Chromebooks are known for their speed and simplicity, making them popular in educational settings. But how well do they cater to learners with special needs? This comprehensive guide explores the accessibility tools and features built into Chromebooks, offering a detailed look at how they can support diverse learning requirements.
Google’s commitment to making information accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities, is reflected in the robust accessibility features of Chromebooks.
“Everyone should be able to access and enjoy the web. We’re committed to making that a reality.” – The Google Accessibility team (@GoogleAccess)
Features like ChromeVox (screen reader), Select-to-speak (text-to-speech), and Dictation (voice typing) empower students and adults to navigate and interact with the web more effectively. This guide provides clear explanations of each feature and suggests practical applications for educators to help students overcome learning barriers.
As educators, it’s our responsibility to eliminate barriers to student learning. Understanding the accessibility features on a Chromebook is an excellent starting point!
Unveiling the Hidden Potential
While designed for individuals with visual, reading, or physical impairments, Chromebook accessibility features offer surprising benefits for all users. Many of these tools prove invaluable when presenting to large groups, enhancing clarity and engagement for everyone.
Features like screen zoom, the “highlight mouse cursor” option, and dictation are particularly useful for technology teachers and trainers.
Don’t limit your use of Chromebook accessibility features to students with learning needs! Everyone can benefit from these tools!
Built-in vs. External Accessibility Tools
This guide focuses solely on the built-in accessibility features of Chromebooks. While there are numerous helpful Chrome apps and extensions that provide additional support for students with special learning needs, this article will focus on what is readily available within the ChromeOS operating system.
Let’s dive in!
Enabling Accessibility Features on a Chromebook
Chromebook accessibility features are disabled by default. To begin, you’ll need to enable them through the system menu. This allows for easy access to the features when needed.
Steps to enable accessibility features:
- Click the time in the bottom right corner of the Chrome browser, then click the gear icon to access settings.
- In the system settings, search for “accessibility” using the search bar.
- Activate the option labeled “Show accessibility options in quick settings.”
- The accessibility features are now conveniently located in the quick settings menu in the bottom right corner of your Chromebook.
Disabling Chromebook Accessibility Features
Accessibility features can be easily toggled on and off through the system menu. This is important because some features are not desirable to have enabled continuously.
As a technology trainer, I frequently enable and disable features like dictation and highlight mouse cursor throughout the day.
To disable a feature, simply click the system menu (bottom right corner), select “accessibility,” and then select the feature you want to disable.
Managing Accessibility Settings in the Google Admin Console
Chromebook accessibility features are “device sticky” by default. This means that accessibility settings remain active even after a user logs out, potentially causing issues in a shared classroom environment.
Imagine this scenario:
- Student A uses a Chromebook in the morning and enables an accessibility feature.
- Student B uses the same Chromebook later in the day and finds that the accessibility feature is still active.
In a school setting where Chromebooks are shared, it’s ideal for accessibility settings to be linked to individual student accounts, rather than the device itself.
“Device sticky” settings can lead to problems!
Some students might intentionally enable disruptive accessibility features (like ChromeVox) before logging out. The next student to log in would be surprised and potentially frustrated by the unexpected behavior of the Chromebook.
To prevent this situation, district administrators should enable the “Turn off accessibility setting on sign-in screen upon logout” setting within the Google Admin console.
Admin Console Path: Devices > Chrome > Settings > Device Settings > Sign-in Settings
Activating this setting will disable any active accessibility features when a user logs out of the Chromebook. This does not prevent students from using accessibility features while logged in, but their changes won’t affect subsequent users of the same device.
▶ Note: Access to the Google Admin console is required to make this change.
With these setup considerations addressed, let’s explore each Google Accessibility feature and examine its potential applications in the classroom.
ChromeVox (Spoken Feedback)
ChromeVox is a screen reader designed for users with low vision. It provides verbal prompts to navigate the web. When enabled, ChromeVox highlights selected objects with an orange box and reads the on-screen text.
ChromeVox is among the most comprehensive accessibility features on a Chromebook, but it’s primarily intended for users with significant visual impairments.
While ChromeVox is a capable screen reader for blind users, it can be quite disruptive for those without visual impairments. One of the most frequent accessibility-related searches on Google is “How to get rid of the orange box on Chromebook,” indicating that this feature is often enabled accidentally.
▶ To disable ChromeVox, click the system menu, select accessibility features, and disable “ChromeVox.”
Although it’s often the first feature listed, ChromeVox is specifically designed for a particular disability. Unless you have a blind student in your classroom, it may be best to keep ChromeVox disabled.
Select-to-Speak (Text to Speech for Chromebooks)
Select-to-speak is a Chromebook feature that reads on-screen text aloud.
Unlike ChromeVox, select-to-speak is only activated when a student requests it. This makes it a more practical classroom accessibility feature for students who benefit from having text read aloud but don’t require it constantly.
First, enable select-to-speak from the accessibility system menu. Once enabled, a new icon will appear on the Chrome Shelf (the bar at the bottom of the Chromebook screen).
There are two ways to use select-to-speak:
- Click the speaker icon on the Chrome Shelf and drag to select the text you want to be read.
- Highlight text on your screen and press Search + S.
Select-to-speak is compatible with most websites, including:
- Google Docs
- Google Forms
- Google Slides
- Google Classroom
- Websites
- PDFs (most, but not all)
Select-to-speak can help fulfill a common IEP accommodation: having text read aloud. It even works within Google Forms during locked quizzes!
Dictation (Voice Typing)
The dictation feature, or Chromebook voice typing, is a more recent addition to Chromebook accessibility and an incredibly useful tool.
Most smartphone users are familiar with voice typing. This feature is now available on all Chromebooks!
Voice typing is beneficial for students who type slowly, struggle with spelling, or need help translating their thoughts into written form.
First, ensure that dictation is enabled through the Chromebook accessibility menu. Once enabled, a microphone icon will appear on the shelf, next to the select-to-speak icon.
Click the microphone icon to enable Google voice typing on your Chromebook!
I am writing this sentence right now using the dictation feature! You can add punctuation by saying “period,” “exclamation point,” or “question mark.”
▶ You can activate voice typing using the keyboard shortcut Search + D.
The dictation feature functions in any text field, including Google Docs, Slides, Drawing, Classroom, etc.
Once you demonstrate this feature to students and fellow teachers, they will want to know how to enable Google voice typing as well!
You can enable voice typing in two ways:
- Click in a text field and then press the microphone icon on the Chrome Shelf. Once you hear a soft “chirp,” begin speaking.
- Click in a text field and press Search + D.
▶ Note: Google Docs and Slides also offer “voice typing” features, but the dictation accessibility feature is more versatile and works in more locations. Give it a try!
High Contrast Mode
High contrast mode is a Chromebook accessibility option for visually impaired users.
Students who are sensitive to bright lights may also find high contrast mode helpful.
Some teachers have noted that the default “white” background of Google Classroom can be difficult for some students to read, leading to eye strain.
While the theme of Google Classroom cannot be adjusted, enabling high-contrast mode may alleviate this issue.
The image above shows Google Classroom with high-contrast mode enabled.
▶ You can activate high contrast using the keyboard shortcut Search + Ctrl + H
Fullscreen Magnifier
This is another feature primarily for visually impaired users, but it also proves useful in various other situations.
Fullscreen magnifier enlarges a portion of the screen for easier reading or reduces screen clutter, helping students who are easily distracted to focus on a specific task.
Technology teachers can also use it to emphasize particular elements of the Chrome browser during live demonstrations.
This is an excellent tool for presenters.
Enable fullscreen magnifier in the accessibility menu. When you do this, your screen will zoom in slightly.
Adjust the zoom level by “pinching” your trackpad, similar to how you would zoom on a touchscreen device.
You can also press and hold Ctrl + Alt while scrolling with two fingers on the trackpad. This will zoom the screen in or out depending on your scroll direction.
It’s challenging to describe this feature adequately in words, so watch the video below for a visual guide to using screen zoom.
▶ The easiest way to reset your zoom level to 100% is by pressing Ctrl + 0.
Docked Magnifier
Docked magnifier is a variation of the fullscreen magnifier. When enabled, the top third of the screen displays a highly enlarged section of the bottom two-thirds of the screen.
Some users accidentally enable this feature, which can be disruptive if unintended. To reset your Chromebook screen, click accessibility and uncheck docked magnifier.
Docked magnifier can be helpful for graphic design projects requiring precise alignment or pixel-level inspection.
In the accessibility settings, the zoom magnification can be adjusted from 4x to 20x.
You can activate the docked magnifier using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Search + D
Automatic Clicks
The name of this feature is quite descriptive! When enabled, blue and green circles will appear around your mouse. When the green circle is complete, a click is initiated.
This feature assists individuals who cannot use both hands or younger students who struggle with effective clicking.
On-Screen Keyboard
It may seem surprising that a device with a physical keyboard would also have an on-screen keyboard, but this is similar to the experience on a phone or tablet.
The on-screen keyboard is often used by individuals who rely on eye-tracking software for device navigation. It’s also activated on Chromebooks that convert into tablets.
At first glance, the on-screen keyboard looks ordinary. However, upon closer inspection, there are some unique features.
Draw to Type – Click the squiggly line on the keyboard and you can draw to type! This could be an excellent way to help elementary students practice their writing skills!
Emoji Keyboard – Just like on your phone, the Chromebook on-screen keyboard provides access to hundreds of emojis!
Dictation – The speech-to-text feature is built into the on-screen keyboard, making it easy to write, type, or speak your content onto the screen.
Mini Keyboard – This feature is surprisingly useful. You can “pop out” the on-screen keyboard into a mini screen that floats on top of other windows. This is convenient if you only need the keyboard for emojis or special math symbols.
If the on-screen keyboard appears unexpectedly, it can be disruptive. To hide the on-screen keyboard, disable it from the accessibility menu.
- Click the Chrome settings menu (three dots in the upper right corner).
- Click on settings.
- Search for “accessibility” from the settings menu.
- Open the accessibility settings and locate “on-screen keyboard.”
- Slide the switch to disable the on-screen keyboard.
Mouse Pointer Accessibility Features
Do you ever lose your mouse cursor on the screen? It happens frequently.
Users with low vision or younger students who are still learning to navigate their Chromebook can benefit from the following mouse cursor accessibility features:
Large Mouse Cursor
Enlarges the mouse cursor for increased visibility. This helps young students who struggle with precise clicking.
Highlight Text Caret
When enabled, this feature identifies text fields with a blue circle. A helpful option for students who lose the cursor on a web page.
Highlight Object with Keyboard Focus
Similar to highlight text caret, this feature highlights the entire text field with an orange box (similar to ChromeVox), rather than emphasizing the mouse cursor.
Note: Highlight text caret and keyboard focus are not compatible with Google Docs or Slides.
Highlight Mouse Cursor
When enabled, a red circle appears around the mouse pointer at all times. This is an alternative to the large mouse cursor and helps students who frequently lose the pointer on the page.
This is a valuable feature for computer teachers and technology trainers. I enable highlight mouse cursor when leading Chromebook workshops. It’s much easier for attendees in the back to follow the red circle!
▶ To remove the red circle, go to the Chromebook settings page and search for “highlight mouse cursor.” Disable it to make the red circle disappear!
Mono Audio
Most audio recordings (music, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc.) are recorded with stereo audio, meaning slightly different sounds are played through the left and right speakers. If you have headphones, try removing one earbud to hear the distinct channels.
Stereo audio can be problematic for individuals who are deaf in one ear, as they only hear one part of the recording.
Enabling mono audio on a Chromebook forces audio to play the same sounds from both channels, ensuring that nothing is missed.
The difference can be heard by listening to a song on Spotify and toggling the mono audio setting on and off.
Sticky Keys
Typing involves a high degree of coordination! A standard keyboard has around 100 keys, but those keys can be combined to create thousands of combinations by using the Shift, Control, or Alt keys.
What do sticky keys do? This feature is designed for individuals who have difficulty pressing multiple keys at the same time. When enabled, Ctrl, Alt, Shift, and Search become “sticky,” so pressing two keys simultaneously is not required.
This is a useful feature for students with physical impairments that prevent the use of both hands (e.g., a student with a broken arm) or young students who are still developing their fine motor skills.
When sticky keys are enabled, a transparent notification will appear in the top left corner of the screen whenever the Ctrl, Shift, Alt, or Search keys are pressed.
Conclusion
Despite being a Chromebook expert, researching this post has been enlightening.
The key takeaway is that accessibility features are beneficial for everyone, not just individuals with special needs. Many of these features are now part of my regular workflow (highlight mouse cursor, dictation, and screen zoom are personal favorites!).
However, while these accessibility features are a welcome bonus for many users, they are essential for individuals with disabilities.
“For people without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For people with disabilities, technology makes things possible.” – IBM Training Manual, 1991
Every educator has a responsibility to develop a fundamental understanding of the features and settings that can create opportunities for students with special needs. This applies to iPads, PCs, and Chromebooks, whatever device is used in the classroom. Hopefully, this detailed overview of Chromebook accessibility features will help you support the learners in your classroom!
Contributors: Special thanks to Robin Pegg (@RSPegg), Jeff Crocket (@jeffcrockett8), and Karen Chichester (@kchichester) for their review and contributions to this post.
