

The extension also:

• Notifies you when you’re on a webpage you previously annotated
• Prompts you to load your previous annotations
• Automatically loads your most recent annotations while you browse the Web

To create a Scrible account go to www.scrible.com

Invert Colors / Gray Scale

Hello Bloggers!  Summer for our technology department is a busy time and this sure has been a busy summer.  I am sorry for the late post today. 

Inverting colors or using gray scale can be a very helpful tool for students with vision issues.  It can be helpful for students with light sensitivity or who are color blind.   

Setting up these two different options are available within the Accessibility Features on your computer.  As a primarily Mac district here is a Mac tutorial on how to make the changes, to Invert Colors or use Gray Scale.

EasyBib

In a previous Blog post I discussed Cite this for Me: Web Citer, a Google Extension.  Another options to help with creating a bibliography would be EasyBib!

EasyBib is a Google Docs add-on that allows you to create a bibliography, automatically.  You can cite books, journal articles and websites simply by entering the title or URL.  
This add-on lets you format in MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard, and over 7K other styles.  When you have finished adding your sources, EasyBib will generate your bibliography, alphabetize your citations and add them to the end of your paper, with just a couple of mouse clicks.   




     

Select Manage Bibliography from the drop-down and begin filling in the information in the sidebar.

Google Docs add-on Highlight Tool

This add-on lets you highlight text directly in a Google Doc, using a convenient sidebar. Any information that opens as a Google Doc, or can be opened as a Google Doc, can use the Highlight Tool.

Open the sidebar by choosing "Highlight Tool > Start". Then create highlighters and use them to highlight selected text. 

Highlights can be named by the color you are using or by the function of each different color (e.g. noun, verb, adj. or topic sentence, supporting fact, conclusion).

This is a test of Google Highlight tool add-on.

There is an almost unlimited wheel of colors.

Colors can be named based on color, or use.

"Share Highlighters" and "Import Highlighters" allow sharing of highlighters between different users.

Doc Tools, a Google Add-On for Google Docs

Doc Tools is a set of single-click tools that let you perform a number of varied actions while working in your text.



You can perform a few "quick" actions from the drop down by highlighting the text and selecting a feature:

- Arrange your table rows or list items in ascending or descending alphabetical order. 
- Convert numbers to words or vice versa

- Quickly change the case of your words, in multiple different formats:

     - change it to all uppercase or lowercase 

     - capitalize each word
     - capitalize each sentence 
     - toggle case 

Or, you can have a side bar of actions by selecting Start from the drop down:

- Increase and Decrease font until you find the right size
- Highlight important information

- Arrange your table rows or list items in ascending or descending alphabetical order. 

- Convert numbers to words or vice versa

- Quickly change the case of your words, in multiple different formats: 
     - change it to all uppercase or lowercase 
     - capitalize each word
     - capitalize each sentence 
     - toggle case 

  

                             

formLimiter

formLimiter lets you automatically set Google Forms to stop accepting responses after a maximum number of responses has been reached or at a specific date and time.  This add-on is great for time-based assignments or for registrations with limited seats or availability.








It is easy to setup.  Simply launch the add-on, set the limit type, and save.

The Limit types are:

• Specific date and time
• Timer will shut off form on the specified date and time, down to the minute.

• Maximum number of responses
• Form shuts off once the set limit has been reached. 

             

Google Forms Notifications

I love Google Forms!  It is great for quizzes or surveys.  It is great for quick responses from students and staff.  I don't love that I have to check it all the time to see if anyone has responded.  Until now...

Google Forms has made a recent update.  You can get notifications when someone fills out the form, directly to your e-mail, no add-on required.

Within the Form, go to the Responses tab.  Open the 3 dots.  Select, "Get email notifications for new responses".








Quick, easy, Wonderful!!

Happy 4th of July

My apologies bloggers.

I did not get a blog post written before the holiday and have had very limited time this week.  

I hope everyone was able to enjoy Independence Day, some fireworks, and maybe a picnic.

Type Fireworks into the ChromeWeb Store and check out some of the themes that are available.

How to Find: Google Add-ons

In comparison to Microsoft Office, the Google Suite of apps has always been considered less powerful. Google has been adding features into their software to make it more compatible to Microsoft. Some of these features are available though what Google calls Add-ons.

Google Add-ons are items that enhance the functioning of the Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms.  Add-ons are created by developers to give you features similar to Microsoft Office.

To browse through add-ons for Docs, Sheets and Forms, select Get add-ons in the Add-ons menu of any open Doc, Sheet or Form.





Once you install an add-on it will become available across all of your Docs, Sheets and Forms and you can start using it right away.

Follow my posts this summer as I explore some great Add-ons for Google Docs, Sheets and Forms.

BeeLine Reader

Do you have students that struggle with tracking? Is reading online articles nearly impossible for them because of there tracking struggles?

BeeLine Reader may the perfect solution.



BeeLine Reader creates a more readable version of a web page. It starts by removing all of the ads and other distracting items. It provides a second layer by applying gradient coloring to help guide your eyes from left to right and from one line to the next. 

BeeLine Reader is available for up to 5 articles per day for free.  It also offers the OpenDyslexic font with just the slide of a switch.

Cite this for Me: Web Citer

With all of the information that can be found on the internet these days, it is sometimes hard to know how to cite an online article.  Additionally, with all of the different citation formats, it is sometimes hard to remember how they are all formatted.

Try Cite this for Me: Web Citer

With the Cite this for Me Google extension you can automatically create website citations in APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard referencing styles.

Cite this for Me will generate a correctly formatted citation that you can copy and paste into your assignment.  You can also crate an online bibliography for later use at http://www.citethisforme.com/.

Stop-Motion Animation - Guest Writer

Clark Rodeffer has been a guest writer for this Blog in the past.  He has written a number of wonderful articles for our school technology newsletter.  I would like to share another one of these with you today.

Stop-Motion Animation

Wallace and Gromit, Gumby, Coraline, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer -- these and other classic films probably spring to mind when you think of stop-motion animation. Now, your students can create stop-motion animations as demonstrations of learning in most subject areas and most grade levels. Continue here to learn how!

People First Language, The Power of Words

Hello everyone,

I hope you had a fantastic Memorial Day weekend.  I was busy doing things with my family and around my house and yard.  I want to apologize that this post is later than usual, by a few hours anyway.  I have had a busy couple of weeks and have been struggling to fit it all in.  

I have recently started taking classes at Bowling Green State University.  BGSU offers an online Masters Degree program in Assistive Technology and I am in my 3rd week of classes.  So far I have learned some interesting tidbits that will help me with my day to day job and my blog posts.  

During the first week of class we read an article and watched a video that really hit home for me.  The article, "People First Language" by Kathie Snow contains some wonderful information about disabilities and the handicapped.  The video, "The Power of Words" by Judy Endow can be found on YouTube.  It is a 12 minute video, but worth every second.  It also contains some very eye opening information.  

I hope you take the time to read the article and watch the video.  It gave me a new perspective on some of my words and actions and I hope it will do the same for you.

Flippity - Guest Writer

I have the opportunity to work with a wonderful team on individuals.  One member of the team is our schools Instructional Technology Specialist, Clark Rodeffer.  We each write articles for our schools Technology Newsletter.  In a recent newsletter Clark wrote a great article about Flippity.  

Clarks article starts like this:

Are you looking for an easy way to make virtual flashcards, mix & match grids, quiz shows, tournament brackets, and more? Flippity is a free Google Sheets add-on with which you and your students can create engaging web-based activities. Here's how to get started.

Please click the link to learn more about Flippity!

High Contrast

Have you ever struggled with reading something online because the background was too bright?  Do you have students that have this type of visual impairment?

There are a number of ways to adjust the settings on your computer to take care of this, but many of them can be cumbersome.  The biggest issue with changing settings is that you often have to change them frequently, not all sites are too bright and not all settings work on all sites.

You could try using High Contrast.  High Contrast is a Google Extension that will change or invert the colors on a webpage to make it easier to read.  High Contrast applies filters to the page instead of changing settings.  It lets you browse the web and can make reading online text easier.

When you initially install this extension, all pages will be "inverted", black is white and white is black. There is an Enable / Disable button to allow you to toggle the extension on and off.  There is also the option to use a keyboard shortcut (see image above).

Extension Smashing: Google Dictionary and Flashcards for Google Dictionary

Have you ever heard of App Smashing?  App smashing is the process of starting with one app and using another app to enhance the creation process.  This process is used by teachers and/or students to create content, either educational or recreational, with the end product most often being posted on the web.

This same concept can be used with Google Extensions. 

My most recent discovery in Extension Smashing happened when I learned about Google Dictionary and Flashcards for Google Dictionary/Translate.

Smashing Google Dictionary and Flashcards for Google Dictionary/Translate is a great way to help your students learn new words and pronunciations while researching or reading online.  It also allows students to practice these new words even after they are finished researching or reading online.

Google Dictionary is a Chrome web extension that allows your students to double-click on any word and get a definition (as well as a spoken pronunciation for many words).  Students can easily view definitions as they browse the web. 

Flashcards for Google Dictionary automatically creates a flashcard for each word a student saves to their Google Dictionary history.  

To set up this Smashing:

• Install both Google Extensions: 
• Google Dictionary and 
• Flashcards for Google Dictionary/Translate
• Set up "history" in Google Dictionary:
• To use "history" you must opt in via the "Extension Options".  Once you have opted in the extension will store a history of all of the words a student looks up.  
• Double Click on a word and select "Save" in the pop-up window.     

          

• The word will be saved in both the Google Dictionary history as well as in Flashcards for Google Dictionary.  
• To access the list from Google Dictionary you will have to download a .csv file from the "Extension Options".  
• To access the flashcards simply open the Google Extension and review the words.

          

• You can "Remember" or "Forget" the words as well as "Flip" the word for the definition.  If the student learns the word, no longer needs to practice it, the "X" will remove it from the stack.  

Please Note:
Google Dictionary has a few limitations that need to be mentioned.

- The pop-up bubble will not work in tabs that were open prior to installation. After installing this extension, either reload your open tabs or restart Chrome.

- All extensions are disabled on Chrome Web Store pages. These Extensions will not work in Blogger, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides etc.  Do not test the extension on this page; it will not work!

Now, I know that these flashcards will not be published online and I also know that this is not the most exciting "smashing" option.  Even so, this is a great option for practicing unfamiliar words with our students.  It gives our students some control over what they learn, in a meaningful, relevant way.