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LUIS PEREZ 5 IOS ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS INFORGRPAHIC

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LUIS PEREZ 5 IOS ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS INFORGRPAHIC

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5 Accessibility Features Every Learner Should Know

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On the occasion of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) this week (May 19th), I created this post to highlight some of the iOS accessibility features that can benefit a wide range of diverse l…

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Stanford Uni

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Toolsuite for visualizing and exploring passages of text.

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Google Docs Add-On

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Word Cloud Generator - Google Docs add-on

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NEW: High impact colorful word clouds with ability to change colors, size of clouds, drop words. Download now enabled in two sizes

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Toolbar Guide

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Review of voice control technology

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The battle for the best smartphone voice control solution has been underway for some time now; Apple has Siri, Microsoft has Cortana and Amazon's Alexa is the driving force behind its popular Echo devices.

Perhaps the most advanced competition to the iPhone's digital deputy is that of Google's Assistant. We put the virtual assistants head to head to see which one is the best virtual assistant.

Siri

Siri has made a lot of progress in the last couple of years, developing into an impressive digital assistant that can handle all sorts of tasks on your iOS devices, on the latest Apple TV and on Mac as well. This last step is long overdue: Siri's absence on the Mac has been a glaring omission for years, especially as Microsoft has had its own Cortana voice-tech running on Windows PCs since the launch of Windows 10 last year. You can use Cortana on the latest Lumia Windows phones too, and there are other rivals lining up against Siri as well.

So there's a lot of voice assistant activity around, but Siri is still the one to beat (at least for Mac and iOS users). We decided to test out Siri and all the other options on the market.

Google Assistant

Google has had a voice-search option built into its apps for both Android and iOS for a while now, along with built-in support using the Chrome web browser. Amazon recently launched its new Echo speaker system that includes the Alexa voice-assistant. The Echo is only available in the US at the moment, but we spent a few days recently with the new iPhone SE, Windows Lumia 950 and the Google app to see how the various voice assistants coped with a variety of requests and commands.

Assistant is the latest refinement of Google's virtual assistant technology. Much like Siri you can use it to launch apps, send messages, search the web, and answer questions.

Until recently it was only available on the Pixel range of smartphones, along with a select few flagship Android handsets.

But at Google I/O, which took place over 17th-19th May 2017, Google announced that the app was now available on the iPhone, bringing it directly into competition with Siri. While it was initially US-only, the Google Assistant app is now available to download in the UK too.

Of course Apple's own assistant has a distinct advantage over the newcomer as it is able to access far more parts of the system than the Google variant, mainly because it's actually baked into iOS.

Outside of smartphones, Google Assistant is also at the heart of the Google Home devices, which are now fighting it out with the Amazon Echo units for dominance in UK homes. Apple has the HomePod coming later this year, but there's not much information on what Siri will offer.

You'll also find Google's voice control software in any Android Wear 2.0 Smartwatch, and Apple's on any Mac running macOS Sierra or later.

Google Now

For a start, Google's own voice assistant, known as Google Now, is found inside the Google Search app and Google Chrome web browser.

Between the two apps you can replace much of Siri's functionality on your iPhone. In our experience Google Now is better than Siri at voice comprehension for basic search terms, such as "What is the capital of Mozambique?" and "What movies are playing at the Prince Charles cinema?"

But Google Now falls down on integration. Asking Google Now to create a reminder or send an email sometimes bounces you to Gmail or Google Calendar, but it never fills out the detail from your voice message. Sometimes it simply searched for the phrase, returning Google results for "Set a meeting for 2pm today".

Assistant.ai

There are voice assistant options beyond Siri and Google Now. Assistant.ai is a popular option on the App Store. It's a free download, but you need to sign up for an account (or link it to Facebook or Google).

Visually, Assistant is a bit cheap and cheerful. While Siri blurs the screen and Google Now has a circular fade effect, Assistant displays a female clip art character holding a laptop.

The voice is much more mechanical than Siri or Google now, and while Siri's quirks are charming, Assistants are a tad odd. Maybe it's the techno-voice, but a robot saying "top of the morning to you" just struck us as weird.

Viv

Viv is a name to look out for. Viv is in development for iOS and is being created by the same team that made Siri (and then sold it to Apple). A video demonstration by the makers in May demonstrated a lot more complexity than Siri. Questions posed by the Viv team included things like "Will it be warmer than 70 degrees near the Golden Gate bridge after 5pm the day after tomorrow?"

Three months on and we still have no idea when Viv is coming out. But when it does we will may have a solid rival to Siri on the iOS. Then again, many of the impressive features of Viv, such as stackable enquiries (questions that you ask can relate to previous questions), will be in Siri along with the iOS 10 update. So it may be that Apple and Viv are racing to improve voice AI (artificial intelligence) and will be neck and neck when Viv is finally released.

Read more: Meet Viv, the new voice assistant from the creators of Siri

What can they do?

Siri

Siri first made its debut back in iOS 5, which launched in 2011. This coincided with the release of the iPhone 4S, leaving many to speculate that the S indeed stood for Siri. Those thoughts were quickly vanquished though when S became the Tock to a new number iPhone's Tick every other year.

Since then Apple has added features to its voice interface, without things moving forward in a spectacular fashion.

Holding down the Home button will launch Siri or you can visit Settings > Siri and turn on the 'Allow Hey Siri' feature so that the app launches whenever you say those words.

From here you can issue a number of commands which include the following;

Calling, texting, or emailing one of your contacts

Launching a specific app

Beginning a FaceTime video call

Creating a calendar entry

Searching for nearby restaurants

Playing music

Getting directions

Settings alarms

Adjusting settings

Buying media on iTunes

Controlling anything connected to your Apple Home app

For the most part Siri works with apps created by Apple, but for iOS 10 this was opened up to include a number of third-party apps too. It's mainly restricted to messaging, photo search, and fitness but it's a start.

Here's how to use Siri on the iPhone.

Google Assistant

Google's flavour of digital assistant does many of the same things as Siri. In fact its capabilities seem far more advanced thanks to contextual understanding of language that allows follow up questions to initial queries.

At Google I/O it was also given the impressive ability to read text within images caught by the camera - from signs to menus - and then translate those words into calendar entries, notes, or other useful items.

The problem is that many of these advanced features are only available on an Android smartphone.

Using the platform on iOS is a far more neutered affair, at least at the moment. Due to the restrictions Apple places on access third party apps have to the system, Google Assistant can't automate much on an iPhone.

Requests to email, text, or call friends is meet with a variety of excuses along the lines of "I'm still learning to do that".

You can check your calendar to see if you have any appointments coming up, but this will only include results from Google Calendar. Basically if the Assistant can find it on the web then it can do it. Anything involving controlling your iPhone is currently off the table.

This means the Assistant is reduced to telling you the weather, football scores, converting weights and measures, answering questions, doing calculations, and the quite useful translation tool.

It's a far cry from the intelligent agent found on Android.

How well do they understand voice commands?

This area is obviously of prime importance when it comes to using a voice control system.

The problem is that it's actually quite hard to measure accuracy when everyone's voice is different.

Some of the writers at Macworld find Siri able to parse their commands pretty much all of the time without issue. Others find the experience frustrating and at times comical.

While writing this article we sat down in a busy coffee shop and posed a simple question to both Siri and the Google Allo app on iPhone (which is where the Assistant lived before the dedicated Google Assistant app was released).

"Who is the lead singer of The Smiths?" we enquired.

Google returned the correct answer on the first attempt, along with several other general commands.

Asking Siri the same question returned a rather different response:

"Arsenal Biscuits?"

"Who is the Lisa?"

"Lucy Hattersley?"

"I didn't quite get that."

"Sorry, I missed that."

"Who is the beast?"

Finally Siri got its act together and remembered who Morrissey was, but in this instance Google's listening abilities easily won the day.

Moving to quieter surrounds found a marked improvement in Siri's performance, with commands being understood on a far more regular basis.

Introducing regional accents from around the UK can confuse matters on both platforms, but Apple and Google are constantly updating and improving the software to combat these difficulties.

Hopefully one day, not long from now, the Scots and the Geordies will have a place in this brave new aural landscape.

What other devices do they work with?

The voice control revolution has already moved beyond the humble smartphone and is now making a play for the living room.

Siri appears on the Apple TV, giving users the option to search for movies, music, or even ask the device to "play me some 90s music" or "find me an action film to watch".

The best command of all is when you miss something an actor on the screen has just muttered. Quickly ask Siri "What did she just say?" and it will rewind and replay the phrase with subtitles turned on. Very nice indeed.

You can also control any Smart Home devices that work with HomeKit. So dimming the lights before the movie begins is now only a few words away.

Siri has also made it to the Mac, giving user the chance to search for files and open apps, and is headed to Apple's HomePod later this year too.

Google Assistant is the technology that drives the Google Home devices. These are standalone units which respond to the voice commands and an let you know your schedule, the news headlines, and play music from apps like Spotify and Google Play Music.

Again it links into Smart Home devices, so you can control a number of features in your house just by speaking commands.

Verdict

From the outset this was never a fair fight. On Android, Google Assistant is a very powerful and impressive technology that arguably has more depth and complexity than Siri. But that's not true on iOS.

If you're using an iPhone then Siri is a far more capable solution, mainly due to the access it's granted to the higher levels of the operating system. It might have problems hearing you sometimes, or quite a lot of the time, but it's the only game in town if you actually want to get things done.

Best Mac voice control: Siri vs Google Now

One major facet of the macOS Sierra update is the long-awaited presence of Siri on the Mac. Holding down Command-Space in macOS Sierra brings up a Siri alert box, enabling you to ask questions, respond to messages and emails or create calendar events and reminders on your Mac.

We've looked at Siri in depth in macOS, and it's proving so far to be a major boon to the operating system.

Read more: macOS Sierra release date UK

Google Now is available as part of the Chrome web browser, and you can even access it using a keyboard shortcut: Cmd + Shift + . (that last one is a full stop).

Where Google Now on the Mac has the edge on iOS is with integrated functionality. You can create reminders and add events to Google Calendar using Google Now search inside Chrome. So if you're heavily invested in Google services it's well worth testing out what you can do with Google Now.

On the Mac there is also the much more professional option of investing in Dragon for Mac. It's created by Nuance, who power the voice recognition technology behind Siri. At £139.99 it's not a cheap option, but it is championed by people with limited typing ability who use it to dictate messages. It has powerful editing tools, and can be used to completely control your Mac.

Read next: How to fix the most common Siri problems

Amazon Echo - only available in America at this time
Siri vs Cortana vs Google Now vs Amazon Echo - Understanding regional and foreign accents

Siri was the butt of plenty of jokes when it was first launched, but voice-recognition technology is constantly being refined so that it can deal with a wide range of voices, as well as national and regional accents. In fact, accents from different countries don't seem to be too much of a problem for these voice-recognition systems any more. The Amazon Echo is only available in the US right now, but Siri, Cortana and OK Google are used on smartphones sold all around the world, so they have to be able to cope with a wide range of accents.

Read more: Can Siri cope with British regional accents?

If you've got a really strong regional accent, or something like Dick Van Dyke's legendary cockney accent from Mary Poppins then you might get the occasional "Sorry, I didn't catch that." As it happens, I am a genuine cockernee myself, and it was only OK Google that understood my exaggerated "Cor blimey, guvnor!" when I tried a Dick Van Dyke impression as a test.

However, these voice systems are designed to learn and recognise your personal accent and speech patterns as you use them day after day, so it's only the most extreme accents and dialects that are likely to cause any problems.

Dealing with natural language questions

Reverting from Dick Van Dyke mode to my normal speaking voice, I found Siri to be one of the most versatile voice-recognition systems, and it was able to field all sorts of questions, from just asking about the weather to finding a nearby petrol station or looking up flight times on the internet. And, importantly, Siri is also very good at dealing with colloquial language, which makes it feel natural and easy to talk to.

Apple's programming team have obviously had a lot of fun figuring out how Siri can respond to remarks such as "Hey Siri - how's it hanging?" (response: "I'm happy to be alive!"). But when I asked Cortana and OK Google that question they both ended up doing a web search to look up the derivation of that phrase in a few online dictionaries.

Breadth of knowledge

Siri isn't perfect, though, and seemed to be completely stumped by my request for "film times at the Rich Mix cinema in Shoreditch" (a well-known hipster hangout in East London). In contrast, Cortana and OK Google took this in their stride and quickly found the film times on the web for me.

Oddly, though, Cortana could sometimes be completely thrown by a relatively simple question, such as "What day is it today?" That enquiry left it beeping and repeatedly telling us that that it was "thinking" until the Lumia phone turned itself off after a couple of minutes.

One other difference worth mentioning is that Cortana and the Google app both attempt to anticipate questions that you might ask and provide information automatically. Cortana stores a 'notebook' of topics that you're interested in, while the Google app creates a set of 'cards' on similar topics.

This allows them to automatically provide quick updates on the weather, share prices and other information without you needing to ask, whereas Siri just waits until you specifically ask for something first (although the iOS Notifications system can update important information for you as well).
Siri on Apple TV - gain control of you TV while sitting in your favourite chair
Running and activating other apps

Another strong point of Siri is that it's designed to work with other Apple apps, such as Mail and Reminders, so you can tell Siri to "Send an email to Cliff" and then even dictate the entire email to your iPhone. That's great when you're driving, or in other situations where you're unable to use your hands, and some cars that support Apple's CarPlay software even have a special Siri button on the steering wheel so that it's always available without taking your hands off the wheel.

Google is also getting in on the driving scene with Android Auto, and if you're using OK Google on an Android phone then it can work with other Android/Google apps to send emails, create reminders and perform other tasks just like Siri. However, depending on the type of phone you have, you may have to activate OK Google from within the main Google search app, rather than being able to activate it from the Home screen as you can with Siri. The iOS version of the Google app is a bit more limited, though, primarily using its voice option for web searching rather than being an all-round digital assistant.

Cortana is also good at working with other apps on Windows devices, and had no trouble creating emails, reminders or notes. We could also use it to launch other types of apps too, such as the Paint graphics app on a Windows laptop, although we were a little disappointed to see that Cortana couldn't handle additional commands, such as pasting a screenshot into the app for us. Even so, Cortana is the only one of these digital assistants that currently works well on a wide range of desktop and laptop computers, as well as mobile devices.

In fact, Microsoft has even launched a Cortana app for iOS (although this is currently only available in the US). That's really throwing down the gauntlet for Apple and Siri, and makes us even keener to see Apple bring Siri on to the Mac as soon as possible.

Switching on accidentally

Speed and accuracy of response isn't the only thing you need to think about. The Amazon Echo recently made the news when a number of owners reported that the Alexa assistant was responding to voices it heard on the television - starting a music playlist unprompted, and even adjusting someone's radiator thermostat in one case.

But that's been a problem for Siri too. When Apple VP Phil Schiller introduced the new iPad Pro there was a point in his speech where he was talking about using Hey Siri - except that he pronounced it "Hey... Siri" - and admitted that he did this in order to avoid activating Siri on iPhones belonging to people in the audience. He was joking, but there was more than a hint of truth to the jest.

We tried Siri out with some videos from YouTube (check out the popular "Siri, call my girlfriend" clip) and it did sometimes respond to voices coming from the speakers on our office iMac.

How to stop Siri, Cortana and Google Now from responding to other people's voices

Siri has an option that allows you to train it to so that it can respond more selectively to just your voice. Go to Settings/General/Siri and then turn Hey Siri off, and then on again. This prompts you to repeat a number of phrases so that Siri can learn to recognise your specific voice, and once I'd used this on my iPhone I found that Siri no longer responded to any voices other than my own.

Cortana provides a similar training option, but it also includes an option that allows it to respond 'to anyone' - perhaps if you're using it on a tablet that you share with other members of your family. You can train OK Google too, and some of the latest Android phones also allow you to create a profile for a 'trusted voice' that can be used to give commands even when your phone is locked.
Cortana is available for Windows desktops.. .... and Windows mobiles.
Which is fastest?

One thing to remember is that all these voice-control systems require an internet connection, which can be either Wi-Fi or mobile broadband. Voice recognition technology requires huge amounts of processing power in order to accurately analyse human speech, which could slow down even the fastest smartphone or tablet. To speed things up these digital assistants offload your voice commands to powerful servers on the internet. Your words are then analysed and the appropriate response is downloaded to your device.

That can cause delays, but we actually found that Siri and its various rivals all responded pretty quickly. Cortana was perhaps the slowest, though - and wasn't helped by its habit of flashing rapidly changing strings on text onto the screen, which create the impression that it's having trouble figuring out what you've just said. And, on our Lumia phone, we also found that Cortana would sometimes pause briefly to update its notebook feature before responding to our commands, which could be annoying at times.

Methods of activation and 'always on' options

Siri, Cortana and OK Google can all be activated in two ways. Pressing and holding the Home button on an iOS device activates Siri, while Cortana and OK Google let you tap a microphone icon on the screen.

However, all three systems also provide an always-on option, which tells your phone or tablet to constantly listen out for a key phrase, such as "Hey, Siri" or "OK Google", which it recognises as the start of a new command. The Amazon Echo will keep listening as long as it's turned on, although there is an option to turn its microphone off if you want to.

Many people have asked how these always-on option might affect battery life on their mobile devices - and, in fact, most older iOS devices only allow you to use the Hey Siri option when they're connected to a power supply. But when we left our iPhone SE and Windows Lumia 950 running with these options turned on we found that they drained less than 1% of extra power from the battery each hour. In addition, Siri and Cortana both get turned off automatically when your phone battery drops below 20%, so you can probably leave them on all day without worrying too much.

Controlling the smart home

Of course, the ultimate aim with these voice-recognition systems is a Star Trek future where you control all sorts of devices with your voice commands. Apple's got that future firmly in its sights, and the ability to use Siri to tell the new Apple TV to "find films with Tom Cruise" or "play Game Of Thrones season 3 episode 7" shows the future potential for voice-recognition technology.

Apple's HomeKit allows you to extend Siri's voice controls on to other devices too, such as the Philips Hue lighting systems, or Elgato's Eve thermostat controls. Unfortunately, there aren't many other companies that currently support HomeKit and it's the Amazon Echo that really seems to be making the running here. The Echo allows manufacturers of other devices to create 'skills' that can be used to control their devices, and the Echo already works with a wide range of home-automation devices from companies such as Philips, Nest and Samsung.

Which is the best voice-control tech?

Siri's flexibility and accuracy with colloquial language does make it one of the outstanding personal digital assistants in the mobile arena, but there's no doubt that it's got plenty of competition. And with Microsoft extending across a wider range of devices, and Amazon trying to take a lead in home automation, Apple and Siri will have their work cut out to decide which digital assistant will control the home of the future.
Next page: Our comparison of some of Siri and Cortana's features from 2015, written by Lou Hattersley.

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The battle for the best smartphone voice control solution has been underway for some time now; Apple has Siri, Microsoft has Cortana and Amazon's Alexa is the driving force behind its popular Echo devices. Perhaps the most advanced competition to the iPhone's digital deputy is that of Google's Assistant.

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Use "OK Google" voice searches & actions - Android - Google Search Help

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You can use your voice to do actions like search, get directions, and create reminders. For example, say "Ok Google, do I need an umbrella tomorrow?" to see if there's rain in the weather forecast. Tu

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Smiling Mind is a non-for-profit web and app-based meditation program developed by psychologists and educators to help bring mindfulness into your life.

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Microsoft believes accessibility and inclusion are essential to delivering on our mission to empower everyone, everywhere.

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Previously DropTask Online Task Management Tool | Now Ayoa

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Try for FREE We've grown into something more DropTask, our world-leading productivity tool, has now changed to become Ayoa. With a number of incredible feature enhancements - digging for your best ideas, collaborating with others and getting things done is simpler than ever before. Start achieving your best work today with Ayoa.

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Extensions that can help users with special needs enjoy the web. These tools convert text to speech, enhance colors, and enlarge text and other parts of pages.

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We've completely rewritten the database of the Chrome Toolbox with this update. Our community can now write their own reviews to Chrome apps and extensions. New reviews are posted automatically after a few minutes. We've also made searching the database easier with the filterable table below.

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It's time to improve literacy skills during social studies instruction and ensure that readers of all abilities have what they need to access grade-level social studies concepts.

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Type with your voice - Google Docs Editors Help

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You can type and edit by speaking in Google Docs or in Google Slides speaker notes. This feature works with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari browsers. Step 1: Turn on y

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You Tube How to

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Type, edit and format with your voice in Docs—no keyboard needed

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Google Docs now let's you use your voice to type, edit and format. Dictation made easy. Google Docs help you bring your ideas to life in the easiest way. They are a set of tools built with collaboration at their core that make creating text documents, spreadsheets and presentations simple.

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List of common voice commads that work across Google products

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Curious About How to Use Google Now's Voice Commands, Well Here's a List

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There's a great post at Trendblog.net showcasing a great list of Google Now's voice commands. Via: trendblog.net

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‎Number Line, by the Math Learning Center on the App Store

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‎Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots and learn more about Number Line, by the Math Learning Center. Download Number Line, by the Math Learning Center and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

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Dysgraphia and Dyselxia support

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The right app can improve your child's learning, help her manage specific challenges-and provide hours of fun! Here are 10 new or recently updated options as of December, 2014. For more ideas, check out Tech Finder.

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10 New Apps for Kids With Learning and Attention Issues (2014 edition)

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The right app can improve your child's learning, help her manage specific challenges-and provide hours of fun! Here are 10 new or recently updated options as of December, 2014. For more ideas, check out Tech Finder.

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Official Home of the Microsoft Surface Computers Family | Surface

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Get the ultimate laptop and upgrade your Windows experiences with Microsoft Surface devices. Meet Surface Go, Surface Laptop, Surface Pro, Surface Book 2 and Surface Studio.

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10 Google Docs Tips that Take Seconds & Save You Time

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When you dive down into the depths of the Drive, the right feature can help you create professional looking documents. Our speed tips will help you do it that much faster.

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Word Cloud Generator - Google Docs add-on

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NEW: High impact colorful word clouds with ability to change colors, size of clouds, drop words. Download now enabled in two sizes

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Find out more about CAST. We’re busting barriers to learning, until learning has no limits®.

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list of options

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There are so many great educational videos available on YouTube. As educators, it is our responsibility to shield our students from inappropriate ads, comments and content sometimes linked or attached to some videos. Here are three free, easy to use tools you can use to share educational videos found on YouTube safely in your classroom.

Watch YouTube videos without comments, ads, or other distractions. There is no registration or sign up required. The video is placed in the center of a white background. It also has a Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest sharing option.

SafeShare.tv has all the same features as Pure View but comes with some extra features. SafeShare.tv lets you convert your video to an mp3 or mp4. Click on the +share/save button at the bottom to easily share your Safeshare.tv video on 20+ social media platforms or save it to your favorite content curation tool such as Diggo or Evernote. The video is placed in the center of a dark grey background.

Nicer Tube gets rid of comments, ads and other clutter like View Pure and SafeShare.tv, but Nicer Tube allows you to customize your video's background. Here is an example of one I made. Nicer tube does not have any embedded sharing options.

Nancy Alvarez is a principal in Texas. She is a speaker, national presenter, and early childhood curriculum creator.

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3 Tools for Sharing YouTube Videos in Your Classroom Safely | Teaching with Nancy

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There are so many great educational videos available on YouTube. As educators, it is our responsibility to shield our students from inappropriate ads, comments and content sometimes linked or attached to some videos. Here are three free, easy to use tools you can use to share educational videos found on YouTube safely in your classroom.

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‎Artgig Family Math Pack on the App Store

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‎Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about Artgig Family Math Pack. Download Artgig Family Math Pack and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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Download iPhone and iPad apps by BinaryLabs, Inc., including Prepare Your Child for Handwriting Success, OT Super Bundle - Dexteria Library, Prepare Your Child for Math Success, and many more.

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Choose It Numeracy

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Inclusive Technology Ltd Apps on the App Store

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Download iPhone and iPad apps by Inclusive Technology Ltd, including Counting Songs Bundle, Big Bang Bundle, ChooseIt! Education and many more.

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Student Handbook to AT

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Hey Can I Try That? - Education Tech Points

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A free, downloadable student handbook for choosing and using assistive technology.

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The iPad is a great device for assistive technology and text to speech is one of the most often used accessibility feature by teachers in special education and general education classrooms. Many teachers are not aware that it exists, but it does, and it has evolved to become a very usable solution with lots of valuable options to customize it to meet your needs. Here's what you need to know to get started with text to speech functionality on your iPad.

How to Enable Text to Speech on the iPad

1. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Speech and turn on Speak Selection and Speak Screen by sliding the toggle switch to the right.

2. Next, adjust the speed of the speech by sliding the speaking rate slider to the right (or the left) until the voice reads at an acceptable pace for your needs.

3. Turn on Highlight Content. This option highlights words on the screen as they are read aloud by the iPad. It is a great feature that is a real boon for students and is proven to help improve reading skills.

Note: As much as I like the option to highlight words as they are spoken, I do not always have the best of luck getting this to work reliably. Your mileage may vary, especially on certain apps/websites, but it is still worth turning on.

How to Use Speak Selection on the iPad

1. Speak selection will read selected text aloud. To try it out, open a website and press and hold on a word and then release to select some text.

2. Next, move the blue bars on either side of the word to make a larger selection.

3. Tap Speak to start the text to speech and stop it at any time by tapping Pause.

How to Use Speak Screen on the iPad

1. Speak screen reads everything on your screen without the need to select any text. To try it out, open a website and swipe down from the top bezel on the iPad with two fingers.

2. The iPad will begin reading all the text it finds on the screen, but you can control the narration with the on-screen media controls.

3. The media controls will auto-hide after a few seconds, but you can bring them back or hide them yourself by tapping the left arrow on the side of the controls.

How to Change Text to Speech Voices on the iPad

1. Navigate to Settings > General > Accessibility > Speech > Voices > English

2. The default voice is Samantha, but if you prefer a male voice you can choose one here.

3. Voices that are labelled as Enhanced may require a download before you can use them. This will use up more storage space on your device, but they are generally of a higher quality than the non-enhanced voices.

4. Be sure to check the speaking rate if you change the read aloud voice. Some do seem to talk faster than others so move the slider accordingly.

Check out the video below for a comparison of some of the US English voices:

Note that newer devices like the iPad Air 2 have access to more voices than something like an iPad 2, which does not have as much variety.

Top Tips for Using Text to Speech on the iPad

The iPad won't translate text into a foreign language, but it will read foreign language text aloud in the language in which it is written. So, if you see some text in French or Spanish, the iPad does a decent job of accurately articulating those words.

Text to speech is not just for special education. It is great for young readers with science textbooks or other non-fiction texts with technical vocabulary or unfamiliar words that are a challenge for young readers.

Headphones, or earbuds, make text to speech more practical for classrooms where multiple students require this accommodation.

Speaking of headphones, 3.5mm audio splitters will let two or more students share the same audio on one iPad.

Text to speech works on more than just websites. It works with a lot of iBooks, PDFs, and in other apps that support text to speech functionality.

If you don't have access to the electronic version of a text, apps like Prizmo will allow you to scan printed text so that it can be read aloud.

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The iPad is a great device for assistive technology and text to speech is one of the most often used accessibility feature by teachers in special education and general education classrooms. Many teachers are not aware that it exists, but it does, and it has evolved to become a very usable solution with lots of...

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Here's a resource I am using with year 2 to investigate QR codes - Lauren Idema (Saint Aloysius College)

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Discover how Windows 10 is making the PC more accessible to everyone.

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EDTECHSA FREE TIPS & TRICKS PRESENTATION

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EDTECHSA FREE TIPS & TRICKS PRESENTATION

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BY KIM MARTIN

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Voice Search

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Use "OK Google" voice searches & actions - Android - Google Search Help

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You can use your voice to do actions like search, get directions, and create reminders. For example, say "Ok Google, do I need an umbrella tomorrow?" to see if there's rain in the weather forecast. Tu

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QR Audio Recording

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Vocaroo is a quick and easy way to share voice messages over the interwebs.

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Free QR Code Generator, Coupon, Contact & Design QR Codes & Tracking

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Create URL, Coupon, Facebook, Contact QR Codes. Scan them with the Kaywa Reader. Kaywa's professional QR Management offers Custom Design Codes, Analytics and much more

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By Tony Vincent

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This is the Learning in Hand podcast. I'm Tony Vincent and this is the show where I share tips, how-tos, and ideas for using today's digital tools for teaching and learning. Episode 25: QR Codes, recorded March 2012, happens now!

Here's a bar code that get scanned at the grocery store. A bar code like this contains numbers, up to about 20 digits. If you really want to, you can make your own barcodes.

Supermarkets, businesses, and libraries have used bar codes for years because it saves time and is more efficient than typing in the digits.

Here's a QR code. It's like a bar code, but can contain much more information. QR codes contain up to a few hundred characters, and it's not limited to just numbers.

Watch this. I simply launch an app and point my device's camera at the code. Instantly, the QR code is deciphered. The text from the QR code is displayed so fast, no wonder it's called a Quick Response code!

QR codes are not limited to being just text--they can be hyperlinks. When I scan this code, it opens to my website, learninginhand.com. Isn't that great?

You can find QR codes everywhere. They are on signs, coffee cups, business cards, t-shirts, cupcakes, and bananas. You can even get a QR code tattoo if you want. Scanning these codes instantly displays information or takes you to website.

QR codes have been around since 1994. Why is it that they have recently become so popular?

Why the surge in popularity? Well, I'd say it's because now people are carrying around tiny scanners with them all the time--their mobile phones! Most phones, laptops, tablets, and iPod touches now have cameras, and these devices can run apps that transform them into handheld scanners.

You know, it's so easy to make a mistake when typing a web address. It happens to me all the time, especially on a mobile device with a small keyboard. In classrooms with iPads, iPod touches, tablets, or phones, QR codes can save loads of time and headaches.

And what's really great is that there are loads of apps for scanning QR codes that are free. In fact, it won't even cost you any money to make your very own QR codes either.

Currently my favorite QR code scanning app is i-nigma. It's available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Blackberry. Go to i-nigma.mobi on your device to download it.

While scanning works best on a mobile device, you can use software on Windows or Mac computers to scan codes. QRreader is free and uses a computer's webcam. Simply hold up a QR code in front of the camera and it is scanned. QRreader can open URLs automatically in your web browser.

After you have a reader, it's time to get scanning. QR codes can be large or small. They can be printed or you can scan them on a computer screen. You just need to make sure that you are far enough away so the entire code is visible. A code cannot be scanned if it is obstructed. You need to be close enough so that the camera can see the detailing in the QR code.

Making a QR code is easier than you think and it won't cost you anything. Now, you'll most likely create the code on a laptop or desktop so that it can be pasted into a document, printed, or projected. There are apps and software that can do this, but I prefer using online QR code generators. Simply searching for "qr code generator" will give you lots to choose from.

I like qrcode.kaywa.com because it is very basic. To make a code, first choose URL or text. Type or paste into the box and your code is created. Right-click to save or copy the image. Since the code is just like any other image, you can paste into documents like a PowerPoint slide, a Word document, or SMART Notebook file. Because it's an image, you can print the code out, save it for later, post it at a learning station, or show it your class right from the qr.kaywa.com page itself.

So, what can QR codes do for teaching and learning? Lots, especially in classrooms where each student has a mobile device.
Start Class
Students get their devices and scan a code with directions. Perhaps it's a writing prompt, survey, or web page to read. Scanning a code gets students to turn on their devices and get ready for learning.
Link to Your School or Class Website
Include a QR code that leads to your school or class website on your newsletter letterhead so students, parents, and community can be quickly transported to your website.
Distribute Files
The URL you use for a QR code can lead to a file that's stored online. Check this out. When I scan this code, it opens a PDF in my web browser. On iPad, I can open the PDF in an app like PaperPort Notes where I can annotate it. So QR codes are a great way to distribute files to students. Not just PDFs, but PowerPoint, Keynote, Pages, Excel, and more can be access through a QR code.

One way to distribute a file is to place it in your Dropbox public folder. Copy the Dropbox URL of that file and paste it into a QR code generator. Now students can scan that code and access the file from your Dropbox.

Similarly, TagMyDoc.com is a website where you upload a PDF, Office Document, or image and it will host that file and make a QR code so others can download it. In just a few steps, your file is online and accessibly through the code TagMyDoc.com provides.
Review Books
Walk into some school libraries and you might find a QR code pasted inside the covers of certain books. Scan the code and you are taken to a book review by a student at that school. That means when students are interested in reading a book, they can scan the code to see what their peers think of it.

Keep in mind that book reviews are going to be longer than the 250 character limit of a QR code. So, the QR code for a book review would be a URL of a webpage, blog, or wiki with the review.
Play Audio
Maybe the book review isn't a written one. Perhaps it's a video or book trailer. Or maybe it's an audio recording of a book review. A QR code can link to any URL, so the URL can certainly be one that belongs to a video or audio file.

RecordMP3.org is an easy way to record and share audio. You simply use your laptop or desktop computer's microphone and record right from the web page. After recording, RecordMP3.org supplies you with a URL you can copy and paste into a QR code generator. When the code is scanned, the recorded audio is played in the web browser. Of course, audio can be used for more than book reviews.

A teacher can record instructions and give extra information using RecordMP3.org and a QR code. Or,RecordMP3.org can be used to record audio study guides, words of the day, interviews, reflections, skits--there are so many possibilities. And because RecordMP3.org supplies a URL, that URL can be made into a QR code.
Speak Text
QRvoice.net is a website that with one click, will turn what you type into audio and gives you a QR code. You've got to see this. I'll type something in and click the button. Instantly a QR code is generated. When scanned, the code takes me to a URL where a computer voice speaks what I typed.
Point to Apps
If you scan this QR code, it will take iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users to the App Store details page for the Evernote app. From this screen a user can download Evernote. I use QR codes for apps quite often in my workshops because it's so quick to flash the code on the screen so everyone can download the app without getting lost in App Store.

To make a QR code that goes to the App Store, go to the App's details page in iTunes. Click the arrow next to the app's price or install button and choose Copy Link. Then paste this link into a QR code generator to make your code.
Help & Tutorials
Place QR codes on worksheets that offer extra help. A worksheet of long division problems can have a code students can scan that shows them the steps for solving a problem like the ones on the sheet. Or, the QR code can go to a video detailing how to solve a similar problem. For instance, this code goes to a video by middle school student at Mathtrain.tv that reviews the order of operations. The code could be put on an assignment as a reference.

The iPad app ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard is a great app for teaching concepts through video. Everything you write and say are combined into a video that's uploaded online. After upload, the video has a URL. So, of course that URL can be copied and pasted into a QR code generator. Codes to teacher and student made videos can be a great tutorial, reference, or extension to an assignment.

DoTryThisAtHome.com has some free QR code enabled workshops. The code on this worksheet goes to a video on YouTube about improper fractions. This worksheet's QR code goes to a video about using apostrophes in contractions.
Update or Augment Text Books
Are your textbooks outdated? Could they use a makeover? Paste QR codes in them! The codes can link to updated information, videos, and interactive websites to supplement and enhance the text.
Go to Google Forms
Google Forms, part of Google Docs, is a great way to collect information. However, the URL Google provides for your form is comically long. No one would ever type this. This URL can be copied and pasted into a QR Code generator. However, since the URL is so long, the QR code will be very dense. Dense codes don't scan as well as simple codes. I suggest using a URL shortener on long URLs before turning them into a QR code.

For example, this is a survey teachers might give parents at curriculum night. I'll copy the link. Then I'll go to bitly.com and paste the link into the box. Then I'll copy the shortened link and paste that into the QR code generator. Yes, it's an extra step, but it really will make scanning your code easier. Plus, if you are logged into bitly.com when you shorten the URL, it will keep track of how many times that URL was accessed. There are alternatives to bitly.com, including Google's URL Shortener at goo.gl. Many of these shorteners can generate QR codes on their own.

Delivr.com is a QR code generating website that automatically shortens the URLs you input. If you sign into an account, Delivr provides detailed statistics about how many times the code was scanned, when, and where.
Point to a Bingo Card
Want to turn those devices and computers in your classroom into expensive Bingo boards? You can! Scan this code. It takes you to a Bingo board full of weather vocabulary. The squares are randomly positioned each time someone accesses the URL. In a classroom, I could have my students scan the QR code and tap the center Free space to mark it. Then I would say a definition and students would mark the word for that definition. Then I'd say another definition and so on until Bingo is called. It makes for a great review game.

Anyone can make a Bingo board at BingoBaker.com. Simply type in all of your words and click Generate. You could print a set of cards, but even better is using the supplied URL to play online. Copy that URL and paste it into a QR code generator and you've got a QR code to leads to that Bingo board. And it's so cool that each time it's scanned, it generates a different board!
Enhance Field Trips
Teachers are making field trips more meaningful by placing QR codes around the location or on objects. The codes can link to information, give instructions, or even ask students to submit observations through a Google Form.

While on a field trip or at school, it's easy to make a QR code scavenger hunt. Or, you might like to pronounce it, SCANvenger hunt. Classtools.net has a QR Treasure Hunt Generator designed for inputing a series of questions and getting a QR code for each.
Praise Students
Ok, this next idea is a stretch, but like many QR code uses, it brings some novelty and kinesthetics into the classroom. Instead of writing out feedback on student work, a teacher simply writes a number. That number corresponds to a QR code on a poster in the classroom. The student finds the matching QR code and scans it to receive the feedback. For example, I've got the number 51 written on my paper. So I'll scan QR code #51 on the poster and it tells me "Couldn't have done it better myself."

A teacher in North Carolina is offering her 75 Ways to Say a Good Job QR code enabled poster for free at teacherspayteachers.com.
Email
QR codes are not limited to text and URLs. They can be used for other kinds of information. For example, if you scan this code it will start an email message from you to me. I created a code that contains my email address, the subject, and the beginning of the message. You can continue editing the message before sending.

I made this code at QRstuff.com. I selected Email Message as the data type and entered an email address, the subject, and body text. This can be handy for collecting student or parent feedback.
Update Twitter
QR codes can be used to post to Twitter. In fact, if you are a Twitter user, scan this code. It opens the Twitter website and fills in the tweet for you. All you have to do it tap Tweet! It's really fast if you are already logged into Twitter in your web browser. Like an email message, you can edit before you send off the message.

I made the Twitter update QR code at QRstuff.com. I selected Twitter as the data type and chose Twitter Status Update for the Content and typed the text of the tweet.
Explore More Data Types
Check out the other data types that QRStuff.com supports, including Google Maps locations, calendar events, and contact details. Contact details is the one I used to make the QR code on my business card.
Customize QR Codes
QR Codes don't have to be black and white. Codes that are colorful can work just as well. QRstuff.com let you choose a foreground color before you generate a QR code.

You can get fancier with code creation. Want a colorful QR code with maybe your school or classroom mascot or logo? Go to QRhacker.com. It doesn't have as many data types as QRStuff.com, but it does allow you to change the pixel roundness, foreground and background colors, and even add a logo or image to the middle of the code.

I've found that color coding QR codes can really help me as an educator manage all of the codes. Color can also be an indicator that there's a different QR code on you projector screen. This happens often in my workshops---QR codes I show on the screen all look alike. So I change the color so my audience knows there's a new code in front of them.

I've shown you just a few of the many inventive ways teachers and students are using QR codes. It seems that every week there's a cool new QR code tool. No matter which tool you use, do test your QR codes before publishing them to make sure they work exactly as you intend.

QR codes can save time and and make classrooms a little more interactive and efficient. Of course, QR codes are just one tool in a teacher's toolbox. QR codes themselves aren't magic, but how they connect students, teachers, and information can be magical.

That's it for Episode 25. For more about mobile learning, visit learninginahand.com. And please consider recommending me to facilitate a workshops at your school or speak at your favorite conference. Thank you for watching!

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This is the Learning in Hand podcast. I'm Tony Vincent and this is the show where I share tips, how-tos, and ideas for using today's digital tools for teaching and learning. Episode 25: QR Codes, recorded March 2012, happens now! Here's a bar code that get scanned at the grocery store.

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You Tube - How to use on web

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Teach Toddlers Colors Numbers Preschool Race Cars & Magnet Truck

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Read&Write for Google™ Read the Web Feature Preview

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This short video shows the upcoming Read&Write for Google™ Read the Web Feature that will be coming soon!

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You Tube clip explanation

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Teach Toddlers Colors Numbers Preschool Race Cars & Magnet Truck

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Read&Write for Google™ - Using in Google Docs

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This video provides an overview of the Read&Write for Google™ Chrome extension with Google Docs™. Read&Write for Google provides support tools, including text-to-speech, word prediction, and more for Google Documents in Chrome on PC, Macs, and Chromebooks.

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Supporting Struggling Learners in Chrome

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Supporting Struggling Learners in Chrome

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By Lynda S. Hartman

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By Luiz Perez

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Edu App Curator - Kim's Links

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The Apps for Diverse Learners (Free or Low cost) Shelf | edshelf

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0 - $10 apps I have used and recommend for students with diverse needs

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Find an App to suit your need

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We believe that it is more important to focus on the person who will be using the technology, rather than the device itself. Search for apps reviewed using standards-based assessment tools Learn to use mobile devices to effectively target skill development Join our community to get involved and keep up with the latest resources Newsletter Sign Up If you are interested in staying up-to-date with BridgingApps news, consider signing up for our newsletter below.

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ALL GOOGLE & ANDROID ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS

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ALL GOOGLE & ANDROID ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS

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Accessibility content and links for Google websites.

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Android accessibility overview - Android Accessibility Help

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You can customize your Android device using accessibility settings and apps. Note: Some of these steps work only on Android 7.0 and up. Learn how to check your Android version. Use a scree

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including audio

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QR Code Generator for URL, vCard, and more. Add logo, colors, frames, and download in high print quality. Get your free QR Codes now!

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Online QR Generator

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QR Codes

A QR Code (it stands for "Quick Response") is a mobile phone readable bar code that can store website URL's, plain text, phone numbers, email addresses and pretty much any other alphanumeric data.

The QR Stuff QR Code Generator allows you to create either dynamic or static QR codes and download them for immediate use

Storing up to 4296 characters they are internationally standardised under ISO 18004, so a QR code is a QR code all over the world - they've been big in Japan forever, broke into Europe and the UK a few years back, and are now popular in North America.

Think "print-based hypertext links" and you'll get the idea.
Click here for more information about QR codes or visit the QRStuff QR Code Blog for QR code articles, tips and tricks.

Scan QR Codes

The QR Stuff QR Code Scanner allows users to scan QR codes simply and easily from within your browser with no need to download and install a QR code scanning app or QR code reader software. Simply go to Scan from the menu bar at the top of this page and after granting access to your device camera, you're ready to scan a QR code using your laptop or mobile device.*

Create Free QR Codes

Our QR Code Generator is FREE for anyone to use with no sign-up or account required - fully functional, 100% ad-free, permanent QR codes that don't expire. Generate as many QR codes as you need for FREE with no restrictions on commercial use. No time limits, just free QR codes you can use with confidence straight away.

Dynamic QR Code created without a subscription are subject to 50 scans per month per QR Code.

23 free qr code data types

Free users can access 23 of our 30 QR code data types (PDF, Image and Attendance Tracking require a paid subscription). Websites, YouTube, Google Maps? Meh! Everyone gives you those, but our free users can create fully functional non-expiring QR codes for App Store Downloads, Dropbox file sharing, SMS and email messages, Bitcoin, Paypal and more. And you can create as many of them as you like.

Download, Print Or Email Your QR Codes

Once you've created your QR Codes you can download them as PNG image files, print them as sheets of stickers, or email them to yourself or someone else. Just choose the Output Type you need.

100% Ad Free QR Codes

Our QR codes are guaranteed 100% ad-free, even for free users, so you can get on with promoting your product without someone else's brand getting in the way. By the way, if you do see an ad after scanning one of our QR codes, the scanning app that you're using put it there.

Custom QR Code Printed Products

Generate your own QR Code and then you and your code are sent to the Zazzle print-on-demand website to add your QR code to a t-shirt, a coffee cup, a hat, business cards, stickers, and more - all ready for immediate purchase, printing and delivery direct to your door.

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ll➤ Create non-expiring free QR codes with our online QR code generator ➤ No sign-up required ✓ QR codes for websites, images, menus, Instagram & more.

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Learning in Hand - Tony Vincent

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Harry Walker is the principal of Sandy Plains Elementary School in Baltimore County, Maryland. Fourth and fifth graders at the school are piloting one-to-one computing with iPod touches. In addition, Harry is a doctoral student at John Hopkins University. He's investigating the impact of iPod touch on student achievement.

One of his challenges is wading through the huge number apps available. He's crafted a rubric to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of an app in terms of how it may impact student achievement. His criteria include curriculum connection, authenticity, feedback, differentiation, user friendliness, and student motivation. Click to view the PDF.

Harry is looking for feedback about his rubric. Please offer any suggestions or compliments in the comments below. The feedback will help Harry improve the rubric and make it more useful. You're welcome to use the rubric yourself (just email him for permission).

Don't forget there's a great app review community at iear.org where educators review educational apps.

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Harry Walker is the principal of Sandy Plains Elementary School in Baltimore County, Maryland. Fourth and fifth graders at the school are piloting one-to-one computing with iPod touches. In addition, Harry is a doctoral student at John Hopkins University. He's investigating the impact of iPod touc

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USING APPLE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT DIVERSE LEARNERS

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USING APPLE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT DIVERSE LEARNERS

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BY Apple

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OS X Yosemite: Commands for dictating text

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Here are some commands you can use while dictating text.

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Most Android users are probably familiar with Google's smart personal assistant Google Now. At least since the Android 4.4 KitKat new commands update which integrated it profoundly into the user interface. One cool feature that came with KitKat are the many new voice commands together with the ability to trigger them by simply saying " Okay Google". Google also works constantly on new commands to make Google Now an even more helpful tool.

70+ useful and funny Google Now voice commands (Okay Google ...)

Google Now has become a big part of the Android experience and will probably be even more prominent in future updates. For that reason, it's about time to get familiar with all the possibilities Google Now has to offer.

Before we get into all the possibe commands, you should know that you can access all your recorded 'Okay Google" voice commands in your Google account's audio history. While you're playing around with new voice commands, your audio history will show the new voice snippets seconds after your phone's Google Now gave you an answer.

How to get the Okay Google commands working

Obviously, your phone can't perform any of the commands below as long as Google Now. To turn on the 'Okay Google' voice detection, go to your Settings > Google > Search & Now > Voice > "Okay Google detection". You can also access those settings from your Google Now interface. Just swipe from the left side to bring in the menu and select Settings.

Now, make sure "From the Google app" is enabled. This enables you to use voice commands from your home screen. Note that you need to use the Google Now launcher. You can also enable "Always on", which allows you to use "Okay Google..." even when your phone screen is off. This will use more battery juice, though. So if you're already worried about battery life, better leave that off.

Now, let's move on to all the awesome voice commands

To give you a good overview, we took the most important and funniest Google Now voice commands and put them in a "Google Now style"-infographic. If you're not a fan of such graphics, then don't worry. You can find all the voice commands in text form below the infographic.

So, go ahead, say the magic words or tap the hell out of that microphone button and try them out yourself!

Update August '15: Integration of WhatsApp and other messenger

Google is currently rolling out an update to Google Now to support voice commands for a number of messenger apps. Right now, this works only in English and with WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, WeChat and NextPlus. More languages and apps will follow, however.

To send a message to one of your contacts through WhatsApp, for example, follow these steps:

1. Say "Okay Google, send a WhatsApp message to <name>".

2. Google Now gets ready to take your message. This takes 1 or 2 seconds.

3. Now say the actual message.

4. The last thing you need to do is confirm to send it by saying "Yes".

The new integration of popular messengers to the world of Google Now shows that Google keeps on improving its personal assistant to make it more valuable even to people that rather don't talk to their phones except for calls. Being able to answer WhatsApp messages while having your hands full or driving might convince more people to use Google Now more often. I'm curious what kind of update comes next.

Update March '15: Custom Voice Actions

Great things are coming! According to the announcement on the Android Developer's Google+ page, more and more 3rd party apps will get their own voice commands. For now, only a selected number of apps with limited commands are supported. For example, you can check for cool things around you by saying "Ok Google, find me attractions nearby on TripAdvisor." Check out the infographic for more examples that are currently supported.

Google makes it very easy for app developers to get voice commands for their apps. All it takes is to submit a form with up to three desired commands.

Custom Voice Actions is a great move forward for Google Now and its voice commands. Being able to control not only Google services but 3rd party apps with your voice makes that feature so much more useful. However, it's up to developers to make use of custom voice actions and make it a valuable addition to Google Now.

More details about "Commandr"

We wrote about the voice command app Commandr before. In a nutshell, it allows you to enable additional voice commands which aren't supported by Google Now. Commandr plugs into Google Now's voice assistant and the new commands can be used just like all the other Google Now commands by saying "Okay Google...". If you want to go completely crazy, Commandr can also trigger your Tasker rules. Check out our article about Commandr to see how you can set it up on your Android device.

Do you know any other important or funny commands which are not listed above? Share them with us in the comments!

List of Okay Google voice commands

In case the graphic is not displayed correctly or you want to copy some commands, here's the list in text form:

General Commands

Notes & Reminders

Time & Date

Communication

Weather

Maps & Navigation
While using Google Maps Navigation
"Okay Google, ..."

"...next step." (Gives you details on your upcoming turn)

"...mute / unmute." (Mutes / unmutes voice nav)

"...when will I get there?" (Gives your ETA)

"...find gas stations."

"...exit navigation."

"...resume navigation."

"...show route overview."

"...show alternate routes."

Conversions & Calculations

Sports

Flight Information

Web Browsing

Entertainment

Drive / Nest Integration

Custom Voice Actions (3rd party app control)

Flixster: "Show me Inception on Flixster."

Instacart: "Show instacart availability."

NPR One: "Listen to NPR."

Shazam: "Shazam this song."

TripAdvisor: "Show attractions near me on TripAdvisor."

TuneIn Radio: "Open TuneIn in car mode."

Walmart: "Scan my receipt on Walmart."

Wink: "Activate home mode on Wink."

Many more commands with the app "Commandr"

"Turn on/off flashlight" / "Flashlight on/off"

"[Wifi / Bluetooth / GPS / Wireless Hotspot ] on/off."

"Lock phone"

"..."

Easter Eggs

"Do a barrel roll"

"What's the loneliest number?"

"Make me a sandwich!"

"Sudo make me a sandwich!"

"When am I?"

"Okay Jarvis, ..." (Instead of "Okay Google, ...")

"Who are you?"

"How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood."

"Beam me up, Scotty!"

"Tilt" or "Askew"

"What is your favorite color?"

"Up up down down left right left right"

"Tea, Earl Grey, hot" (That's a tricky one)

"Go go gadget [app name]"

"When does the narwhal bacon?"

"What is the Bacon number of [random actor]?"

"What does the fox say?"

If you want to have the full Google Now experience at all times with all the latest updates - have a look at the Nexus 6P!
Check out the Nexus 6P!
As already said above, if you know more important or funny commands, please share them in the comments. Of course, I will try to keep this list up-to-date.

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Okay Google | Complete list of 70+ useful Google Now voice commands

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Most Android users are probably familiar with Google's smart personal assistant Google Now. At least since the Android 4.4 KitKat new commands update which integrated it profoundly into the user interface. One cool feature that came with KitKat are the many new voice commands together with the ability to trigger them by simply saying " Okay Google".

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IOS 7

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Discover great apps, games, extensions and themes for Google Chrome.

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How to turn captions on and off

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Manage caption settings - Computer - YouTube Help

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Captions are available on videos where the owner has added them and on some videos where YouTube automatically provides them. You can change the default settings for captions on your computer or mobil

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Google Reading Levels Alternative

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Kiddle is a visual search engine for kids, offering safe kids web, image, and video search. Results are vetted by editors.

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Discover great apps, games, extensions and themes for Google Chrome.

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Great for time-stretched teachers, Fluency Tutor for Google makes reading aloud more fun and satisfying for students who need extra support. It's a big help for struggling and reluctant readers, as well as students learning English as a second language.

Easy to use with a sleek new look, Fluency Tutor for Google lets students record themselves reading and share with the teacher - away from the pressures of reading aloud in the classroom environment.

Ideal for schools using G Suite for Education, Fluency Tutor for Google integrates seamlessly with Google Drive and Google Classroom. And since it works with almost any online content, it's great to use alongside other online instructional programs.

Features:
- Friendly dashboard interface for teachers and students
- Teachers can choose from hundreds of existing reading passages based on content, lexile level or reading age
- Teachers can also create their own passages from web pages, docs or other content
- Students can create reading passages from almost any web page
- Share passages with individual students, or with the entire class using the Google Classroom 'share' button
- Passages appear in student's Google Drive
- Students can read and record assigned reading passages whenever and wherever it suits them
- Extra help is provided including text-to-speech, dictionary, picture dictionary and translate tools
- Quick Score gives immediate feedback to students without the need for full assessment
- Analytical tools (Premium version) allow detailed graphical review of each student's reading history over time

Fluency Tutor for Google is truly a time saving tool for busy educators looking for ways to help their struggling or emerging readers. All features are FREE - apart from the powerful analytical tools that allow teachers to review each student's progress over time with graphs and historical data. However, you will get a FREE 30 day trial of our Premium version as soon as you download the app.

Install the FREE app today and see the benefits of Fluency Tutor for Google for yourself.

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Fluency Tutor® for Google™ helps busy teachers bring struggling readers up to speed.

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Find out more about CAST. We’re busting barriers to learning, until learning has no limits®.

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Guide to Social Media for people with a disability

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Media Access Australia advocates web and digital accessibility for people with a disability. We also provide digital accessibility for organisations.

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iPad Apps for Learners with Dyslexia/Reading and Writing Difficulties

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iPad Apps for Learners with Dyslexia/Reading and Writing Difficulties

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TextHelp

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Read&Write for Android - Android Apps on Google Play

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Boost confidence and attainment for students struggling with reading and writing

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Text Help

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‎Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots, and learn more about Read&Write for iPad. Download Read&Write for iPad and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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Android accessibility overview - Android Accessibility Help

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You can customize your Android device using accessibility settings and apps. Note: Some of these steps work only on Android 7.0 and up. Learn how to check your Android version. Use a scree

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Android device screen reading service

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The TalkBack screen reader gives you spoken feedback and notifications.

Option 1: Press both volume keys

1. Press both volume keys for 3 seconds.

2. If TalkBack doesn't turn on right away, press both volume keys again for 3 seconds.

Notes:

Option 2: Turn on TalkBack in your device Settings

The steps below require sighted assistance.

1. Open your device's Settings app .

2. Open Accessibility, then TalkBack.

3. Turn on TalkBack.
If you're using Android 4.0 or earlier, refer to the steps for earlier Android versions below.

4. In the confirmation dialog, tap OK.

Steps for earlier Android versions

Option 3: Set up a new Android device with TalkBack

You can turn on TalkBack when you turn on your Android device for the very first time.

If possible, keep headphones handy so that you can plug them in when it's time to enter any passwords, such as your Wi-Fi password. By default, key echo is only turned on if headphones are plugged into your device. You can change this setting later in your Android device settings.

Android 4.1 and above: Press and hold two fingers on the setup screen. When your device recognizes this gesture, TalkBack is enabled and a tutorial begins.

Android 4.0: Use your finger to draw a closed rectangle on the setup screen. When your device recognizes this gesture, you'll hear a beep.

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The TalkBack screen reader gives you spoken feedback and notifications. Press both volume keys for 3 seconds. If TalkBack doesn't turn on right away, press both volume keys again for 3 seconds. Notes: The steps below require sighted assistance. Open your device's Settings app . Open Accessibility, then TalkBack.

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Google Chrome Exten

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Don Johnston Inc. | Co:Writer 7 Resources

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Don Johnston Professional Development Designed Just for You! Get your staff up and running quickly with Don Johnston's proven training methods. Our trainings are available to fit your schedule. Don Johnston Professional Services has trained thousands of educators, so you can feel confident that your initiative will launch successfully.

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keyboard features

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Oh, at long last! Apple just announced at WWDC that iOS 9 will have vastly improved keyboard support on the iPad, for both the software and hardware keyboards.
Two fingers anywhere on the iPad screen will now move the cursor around, even if your fingers are right over the keyboard. This works for moving the cursor around, as well as selecting text. Apps like Ulysses and iA Writer Pro offer features like this with their own custom solutions, but Apple's universal solution will work across all apps.

Built-in Shortcut Bar on the QuickType bar make it easier to cute and paste while using a software keyboard, which should prove to be a pretty big time saver over the long haul. Think about the way cutting and pasting works now:

1. you double tap on screen and then drag to select text

2. wait to tap on the cut pop-up

3. tap and hold elsewhere

4. wait to tap on the paste pop-up

Combine the new text selection and built-in Shortcut Bar, and text manipulation becomes a lot faster. My fingers can stay on the keys for writing and editing, and cutting and pasting will be faster when I don't have to wait for a pop-up animation.

However, it's really the final feature that I've been waiting years for: proper hardware keyboard shortcut support. Pressing one of the modifier keys (Cmd, Option, or Control) will highlight shortcuts across the screen in any app, and I think this will be the key to making keyboard shortcuts a more universal feature on the iPad. Cmd + Tab will work for app switching (YES!), but I'm pretty sure this will apply to all the little things, like pressing Cmd + Enter to send an iMessage without having to tap the screen. This will make my favourite keyboards, the Belkin QODE Ultimate Pro and Logitech Ultrathin, a lot more useful.

These features are big enough that I may jump on the public beta of iOS 9 this July, despite the app compatibility issues and battery impact it will likely have.

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Fantastic iPad Keyboard Improvements Coming With iOS 9

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Oh, at long last! Apple just announced at WWDC that iOS 9 will have vastly improved keyboard support on the iPad, for both the software and hardware keyboards. Two fingers anywhere on the iPad screen will now move the cursor around, even if your fingers are right over the keyboard.

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Use "OK Google" voice searches & actions - Android - Google Search Help

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You can use your voice to do actions like search, get directions, and create reminders. For example, say "Ok Google, do I need an umbrella tomorrow?" to see if there's rain in the weather forecast. Tu

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SafeShare - The safest way to share YouTube and Vimeo videos

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Share YouTube and Vimeo videos safely and without distractions! Watch videos without ads and distractions Trim videos to show only the part you care about Share directly to Google Classroom Control the privacy settings of your videos SafeShare makes it easy to generate web pages containing a video from YouTube or Vimeo, but without any advertisements, annotations, or links to other potentially inappropriate videos.

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Clean you tube wihtout ads and clutter

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NicerTube: Remove fluff and distractions from YouTube™ videos for a nicer viewing experience. Try it for free and share videos easily!

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From frustration...

...to understanding

Don't let an abstruse lexicon heighten your trepidation. Rewordify.com can assuage your anxiety.

Don't let a difficult and confusing word list increase your fear and nervousness. Rewordify.com can calm your fear and stress.

Rewordify.com simplifies difficult English. Enter hard sentences (or whole chapters) into the yellow box at the top of the page. (You can also enter a web site URL.) Click Rewordify text and you'll instantly see an easier version, for fast understanding. The reworded words are highlighted- click them to hear and learn the original harder word. You can change how the highlighting works to match the way you learn!

Do you dislike dictionaries because they're confusing and unhelpful? You'll love Rewordify.com's clear, easy-to-understand definitions-they change to match the original word or phrase's part of speech, verb tense, and singular/plural form, so they make sense. Our amazing Rewordifying Engine is what makes it all possible, and no other web site has it.

Want to see something now? Click Classic Literature at the top and start reading-easier.

Learn more words faster. Our exclusive Learning Sessions actively teach you words so you learn them. Any time you paste in a block of text, our software finds all the hard words, lets you pick which ones you want to learn, and then teaches them to you in a Learning Session.

A Learning Session isn't an online quiz: it's an effective, step by step process where you hear words and phrases, type them, and read them. The software re-teaches you exactly what you need when you need it, and moves ahead when you're ready. When you've learned a word, the site stops "rewording" it, so the site grows with you as you learn! Learn more about Learning Sessions.

Learn the way you want-from what you want to read. You can change the way the site works to fit your learning style as you read and learn from almost any text passage or web page. See the different highlighting styles in the box? You can pick any of them, and lots more options. Click the Settings link (at the bottom of the page now, or at the top of any page) to see all the choices you have. (The demo text in the box here never changes.)

Chart your progress and have fun. You can keep track of your learning with lots of detailed charts that show how you're doing. Plus, as you use the site, you earn points and get Learning Stars -a fun reward for reading and learning!

Now you can easily get your students involved in their learning: let them select the text that interests them. Let them print and complete the activities with which they're most comfortable. Imagine each student learning vocabulary customized to his or her interests, while you have time to teach instead of typing. Could differentiation by interest or readiness be any easier? You can start doing it today, for free.

You never have to type another vocabulary list or quiz again.

Type (or copy-paste) in any block of text in the yellow box at the top of this page, click Rewordify text, and click the Print/Learning activities button. Here's how. You (or your students!) can select from a rich variety of quizzes and learning activities, with or without answer keys.

Do you need to teach (or not teach) particular vocabulary words and phrases? Rewordify.com gives you the exact control you need for specialized vocabulary instruction. You can make customized word lists so the site rewords and teaches any word or phrase exactly the way you want.

Learn the way you want-from what you want to read. You can change the way the site works to fit your learning style as you read and learn from almost any text passage or web page. See the different highlighting styles in the box? You can pick any of them, and lots more options. Click the Settings link (at the bottom of the page now, or at the top of any page) to see all the choices you have. (The demo text in the box here never changes.)

Chart your progress and have fun. You can keep track of your learning with lots of detailed charts that show how you're doing. Plus, as you use the site, you earn points and get Learning Stars -a fun reward for reading and learning!

Now you can easily get your students involved in their learning: let them select the text that interests them. Let them print and complete the activities with which they're most comfortable. Imagine each student learning vocabulary customized to his or her interests, while you have time to teach instead of typing. Could differentiation by interest or readiness be any easier? You can start doing it today, for free.

Save all your documents online so anyone can read them and learn from them at any time.

Just log in, rewordify something, and click the Share button.

Select how public or private you want the document, enter the title, author, etc., and you're done!

You get a link that you can put in your online lesson plans, teacher web pages, or blog. No more rewordifying the same thing over and over again!

You can view, manage and edit all your documents from any computer. Just log in (or create a free, safe account) and start building your learning library. Here's how to do it.

At Educator Central, you can create and manage student accounts, monitor your students' learning, and get detailed reading and learning analytics that help you make smart classroom decisions. For free. Now.
(In a hurry? Log in. Click Educator Central at the top.)

In a few minutes, you can create student accounts on Rewordify.com, and easily monitor your students' reading and learning progress. Get actionable learning and error analytics as your students read and learn from any document you post, or from any document or web page they want to read.

Imagine each student learning different words based on his or her interest or ability level. It's easy to do: Rewordify.com designs and teaches individualized vocabulary lessons with our highly effective Learning Sessions, so you have the time to teach students the important stuff: how to learn, how to break through obstacles, how to believe the words "I can do it."

As your students read and learn, get detailed charts and reports that tell you what you need to know-by student, by class, or for all your classes.

Effectively match interventions with students, based on detailed error breakdowns that let you see what you need to see in a few clicks.

Student accounts are anonymous, and they keep your students safe and focused on learning.

Start using it now: Log in and click on Educator Central at the top. Read more about Educator Central.

Rewordify.com is free online software. You're using it now. There's nothing to buy or install. It works on any computer, tablet, or smartphone. Just point your browser to Rewordify.com and start reading and learning. Yes, it's tablet-friendly-no mouse needed. Yes, your whole school district can create teacher and student accounts, without entering any personal information. When? Now.

It's fast. Wasting your (and your students' time) is bad. That's why Rewordify.com was designed from the ground up to be lightning-fast and use very little data. The site doesn't have a hundred images of puppies and kittens and a hundred links to a hundred lists. What it does have is speed and ease of use, which are very nice when you have to teach a room full of teenagers. Or adults.

It's an app. Want the app? You're using it. Wasn't that easy? The site is a web app, which is great for you, because you get almost-daily site updates automatically -so you can read and learn, not download and install app updates.

We keep kids safe online. Rewordify.com requires no personal information. Student accounts are completely anonymous and cannot post or share anything. Read more about how we protect children's privacy.

Rewordify.com can display simplified versions of web pages. Our state-of-the-art web filtering technology blocks millions of inappropriate sites and questionable language, to protect kids online and keep them reading only what they should be reading. Read more about how we protect children from inappropriate material.

Difficult English is intelligently simplified with our exclusive Rewordifying Engine

Saves time when reading hard text, improves comprehension and self-confidence, and increases total reading time

Copy-paste entire text passages into the yellow box and press Rewordify text. You'll see a simplified version. Read more.

Definitions are easy to understand, context-aware, and match verb tense and part of speech

Reduces frustration and improves comprehension by maximizing time spent reading versus dictionary research

Copy-paste any text passage into the yellow box and "rewordify" it. Click the highlighted words. Read more.

Learning Sessions actively teach individualized vocabulary lessons with research-proven multimodal techniques

Improves vocabulary and word retention

After you "rewordify" text, you'll see a purple bar at the top. Click the buttons to pick hard words and learn them in an effective Learning Session. Read more.

Site carefully monitors student reading time, learning progress, and learning errors, and gives educators full-color, real-time charts and reports

Gives actionable learning data that helps improve student learning outcomes

Create an account. Click on Educator Central. Create free student accounts. Post assignments online. Get learning data. Make smart classroom decisions based on valid data. Read more.

Site identifies and extracts over 58,000 difficult words and phrases from any text and creates a rich variety of learning activities with answer keys

Saves time when teaching and gives students individualized learning activities

Copy-paste any text passage into the yellow box and "rewordify" it. Click Print/Learning Activities. Pick the quizzes, activities, vocab lists, cloze activities you want, with keys. Print them. Read more.

Software allows users to change the difficulty level and presentation style of the output text

Improves engagement by allowing easy differentiation by learning style and readiness

Copy-paste any text passage and "rewordify" it. Click Settings. Change the text presentation style, "rewordifying level" (difficulty level), even the highlighting style. Read more.

Site works as an app on any device, using a minimum of data

Allows for easy district rollout on nearly any existing device while conserving Internet bandwith

Point any device's browser to Rewordify.com and it works like an app. Here's how to make an app icon on your home screen or desktop.

Site calculates accurate text complexity measures, including our exclusive READ score

Improves engagement and learning through the selection of appropriate reading materials

Rewordify any text passage. Click the Stats button. Read more.

Site's browser app (bookmarklet) extracts most web pages to Rewordify.com for learning in one click

Improves engagement and total reading time through independent selection of high-interest materials

Install our free browser app. Browse the web. At any page, click the "Rewordify text" button. Read the extracted text on Rewordify.com.

You can post any document and share it publicly, privately, or with a password

Increases reading time and organization of learning materials

Log in. Paste in a document and "rewordify" it. Click the Share button, share it, and get a link. Post the link to your teacher page. Or, add it as a Rewordify.com assignment. Here's how to post documents. Here's how to create assignments.

Site calculates points and displays Learning Stars based on total minutes read and words learned

Increases reading time and engagement by making the site more fun

Log in and start reading and clicking on the purple bar to do Learning Sessions. Points and Learning Stars will display. Click My Learning/My Documents to see charts of your progress. Read more.

Over 300 pieces of classic literature are available

Improves comprehension of the classics-from Shakespeare to Douglass to Austen

Click Classic literature at the top. Or, type a word like Frankenstein into the search box at the top.

Here's what to do next:

First, do the demo. You'll be an expert in five minutes: Click here for the demo.

Learn the site, step by step. Our First-Time User Guide clearly shows you how to get started.

Teachers: Learn about Educator Central and all it can do to help improve student learning outcomes. Also, you can print lots of free, full-color literature to help you get started in the classroom.

Have some fun. Are you up for a vocabulary challenge? Play Rewordo. Be aware: it's not easy.

Browse some classics. Want to be more sure of Shakespeare, or brush up on Bronte? Scroll to the top, and click the Classic Literature link. It's a fast way to get started using the site. Or, use the Search bar at the top. Try entering the word raven to understand the deal with Poe, that black bird, and the "Nevermore" thing.

Check out the goodies. You can install our One-Click Learning browser applet that lets you rewordify most web pages in one click. Our cool (and free, of course) School Clock tells you the current time and date, what class period you're currently in, countdowns to the next period, and more. You can customize it for any school's schedule, and make as many different School Clocks as you have different day schedules. Use it now.

Show the love! Please tell us about mistakes the site makes when "rewording" and defining words. That feedback is the single most valuable thing you can do to help the site (and learners around the world). Click here to contact us. Do you want to help defray the site's operating costs, and read a great thriller at the same time? You can! Get your copy of Electric Dawn.

Contact us. We want to help you! Please use the Contact page with any questions or comments.

Site summary: Rewordify.com helps with reading comprehension and vocabulary development by simplifying English to a lower reading level. It lets you reword a sentence or reword a paragraph. It will simplify English by reducing text complexity. It's a dictionary alternative that will improve comprehension and teach vocabulary. It's an important part of reading instruction and vocabulary instruction for ESL students, people with reading disabilities, people with a learning disability, or anyone who wants to improve reading skill.

35650 / 9.0

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Rewordify.com | Understand what you read

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Rewordify.com helps you read more, understand better, learn new words, and teach more effectively.

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Tired of inane comment comments that make you feel dumber after reading?

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& Science of how to learn

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by text help for teachers

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Help at every stage

Fluency Tutor frees up busy teachers to focus on other classroom tasks, while giving every young person's reading a boost. It's a big help for students at every stage of their reading journey, including:

Emerging readers who require short, appropriate reading age passages to help build their reading foundation

Shy, struggling and reluctant readers who are self-conscious about reading aloud

English Language Learners grappling with unfamiliar words

Confident readers who actively seek content most relevant to their interests

Kids with dyslexia who need extra support and special interventions

Ideal for schools using G Suite for Education, this friendly Chrome app integrates seamlessly with Google Drive and Classroom. And since it works with any online content, it's the perfect complement to other existing teaching strategies.

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Your Online Tutor With Over 500 Fluency Reading Passages | Texthelp

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Fluency Tutor frees up busy teachers to focus on other classroom tasks, while giving every young person's reading a boost.

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gor Google by Texthelp

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We're delighted that you want to try Fluency Tutor™ for Google. This is an app which is specifically designed for Google's Chrome Browser. It's free and it can be installed alongside your existing browser!

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infomration on use with diverse learners

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Assessing Technology

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student based

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Hey Can I Try That? - Education Tech Points

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A free, downloadable student handbook for choosing and using assistive technology.

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Android accessibility overview - Android Accessibility Help

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You can customize your Android device using accessibility settings and apps. Note: Some of these steps work only on Android 7.0 and up. Learn how to check your Android version. Use a scree

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Accessibility content and links for Google websites.

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Speak auto-text is an Accessibility feature that makes the iPhone and iPad's automatic correction tool easier to use for anyone blind or with low vision. With speak auto-text enabled, any auto-corections, including auto-capitalizations will be read to you before they're implemented. That way, if iOS has made a mistake, or you meant to spell the word the way you did, you can revert any correction or capitalization before hitting return, send, tweet, or otherwise finishing up what you're writing.

How to have your iPhone or iPad speak auto-corrections and capitalizations

That's it! Now whenever your iPhone or iPad tries to correct a word or capitalization, it'll automatically speak the correction so you know about it before hitting the space bar to accept it.

How to get more help with accessibility for iPhone and iPad

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How to hear your corrections with speak auto-text for visual accessibility on iPhone and iPad

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Speak auto-text is an Accessibility feature that makes the iPhone and iPad's automatic correction tool easier to use for anyone blind or with low vision. With speak auto-text enabled, any auto-corections, including auto-capitalizations will be read to you before they're implemented.

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Instructions

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Speak selection is an Accessibility feature that reads aloud any text you've highlighted on your iPhone or iPad. It's ideal anyone who has difficulty making out text because of small size or style, have dyslexia, is just learning a written language, or for any reason just want the words spoken to improve understanding. Speak selection can even highlight words as they're read to aid in comprehension, and adjust dialect and speed so you or a family member can better follow along.

How to enable and use speak selection for better comprehension while using iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Tap on General.

3. Tap on Accessibility.

4. Under the Vision section, tap on Speak Selection.

5. Turn On the toggle to enable Speak Selection.

6. Optionally you can also control the speech rate and turn on and off word highlighting on this screen.

7. Press and hold on text and select what you'd like Speak Selection to read to you.

8. Tap on Speak in the popup menu.

Speak Selection should work anywhere you are able to highlight text, including in apps from the App Store. It's great for anyone, young, old, or in-between, who has trouble visually discerning writing, or needs extra help learning or understanding a written language.

If you've given speak selection a try, let me know how it works for you!

How to get more help with accessibility for iPhone and iPad

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How to have text read with speak selection for better accessibility on your iPhone and iPad

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Speak selection is an Accessibility feature that reads aloud any text you've highlighted on your iPhone or iPad. It's ideal anyone who has difficulty making out text because of small size or style, have dyslexia, is just learning a written language, or for any reason just want the words spoken to improve understanding.

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Microsoft believes accessibility and inclusion are essential to delivering on our mission to empower everyone, everywhere.

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Microsoft believes accessibility and inclusion are essential to delivering on our mission to empower everyone, everywhere.

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Read-ability

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ReadablePro. A readability tool, with extra power

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We love helping writers succeed. Pro subscribers get access to a whole host of specialist readability tools. Including unlimited scoring of text, website, email and file analysis and our readability API. Go pro today, from as little as $4 per month.

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Read-Able

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Want to test your website's readability? Try this free tool, and start improving the readability of your text today!

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Read & Write Google Tecahers FREE Account

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Read & Write Google Tecahers FREE Account

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Improve reading and writing confidence

Read&Write lets everyone read, write and express themselves more confidently.

Our easy-to-use toolbar makes documents, files and web pages more accessible. Read&Write is a big confidence booster for anyone who needs a little support with their reading and writing, at school or in the workplace. And its friendly literacy features help English Language Learners, as well as people with learning difficulties or requiringdyslexia tools.

From hearing emails or documents read out loud to text prediction, picture dictionaries, summary highlighters and a grammar, spelling and confusable words checker, Read&Write makes lots of everyday literacy tasks simpler, quicker and more accurate.

Choose your platform

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Read&Write lets everyone read, write and express themselves more confidently. Our easy-to-use toolbar makes documents, files and web pages more accessible. Read&Write is a big confidence booster for anyone who needs a little support with their reading and writing, at school or in the workplace.