Accessibility features on Google Chrome

I am a big fan of Google's Apps. I am aiming at finding an app or extension for Chrome for all of my laptop related activities so that I don't need to rely on a particular platform in future. The extensions on Google Chrome seem to meet the needs I am looking for.
For this post, I have decided to look at the assistive technologies I can find for Google Chrome, Chrome OS and Chromebooks, along with apps/extensions that might be considered assistive. To start with, I tried some Speech-to-Text apps and voice recognition:

"I'm trying to test this speech to text app . I'm finding that i have to speak slowly, and pronounce my words very carefully or not recognise the words . speaking this lonely is quite difficult than i don't enjoy doing kama it is making process of getting information into the computer slower and harder than i would be normal the avengers persistently mess recognises my location of the world, c o m n s . I would like to be able to say delete and have the word you said be deleted i still have to use my hands to do that ." 

The App that produced this result was Dictation.io; it struggled somewhat with my accent I think! I two things that amused me were: 1) it didn't recognise the word comma in a sentence, 2) didn't recognise period in regards to a  lesson. In a effort to get the recognition to realise I didn't want a comma or full stop inserted, I tried to speak quickly through the sentence; this had an effect but the recogition began to struggle with the speed. 

I tried saying the same sentences to Google's Voice Search and I found that the recognition here was much more accurate and could deal with my pronunciation!

The SpeakIt extension for Chrome was very impressive. I used it on the various language settings and speakers on the different languages on Wikipedia - I was convinced I was listening to native speakers of the language. Highlighting the text and letting the extension read could be used not only for individuals with visual impairments but for first and second language learners.

The Chromebook comes packaged with an accessibility toolkit called ChromeVox. This is another screen reader that can navigate the browsers menus and can be set to read each letter or the whole paragraph by tapping the keys. What I found most interesting about this app was that it allows the alteration of the speed and pitch of the voice; higher pitches sounded younger and faster speeds allowed the page to be read faster. Depending on preference of the listener for young/old and male/female, a listener can engage more or less based on an environmental predisposition for a voice allowing them to access the content better. Learners with processing speed issues can use the slower speech in order to allow that to access curriculum better. J.J. Meddaugh of the American Association for the Blind comments on Chromevox on the association's site"

"Overall, the browser is able to decipher and present a variety of webpages with relative ease, which is probably one of its strengths when it comes to accessibility."
"ChromeVox could use some improvements in speaking notifications and progress bars as it often gives no feedback, which can lead to confusion and frustration."

Clearly there is some room for improvement where full accessibility is concerned but Google are on their way to meeting the needs.

These were the typical app types and extensions available but I am interested in colour blindness as at least one student in each year I have taught over the last 10 years has had the genetic condition in some form. From my investigations, Microsoft and Apple do not have specific colour blind accessibility options so having the ability to enhance Chrome with Daltonize seems useful. The extension can be applied to a webpage and it will enhance the contrast of the colours that each of the three main colour blindness types need in order to better see the differences in colours: protanope, deuteranope and tritanope. I visited various image and colour heavy sites and tried out the extension; my student will test it to see if it helps him!

References

Meddaugh, J.J. (2013). A First Look at the Accessibility of the Google Chrome Operating System. Retrieved from: http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw140502

Integrating Technology into the Science Classroom: Obstacles and Solutions

I am a science and techie geek; there really isn't another way to describe me. As such, I am always trying out new tech on my students and making suggestions of different tech for them to try out; some are more than willing to give anything a go while others like to stick to what they know - sounds like some of the teachers I know!

For me, it comes down to the culture within the school. If the Head teacher and other Principals are tech advocates and push the use of technology, the teachers will do so too since those Principals will probably have employed staff that are likely to use tech to teach. If all the teachers are techie advocates, the students will come into contact with a positive attitude toward the use of tech and be willing to try new stuff. These observations are anecdotal from my own experience but that is what I have seen.

I teach a Y9 class, 4 GCSE classes, and 2 A Level classes. Of these classes, I get to see the Y9 students twice as much as the others and I like to try out a lot of new stuff with them. I have the time to give the students time to investigate the science problems I give them, indeed, I use inquiry based learning strategies as often as possible with these students and they get to play with dataloggers, laptops, iPads and iPods, and generally present their work however they want. My GCSE classes, on the other hand, only see me twice per week - there simply isn't time in the timetable to give them multiple lessons for each practical investigation.

I am about to teach a lesson on homeostasis and temperature control. Fortunately, I have assess to 12 dataloggers with a large array of probes. Last year, in a 50 minute lesson, I had to teach the students how to use the datalogger, have them use them to gather data and get the data off the devices. Tan et al. (2005) point out that in Singapore’s secondary schools and junior colleges, 84% of the 593 respondents ranked the time spent on setting up datalogging  activities as the number one deterrent to the use of dataloggers. This year I will do things differently as I have adopted a Flipped model of teaching that I use particularly when it comes to practical lessons and the theory that surrounds them. As a result of flipping, I will have "made time" for practical skills in my teaching timetable and given my students more access to the dataloggers.

When I think about the dataloggers and when they arrived in the school, they turned up with no real instructions on their use. I had to take one home and play with it for hours to figure out all its functions. I use a Document Camera to show the students how to use it in class. For me, spending time out of school to help my teaching, and the learning of my students, is normal. If I find a problem with tech I will work at it until I solve it - I get a little obsessed which is why I only work with Google Apps Script on my holidays! Other teachers aren't prepared to give the time to learn new tech by themselves or simply can't do it by themselves - CPD most be considered before and after the introduction/integration of new technology. I know that using the dataloggers in my classes motivates the students to get involved in the practical activities as Le Boniec, Gras-Velázquez and Joyce (2012) provide evidence for in schools form all over Europe, but most apparently in the non-EU schools in Turkey.

I have become a big fan of the Tech PACK model. I aim to influence those members of staff around me to follow its process and identify their knowledge, pedagogical approach and their technology skills when they are planning lessons. If I had a technology coach when I started teaching, I wonder what I would be doing with technology now?

My point is that learning new technology takes time, support, perseverance and a desire to change when there are risks at hand such as the high stakes exams my GCSE and A Level students face.

Zinyahs, M. (2013) lists several obstacles similar to those I have encountered:

• Limited technical support for ICT in the school.
• Having limited training of the school staff on ICT low number of computer in the school.
• Oldness or slowness of the system related to ICT in the system.
• Low level of training of the teachers and principals in the school.
• Low level of interest, drive and being open to change of the teachers and principals in the schools.

Zinyahs goes on to mention these possible solutions:

• ICT education should be included in the educational curriculum including the provision of necessary infrastructural support and massive training and deployment of skilled manpower into both secondary and tertiary institutions;
• Young software developers should be trained and supported with the necessary equipment to develop nationally usable science education software.
• The importance of youth participation in ICT decision making process cannot be over emphasized; therefore, their participation in ICT policy making processes at the national and other levels should be encouraged and supported by all stakeholders.

Spektor-Levi, Sonnenshein and Zion (2005) provide evidence that giving technology savvy science teachers access to complex education software without giving them adequate training results in the majority of teachers not using the technology. The authors go on to recommend that teachers are provided with "Training programs and inservice courses" and should be encouraged to use technical and social support to help integrate ICT in science. Social support is an important point and recent advances in our ability to create Personal Learning Networks makes our ability to get support so much more wide reaching. Hennessy, Ruthven and Brindley (2005) agree with this sentiment and offer these suggestions for solutions:

• To offer teachers opportunities for long-term collegial interaction involving critical reflection, sharing ideas, and research concerning the use of ICT
• To integrate ICT into schemes of work in ways which satisfy the NC and assist in meeting learning objectives but ensure that use is selective, appropriate and critical
• To take account of – and build up – pupils’ and teachers’ levels of technological expertise
• To constantly evaluate the unique contribution of ICT and its specific role in enhancing teaching and learning activity

In summary; time, confidence, and/or a willingness to adopt different pedagogical approaches are necessary to integrate technology and overcome the barriers that are faced in the science classroom.


References:

M. Le Boniec, À. Gras-Velázquez & A. Joyce (2012). Impact of Data Loggers on Science Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from:

http://files.eun.org/netbooks/ACER_Fourier_EUN_Science_pilot_report_2012.pdf.

Hennessy, S., Ruthven, K., & Brindley, S. (2005). Teacher Perspectives On Integrating ICT into Subject Teaching: Commitment, Constraints, Caution, and Change. Journal of Curriculum Studies,37(2), 155-192

Spektor-Levi, O., Sonnenschein, M., & Zion, M. (2005). Technology Integration in Science Studies - Obstacles and Incentives. Science Education International, 18 (3), 211-224.

Tan, K. C. D., Hedberg, J., Koh, T. S., & Seah, W. C. (2005). Datalogging in Singapore Schools:
Supporting effective implementations. Research in Science and Technology Education Journal; in 
press.

Zinyahs, M. (2013). ICT Integration In Science Education In The 21 Cenury. Retrieved from: http://globaleducators.org/downloads/global_voice_of_educators/Journal%202012%20-%2030.pdf.

Privacy, Permissions and Digital Footprints

I have read many Acceptable Use and Social Media Policies and they come in various degrees of strictness and completeness. I believe that there needs to be a set of rules that are followed but also that everyone "buys in" to the concept of the policy and the guidelines within. I have recently developed a set of guidelines for the use of Google Apps for Education for my students. I presented them to a target group and have asked that they review them and discuss any improvements or to let me know if they are too strict; this has generated very positive feedback about the guidelines from my students. The policy below is for teachers. It was created as part of a collaboration so it encompasses input from perspectives that my teachers may not feel is right for them. I will request that my teachers are given time to review the content of any policy/guidelines as I have with my students since they are more likely to abide by the rules if they write them!

Relative advantage of using technology to make the content areas become more engaging, relevant and authentic

Over the past couple of weeks in the 541 course, choice of task has become available to me in regard to integrating technology into my lessons. As a Science/Biology teacher I looked at the science/maths option and thought "I've done this already...several times; not doing it again!", and so I have looked at the lesson options for Language/Arts and the PE/Creative Expressive Arts - I am glad that I did.

In the first instance the choice of task was important and I was reminded why I have been putting in the effort to give my students choice in the way they express themselves.  The National Center on Universal Design (CAST, 2011) for Learning publishes guidelines for the application of choice for the learner to enhance their ability to learn. CAST's Principle III,  Provide Multiple Means of Engagement, includes guidelines: 7 - Provide options for recruiting interest, 8 - Provide options for sustaining effort and persistence, and 9 - Provide options for self-regulation seem the most relevant to my work and I particularly like this point they make:

the same learner will differ over time and circumstance; their “interests” change as they develop and gain new knowledge and skills, as their biological environments change, and as they develop into self-determined adolescents and adults.

My colleagues and I have been enhancing our teaching schemes with #Takeawayhomework (based on @TeacherToolkit idea #100ideas), a "menu" of progressively more "spicey" work the students may choose to do. The idea being that may choose less spice but most eat more of it, or choose more spice but only eat one! The choice provides engagement as the students can design their own path through the content they need to access.

Some students don't talk much so finding out what makes them tick can be difficult. Finding really cool ideas that are relevant to each of my students and giving them the choice to complete what they want to complete has allowed me to witness more depth in these students in a much shorter time; I only teach one particular class two times per week. The recent cross content area lessons I have built have given me greater insight into the teaching with technology my extra-faculty colleagues get up to but also have given me better ways to engage my Biology students with tasks that they are interested in because they are more relevant to their interests.

For the lessons I designed for Language Arts I decided to build an eBook but with biology content. For Music, the biology students need to create a piece of "techno" music using heart and lung sounds. For PE, the students have to use Adidas MiCoach to create a running route in the shape of the circulatory system, then run it with the GPS tracking in the MiCoach App, speeding up and slowing down in the correct places. Finally, for Art, the students must create a blood themed piece of work based on the style of Jackson Pollock's drip art/action painting.

Authentic learning in science lessons can be reasonable easily achieved by the use of dataloggers for data collection, spreadsheets for analysis, and collaborating with other classes on write-ups and through webcasts (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). The authenticity of actually publishing one's work online for others to see and comment on is both a terrifying and very exciting and has an affect on self esteem (Sheldon, K. M., Abad, N., & Hinsch, C., 2011). Personally, I have only begun to really use personal networks like LinkedIn and  Google+ recently to advertise myself as a professional; I have only been blogging for 10 months - the length of my MET course. I see the value in making my thoughts and work public - I do a better job - and this is the value of giving our students the opportunity to do authentic work like creating a eBook and getting feedback from the world on how to make it better. Working with classes from around the world on environment projects or joining the Globe Project:Globe Program or using a space telescope with an astronomer in the classroom through Telescopes in Education.


CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Retrieved from: http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines/principle3

Edutopia (2008). Why integrate technology into the curriculum?: The reasons are many. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction

Roblyer, M. D. & Doering, A. H. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology Into Teaching. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson

Sheldon, K. M., Abad, N., & Hinsch, C. (2011). A two-process view of Facebook use and relatedness need-satisfaction: Disconnection drives use and connection rewards it. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, Vol 1(S), 2-15. doi: 10.1037/2160-4134.1.S.2

Digital Learning Experience

I have been considering developing this Plant Growth Project for some time. From the perspective of an Instructional Designer, there was an identified need that required solving; my students need to engage with the Biology on a personal level and through the integration of their assessed course material, the use of real scientists like Prof. Dr. Normah, tech enhanced assessment, and redefinition of the classroom by using technology to visit places virtually that we cannot visit in real life. While I still need to incorporate some elements into the project, this iteration is certainly at a point where it can be released to my students and used. I have previously developed the Google Sheets used to record the students scores to present the students' assessed performances as Progress Charts for each of the skills, these need incorporating but I felt were beyond the scope of this particular project. Since the embedded GSite is the actual project my students will be using, any enhancement I make will appear here automatically. Visit the actual site here.

Cross Curriculum 3: Modern Foreign Languages

It makes sense as a curriculum coordinator to identify cross-over between subjects. This can lead to collegial interaction and team planning to enhance the curriculum for the students. Bringing teachers together to team plan and teach a common concept across subjects seems like a good idea, allowing teachers to come into contact with different teaching and delivery styles can only be a good thing, right? Philips, Lancaster and Cooper (2014) describe research that indicates to the benefits of team teaching but highlights challenges when it comes to the formation of successful teacher teams. Concerns of different delivery style, pedagogical approaches and even classroom management have been challenges.

While I didn't get a chance to tam plan or team teach this lesson, the Head of French did review the lesson and thought it would be good to teach and would work for her content and students.

Content Area:

Modern Foreign Languages (French) Environment theme / Biology Ecology and the Environment

Title:

L'environnement

Grade Level or Target Group:

Y10/11 iGCSE

---

Pre Planning

Big Idea(s):

The iGCSE specification for French states that students should:

• develop understanding and use of written and spoken forms of the target language, in a range of familiar and practical contexts, and for a variety of purposes
• develop the ability to communicate effectively in the target language through speaking, using a range of vocabulary and structures

The specification also states that students should  be able to listen, speak and write about the modern world and the environment.

Topic area D refers to “The modern world and the environment”. Students may communicate about:  Current affairs and social issues, Environmental issues,  The media (eg TV, film, radio, newspapers),  Information and communication technology (eg

internet, mobile phones, email).

The iGCSE Biology specification refers to Human Impacts on the Environment. The students have impacts they should know about and in the context of the MFL cross-over, may choose which is appropriate.

Section 4 - d) Human influences on the environment

Students will be assessed on their ability to:

• 4.11 understand the biological consequences of pollution of air by sulfur dioxide and by carbon monoxide
• 4.12 understand that water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and CFCs are greenhouse gases
• 4.13 understand how human activities contribute to greenhouse gases
• 4.14 understand how an increase in greenhouse gases results in an enhanced greenhouse effect and that this may lead to global warming and its consequences
• 4.15 understand the biological consequences of pollution of water by sewage, including increases in the number of micro-organisms causing depletion of oxygen
• 4.16 understand that eutrophication can result from leached minerals from fertiliser
• 4.17 understand the effects of deforestation, including leaching, soil erosion, disturbance of the water cycle and of the balance in atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide.

For the purposes of this lesson, the students will be given links to websites with specific environmental issues. They will also be given the opportunity to search for their own interests; this choice will produce differentiation in the task.

Websites from Canada are written for French and English and will be assigned to those students who require support. Sites from France are in French only and will be assigned to the more proficient language students.

Essential Questions:

What environmental issue are you interested in?

What are the issues that concern you / What are the effects of the issue?

What are scientists in doing about it?

Objective:

Given access to various French language websites for information, students will create a VoiceThread news report of no more than 5 minutes, or a written paragraph / poster of no more than 150 words, that answer the essential questions, while including relevant vocabulary for the environment topic.

Summative Assessment:

Students will submit their objects for peer and teacher assessment. Results of quizzes will be used to assess progress in the lesson.

---

Lesson Opening

Students will be presented with the topic title and objectives.

http://www.quia.com/cm/84585.html

As a plenary activity, students will complete the quiz

Lesson Body

Students access one of the following sites. They will listen to or read the content aiming to summarise the content of the articles/videos, identifying the environment related terminology.

Musee Virtuel Canada: http://www.especesmenacees.ca/fr/pollution.php

(most relevant to Biology specification)

Government of Canada Science site:

• Fraser River Valley - French | English
  
• Experimental Lakes - French | English
  
• DDT - French | English
  
• Sulfur - French | English

Sites from France:

• La Recherche: http://issuu.com/larecherche - This site has multiple publications of different science topics. Students may search for something they are particularly interested in.

• La Recherche: http://www.larecherche.fr/savoirs/dossier-special/nitrates-controle-01-07-2008-89222 - This special edition is specifically about nitrates and their effects on the environment. Students should start with this if they are not confident.

• La Recherche: http://issuu.com/larecherche/docs/feuilletage_n__472 - this edition has a good article on climate change.

• French newspaper with science section: Le Monde: http://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/

Students proceed to write their own environment related object using the language they have found.

Check for Understanding: Students begin by working their way through the GCSE Bitesize Revision and Test Bite: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/french/listeningh/h05_list_environment_rev1.shtml

Extended Practice: (Authentic assessment)

Students will enter the Language Perfect competition. http://start.languageperfect.com/

iPad App: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/language-perfect/id483019682?mt=8

Lesson Closing:

Students will be given a choice of Quizlet quizzes to complete based on their language skills. First language French students, Gifted and Talented and students targeted A/A* will be assigned the harder quizzes.

Vocabulary

Easy: http://quizlet.com/39761722/aqa-gcse-french-environment-f-flash-cards/

Hard: http://quizlet.com/5393658/french-gcse-revision-environment-vocabulary-flash-cards/

Sentences:

Easy: http://quizlet.com/28050004/french-environment-and-ecology-flash-cards/

Hard: http://quizlet.com/15586766/cas-french-environment-flash-cards/

---

Materials needed for this lesson:

SMARTBoard and Projector, Students personal devices/iPods/iPads/Laptops, Headphones/microphones, Wifi access.

Phillips, M. (2014). Team teaching with technology: upsetting the TPACK applecart. Retrieved from http://acec2014.acce.edu.au/sites/2014/files/drafts/Team%20teaching%20with%20techonology.%20Upsetting%20the%20TPACK%20applecart.pdf.

Cross Curriculum 2: Art, PE and Music

This is the second of three posts on integrating technology across the curriculum. In this object, I give students the choice of using their skills in other subjects and apply that skill to the theory of the biology being taught. I have used a website called Newhive.com, that allows the production of multimedia posters. The objects that can be produced look similar to Glogster but Newhive allows for a more freeform creation of its "Expresions."

Cross Curriculum: Language Arts

As a technology integrator I need to be able to support my colleagues in their use of technology in the classroom, by generating cross-curricular lessons the are enhanced by technology I hope to model the use of tech in the classroom and gain the trust of my colleagues. The experience of building lessons for other subjects has been very useful not only in helping demonstrate uses of online technologies to my colleagues, but also in providing choice for my students in the homework/project work they do for me.


Lesson:

Enlarge this document in a new window
Self Publishing with YUDU