# data[].attributes.body
An official guide from Google on the best practices for keeping Chromebooks in good condition.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Student Chromebooks / Taking care of your Chromebook

# data[].attributes.headline
Top Tips for Taking Care of Your Chromebook

# data[].attributes.subject
Top Tips for Taking Care of Your Chromebook

# data[].attributes.body
This guide provides top tips that students can follow daily to keep their Chromebooks functioning properly.

# data[].attributes.headline
Learning with Chromebooks: A Guide for Students

# data[].attributes.subject
Learning with Chromebooks: A Guide for Students

# data[].attributes.body
This guide offers suggestions on how students can effectively use Chromebooks for their daily learning activities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I always knew there was a place for technology in my classroom-and not just for typing papers. Yet when my school district began to push for integrating more technology into lessons, I initially refused; I dug my heels in and said no. Why? Because no one could understand my need to have my questions answered: What will that look like? And how, in my English classroom, did I move away from using technology for substitution and use it to transform student learning?

Crickets. No answers. So I chose to do what I had been doing-nothing. If I couldn't get the answers and support I needed to move forward, I would stand in resistance to using technology in any new way.

My resistance was short lived with the announcement that our school would be going one-to-one. Our 1200+ students would begin the 2016-2017 school year armed with a fleet of shiny new Chromebooks. Technology would invade on the first day of school, ready for combat, and I suddenly realized I was not prepared to lead.

Crippling fear consumed me: Fear of starting. Fear of trying. Fear of failing. I was scared that I would not be able to best serve my students because while I was comfortable enough with checking my email, typing documents, and entering grades online, I remained unconvinced that computers could transform learning, at least in my subject area.

On top of my initial questions were now a smorgasbord of new ones: How was I going to face my students (who were more tech-savvy than me) armed each day with their computers? How was I going to continue to be an effective teacher in a landscape I didn't understand? How could I engage my students with this slick new enemy to compete with? It felt like I was in a battle with technology, rather than an alliance.

Fortunately for my students and me, my trepidation motivated me to act. A learning opportunity arose in my district in the form of a technology cohort called Breakthrough Learning, where teachers could learn about technology together. I applied (again, motivated by fear) and was accepted. As a result, I joined the ranks of three middle school teachers and a fellow high school teacher in a two year commitment to learn about and integrate technology in our classrooms. We were going to steel ourselves, determined to rise victorious.

The monthly training proved a rigorous introduction, as any good bootcamp should be. We read Innovator's Mindset by George Couros. We discussed and asked hard questions. We sought answers. We played with technology, practicing and setting goals. We attended (and eventually participated in) conferences. We supported and challenged one another. We shared our learning with the teachers in our budding battling on the frontline. We learned. We grew.

The fear did not dissipate after the first meeting or the second. But what did happen as I read and studied and discussed and practiced beside my colleagues was I became stronger, smarter, and savvier. Through the program, I was given permission to fail and was encouraged to keep going. In short, I learned to fail forward. When I tried something new in my classroom that didn't work, I shared and brainstormed with my Breakthrough peers on how to adjust and try it again. I felt empowered and encouraged to take risks I could never have imagined taking prior to my enlistment in the group.

As a result, I started using technology almost daily in my classroom during student-centered activities, feedback, assessment, project based learning, communication, and presentations. I was even going gradeless and using technology as my primary means of curating student feedback and learning evidence. Students and parents were able to access all of the feedback and learning evidence from school at home and from their cell phones. My students and I even videoed their end of unit grade conferences for reference and to set goals.

Over time, I realized I was no longer battling against technology, but battling for technology. I was transforming into a high ranked General of edtech, earning my stripes by teaching my students about applications and shortcuts they were not aware of. I was also learning from my students. My students were teaching me applications they were using and loving in other courses and sharing how they could work in my classes. They shared shortcuts and tips and their favorite platforms for sharing and publishing. They introduced me to Snapchat and I've since learned ways to use it in my classroom.

My resistance is no longer against technology. Through my Breakthrough journey, I've come to understand the power technology has to transform. As for those questions I posed to my staff, I realize now no one was able to supply me with answers; I had to find them myself. But to find them, I needed a team to support me, to listen and explore by my side.

Today, I'm still on a journey, still learning and growing. But I'm no longer filled with fear-and I call that a win.

Melissa Romero (@mromero0717) is an English teacher at Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley, MO.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Chromebook Crusades: How to Win the War Against Technology - EdSurge News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I always knew there was a place for technology in my classroom-and not just for typing papers. Yet when my school district began to push for ...

# data[].attributes.headline
Maximizing Chromebook Use in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.subject
Maximizing Chromebook Use in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.body
A comprehensive guide on how teachers can integrate Chromebooks into their teaching practices to enhance learning.

# data[].attributes.headline
Common Chromebook Problems and How to Fix Them

# data[].attributes.subject
Common Chromebook Problems and How to Fix Them

# data[].attributes.body
A resourceful article that discusses common issues that arise with Chromebooks and how to fix them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fix Chromebook problems - Chromebook Help

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use the guides below to fix common Chromebook problems.

# data[].attributes.body
An article detailing troubleshooting tips and tricks useful for both teachers and students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Chrome Unboxed - The Latest Chrome OS News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Of all the things we share with our readers, we get some of the most positive feedback concerning our tips & tricks articles. As many aren't fully familiar with the ins and outs of Chrome OS, these articles provide interesting and useful info for new and experienced users alike.

# data[].attributes.body
A guide focused on how students can keep their Chromebooks secure from online threats.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Chromebooks use the principle of "defense in depth" to provide multiple layers of protection, so if any one layer is bypassed, others are still in effect. So while it's still important to take precaut

# data[].attributes.headline
Digital Safety: Keeping Your Chromebook Secure

# data[].attributes.subject
Digital Safety: Keeping Your Chromebook Secure

# data[].attributes.body
Tips and practices for maintaining digital safety while using a Chromebook.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching Kids to Protect Their Data and Privacy Online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tips for kids and teens to keep their information safe and private when they use tech. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

# data[].attributes.body
Tips for parents on how they can assist their children in using and maintaining their Chromebooks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When you use Family Link to manage your child's Google account, you can let them sign in to some Google services on their Chromebook. You can also use the Family Link app to choose what websites your child can access using Chrome, supervise your child's app usage, and more.

System requirements

Family Link can be used with Chromebooks with Chrome OS versions 71 or higher. Learn more about how to update your Chromebook's operating system.

How Chromebooks work with your child's Google Account

Children signed in to their Google Account on a Chromebook have a similar experience to adults. Features may be updated from time to time, but some differences include:

Important: For school accounts and school-issued Chromebooks, Google Workspace for Education administrators determine which Google services their users can access while signed into a Google Workspace for Education account. This may include some features or services that your child was previously unable to access using the Family Link supervised account. Learn how to add a school account as a secondary account.

Add your child's Google Account

Remove your child's Google Account

1. On the Chromebook sign-in screen, select the profile you want to remove.

2. Next to the profile name, select the Down arrow .

3. Select Remove this user.

4. In the box that appears, select Remove this user.

Important: If you delete your child's account before you remove the profile from the Chromebook, you may have to reset your Chromebook to factory settings. To reset, press and hold Ctrl + Alt + Shift + r.

Manage your child's experience on a Chromebook

Manage your child's browsing on Chrome

1. Open the Family Link app .

2. Select your child.

3. On the "Settings" card, tap Manage settings Filters on Google Chrome.

4. Choose the setting that's right for your family:

Allow all sites: Your child will be able to visit all sites, except the ones you block.

Try to block mature sites: No filter is perfect, but this should help hide sexually explicit and violent sites.

Only allow certain sites: Your child will only be able to visit the sites you allow.

5. Tap Manage sites to manually allow or block certain sites.

Tip: You can also manage this setting by clicking on your child's name at g.co/YourFamily.

Block or allow certain sites

If you block a certain site, your child can ask for parental permission to visit it. You'll get a notification in the Family Link app where you can approve or deny their request.

Websites: If you block or allow a specific website, like www.google.com , the permission won't apply to sites that begin or end differently, like www.google.co.uk or get.google.com/tips .

Domains: If you block or allow an entire domain, like google , the permission applies to sites that begin or end differently too, like google.com , and images.google.fr .

Block or allow a site

1. Open the Family Link app .

2. Select your child.

3. On the "Settings" card, tap Manage settings Filters on Google Chrome Manage sites Approved or Blocked.

4. In the bottom right corner, tap Create .

5. Add a website or domain.

6. In the top left, tap Close .

Tip: You can also manage this setting by clicking on your child's name at g.co/YourFamily.

Change website permission settings

You can decide whether your child can give site permissions to websites they visit, including permission to use location, camera, and notifications.

1. Open the Family Link app .

2. Select your child.

3. On the "Settings" card, tap Manage settings Filters on Google Chrome Chrome dashboard.

4. Turn "Permissions for sites and apps" on or off.

Tip: You can also manage this setting by clicking on your child's name on the Chrome dashboard.

When "Permissions for sites and apps" is off, children won't be able to grant permissions to websites. However, permissions they have already granted will still be in place.

Prevent changes to family settings

You can use a parent access code to prevent your child from removing supervision without your consent.

See or delete your child's Chrome history

Clear Chrome history & data

1. Open the Family Link app .

2. Select your child.

3. On the "Settings" card, tap Manage settings Filters on Google Chrome Chrome dashboard.

4. In the "History" section, tap Clear history.

1. On your child's Chromebook, open Chrome .

2. At the top right, click More .

3. Click More tools Clear browsing data.

4. Choose a time range, like last hour or all time.

5. Select the types of info you want to remove.

6. Click Clear data.

How can we improve it?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Manage your child's account on Chromebook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When you use Family Link to manage your child's Google account, you can let them sign in to some Google services on their Chromebook. You can also use the Family Link app to choose what websites your child can access using Chrome, supervise your child's app usage, and more.

# data[].attributes.headline
Teacher’s Guide to Chromebook Use in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.subject
Teacher’s Guide to Chromebook Use in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.body
A specialized guide for teachers to utilize Chromebooks in classroom settings effectively.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
CHROMEBOOKS TRAINING

By the time you finish this course you will be able to use Chromebook's essential tools, tips and tricks. This knowledge will enable you to design and deliver powerful instructional experiences for your students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teacher Center | Chromebook Training | Google for Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Design and deliver powerful instructional experiences for your students with Chromebooks.

# data[].attributes.headline
How to find a list of all keyboard shortcuts

# data[].attributes.subject
How to find a list of all keyboard shortcuts

# data[].attributes.body
How to access a full list of Chromebook keyboard shortcuts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to See All Keyboard Shortcuts - Google Chromebooks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover how to see all keyboard shortcuts on your Chromebook using CTRL, Alt, and ? by following our step-by-step instructions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dell Chromebook Keyboard Guide | Dell US

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This guide takes you through using your keyboard. This particular keyboard has some special functions, we go into details on what they are and how to use them.

# data[].attributes.body
Video on how to find all of the keyboard shortcuts on your Chromebook.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To Find All The Keyboard Shortcuts On Your Chromebook #shorts

# data[].attributes.body
7 best ways to keep your Chromebook running well.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Chromebook Care - 7 Tips for Kids [With Infographic in Description]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Chromebook keyboard shortcuts to impress your teacher

# data[].attributes.body
Sign up to receive ISTE digital citizenship lesson coming soon!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digital Citizenship Lessons Sign Up Form

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thank you for your interest in the ISTE Digital Citizenship Lessons.

# data[].attributes.body
Basic Chromebook care.

# data[].attributes.body
Best Chromebook features for educators.

# data[].attributes.body
Use Brisk for lesson planning, accusations, assessment, feedback and so much more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Brisk Teaching is the #1 AI-powered Chrome extension , helping you automate your workload without adding to it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 star rating * 200,000+ teachers

Thanks for signing up! Check your email for next steps.

Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again.

Provide Instant AI-Powered Personalized Feedback

Give personalized feedback and ensure high-quality feedback on every assignment, from the first to the last. Brisk's four feedback styles - Targeted Comments, Glow & Grow praises, Rubric Criteria, and actionable Next Steps - simplify your feedback routine.

Create AI-Driven Curriculum, Lesson Plans, Quizzes, and More with Ease

Say goodbye to the endless challenge of crafting engaging and relevant instructional materials. With just a few clicks, you can quickly generate rigorous quizzes, comprehensive lesson plans, detailed rubrics, captivating presentations, effective interventions, and much more, streamlining your preparation process.

Inspect and Assess Student Writing with AI Tools

We've taken AI detection to the next level. With the 'Replay' feature, you can see exactly how your students put together their assignments, with a video of their whole process from beginning to end.

Easily Adjust Reading Levels and Translate Texts with AI

Ensure every student can access classroom materials. With just a few clicks, instantly convert any online text into a Google Doc that's either simplified for different reading levels and/or translated into another language.

AI-Powered Professional Tools That Educators Deserve

Brisk is a free AI-powered Chrome extension that helps busy teachers save time directly within the tools they already use, like Google Docs, Slides, YouTube, and web articles. Quickly create instructional materials, share feedback, evaluate student writing, and adjust or translate texts - all without leaving your current workspace. With Brisk, the days of toggling between apps are over, freeing up more time for what you love: teaching.

Prep for the week in seconds with the Create Menu

No matter what grade level or subject area you teach, you can create, personalize, and differentiate curricular materials, lesson plans, quizzes, IEPs, rubrics, and more with the click of a button.

Using Google? Brisk integrates seamlessly with Google workspace. Google docs and forms created with Brisk can be instantly assigned in Google Assignment and Google Classroom. No copy and paste needed.

Drastically reduce time spent grading with feedback in Brisk

Leave feedback for students in four ways: ✨ Glows & Grows, 🎯 Targeted, 📏 Rubric Criteria, and 🪜 Next Steps.
‍
Brisk's unparalleled 🎯 Targeted Feedback tool instantly crafts Google Doc comments aligned with your rubric and standards, guiding students precisely where they need to revise. (Premium Feature

Inspect writing to understand the evolution of student work

Wondering how students revised their work? With Brisk you can watch a step-by-step playback of your students' revision history, including their copy and paste actions.

Brisk also leverages a cutting-edge AI-detection model to estimate the likelihood of AI writing. This gives you a starting point to facilitate conversations around academic honesty and dishonesty.
‍

Level educational materials to meet students where they're at

Have you encountered a resource that doesn't match your classroom's reading level? Brisk takes content from any Google doc, article, or website and converts the material into a document that is suitable and leveled for your students. Brisk will simplify complex ideas, shorten lengthy sentences, adjust the word choice, and so much more.

"awesome and brilliant answer"

- Renato N.

"thank you very much for this awesome suggestions. more power brisk!"
‍
- Arnette F.

"This is amazing!!! The story is great and this saved me hours of work!"

- Vanessa S.

"Just saved me loads of time and a massive headache."
‍
- Lori M.

"Love the glows and grows!"
‍
- Jessica L.

Trusted by Over 200,000 Educators

"Brisk Teaching is an incredible AI tool. It serves as a blueprint for instant student feedback - which you can edit on the spot. If this would have come out years ago, more teachers would likely be feeling way less burnout. You can tell this is a product made by teachers for teachers. They thought of everything. If you're a teacher and haven't tried this tool, do it."

"I just have to say, Brisk is the gift that keeps on giving.to my classroom. I have used it almost every day... As a teacher who left teaching because of burnout and came back because I missed the classroom so much, your tool has made my job SO MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE, and has allowed me to give such quality feedback to my students in SECONDS! As an ELA teacher, this is life saving. Truly."

"As a Language Arts teacher, one of the hardest parts of my job is providing enough meaningful feedback for my students. Brisk has allowed me to provide way more specific and actionable feedback for my students. It has also helped me to see more elements of quality that I had previously overlooked in my students' work. The ease of access with Brisk is also a huge bonus. I can use this tool in all of the different platforms that my students use. I can't wait to see future versions - that will continue to help me provide the feedback that my students need."

"This is truly brilliant, the best product I have ever seen in my teaching career of 25 years."

Middle School Teacher
Queens College Taunton

"What petition do I need to sign or group do I need to join in order to get premium BRISK FOREVER? This targeted feedback is ridiculously accurate and has already saved me hours . Anyone not using this is, let's be honest, crazy."

"I didn't have to learn Brisk, it's so intuitive. It figured out what I wanted, and it didn't take any extra time."

Nicole L.
English Teacher
Derry, New Hampshire

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Brisk is a free AI-powered Chrome extension that helps busy teachers save time directly within the tools they already use, like Google Docs, Slides, YouTube, and web articles. Teachers use Brisk as a Targeted Feedback Generator, AI Presentation Maker, AI Quiz Maker, AI Lesson Plan Generator, AI Rubric Generator, Letter of Recommendation Generator, IEP 504 Template Maker, and so much more.

# data[].attributes.body
Learning about Go Guardian's role in keeping students focused and on task. Resource link.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
GoGuardian powers K-12 digital learning environments where every student can thrive.

Powerful alone. Better together.

Unify your filtering, classroom engagement, and school mental health tools into a single suite. GoGuardian's suite of tools helps you maximize the learning potential of your 1:1 school technology program.

Student Safety

Notify designated staff about online activity that indicates a risk of suicide, self-harm, or possible harm to others.¹

Notify designated staff about online activity that indicates a risk of suicide, self-harm, or possible harm to others.

Learn more about student safety

Any device, anywhere

Seamlessly integrate multiple device types and platforms into your 1:1 deployment. From Chromebooks and Apple devices to Windows and BYOD, GoGuardian's suite of tools can help keep your students safe on any device.

Backed by research, powered by learning.

As the world of digital learning accelerates, we believe it is critical to study and understand the impact of the digital learning experience on student outcomes. Our dedicated impact research team is working tirelessly to understand this impact, and how digital learning can be improved.

about the state of engagement survey

Privacy minded. Student focused.

At GoGuardian, we take pride in being recognized leaders in protecting student privacy. We have publicly committed to the recently updated Student Privacy Pledge 2020 and are independently certified by iKeepSafe as compliant with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

visit our privacy and trust center

Dedicated implementation and A+ support.

With an average response time of 30 seconds, our world-class support team is here to help you solve virtually any problem. We even provide direct support for your teachers. And our dedicated implementation team ensures you're set up for success from the moment you deploy GoGuardian.

We're in classrooms just like yours.

27,000,000+ Students. 11,500+ Schools. 740,000+ Educators.

Reach every student, every day.

Take your school's 1:1 technology
program to new heights.

Start a free trial today

Dedicated implementation team

Get up and running in minutes

Free online product training

Try it now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
GoGuardian | Engaging Digital Learning for Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
GoGuardian software helps schools easily manage their devices, better understand their students, and keep them safer online.

# data[].attributes.headline
Student Resources for Chromebook Troubleshooting

# data[].attributes.subject
Student Resources for Chromebook Troubleshooting

# data[].attributes.body
Steps to take with your teacher or tech coach to get your Chromebook up and running again.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Student Tech Resources - Chromebook Troubleshooting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Troubleshooting is annoying, but it is a very useful skill to possess. It allows you to solve the problem yourself and continue doing what you want instead of having to wait to hear back from someone or bring a device in for repair. This is a non-comprehensive list of things to try. To turn off

# data[].attributes.body
Steps to handle common Chromebook issues. Please ask a teacher or tech coach to help you with these steps.

# data[].attributes.body
Download and use Screencastify to create and edit videos and recordings for free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
millions use Screencastify to create amazing videos

/* Sets tab pane to display block instead of default display:none */ /* Allows CSS opacity transitions */ .w-tab-pane, .w--current { display: block; } /* Any .w-tab-pane that does not have webflow .w--curent sets opacity 0 */ .w-tab-pane:not(.w--curent) { opacity: 0; } /* Any element with .w-tab-pane that has .w--tab-active sets the opacity 100% */ .w-tab-pane.w--tab-active { opacity: 1; } /* Set the opacity transition to 1 second ease-in */ .w-tab-pane { transition: opacity 1s ease-in; }

Educator, student, marketer, engineer, gamer. Whatever part you play, you'll have simple, yet powerful screen recording and editing tools.
Learn more

Easily share your creations in multiple channels. Let more viewers watch, pause and rewind on their schedule while maximizing time by eliminating unnecessary meetings.
Learn more

Collect video assignments to ensure any team or student is heard. Track viewing activity and add interactive questions and more to ensure your message is understood.
Learn more

Educator, student, marketer, engineer, gamer. Whatever part you play, you'll have simple, yet powerful screen recording and editing tools.
Learn more

Easily share your creations in multiple channels. Let more viewers watch, pause and rewind on their schedule while maximizing time by eliminating unnecessary meetings.
Learn more

Collect video assignments to ensure any team or student is heard. Track viewing activity and add interactive questions and more to ensure your message is understood.
Learn more

loved by everyday video creators

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Screencastify | Screen Recording and Video Editing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Screencastify is the leading screen recorder for Chrome. Install the extension to record, edit, and share videos in seconds. Create video class assignments, training and tutorials, and make business communication faster.

# data[].attributes.body
Teacher can learn to help students find Chromebook settings that help students with learning differences and preferences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Chromebook Accessibility settings for teachers (4 essential tools)

# data[].attributes.headline
CB Accessibility Features for the Classroom 

# data[].attributes.subject
CB Accessibility Features for the Classroom 

# data[].attributes.body
Website to help teachers maximize Chromebook accessibility features to help all learners.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
All About Chromebook Accessibility Features

Chromebooks are fast and simple devices for the classroom, but are they a good option for learners with special needs?

How do Chromebook accessibility features compare with iPad accessibility features, text-to-speech tools, or screen readers available on Windows devices?

What accessibility options are available on a Chromebook?

Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities.

"Everyone should be able to access and enjoy the web. We're committed to making that a reality." - The Google Accessibility team (@GoogleAccess)

The Google Accessibility team has made significant improvements to the accessibility features for Chromebooks. Features like ChromeVox (screen reader), Select-to-speak (Text to speech), Dictation (voice typing) help students and adults navigate and interact with the web.

I am not a special education or adaptive technology expert, but I have had many students in my classroom with IEPs and various learning challenges. I also work with lots of subject area teachers in the same situation.

This Chromebook accessibility guide will give you simple, clear explanations of each Chromebook accessibility feature and suggest ways that you can use them to help students overcome learning barriers.

It is our duty as educators to do whatever we can to eliminate barriers to student learning. Understanding the accessibility features available on a Chromebook is a great place to start!

You might be surprised!

While these Chromebook accessibility features were created individuals with visual impairments, reading disabilities, or physical impairments, they have some creative applications that can benefit everyone!

As I tested and experimented with these Chromebook accessibility features I discovered that many of them are incredibly useful when presenting to a large group of students or adults.

Features like Screen zoom, "highlight mouse cursor" and dictation are wonderful for technology teachers and trainers!

Don't limit your use of Chromebook accessibility features to students with learning needs! Everyone can benefit!

Chromebook Accessibility Apps and Extensions
This post focuses exclusively on the built-in Chromebook accessibility features.
There are some helpful Chrome apps and extensions that offer even more support for students with special learning needs. But for now, we'll just be looking at the built-in accessibility features for Chromebooks.

Let's get started!

How to enable accessibility features on a Chromebook

Accessibility features are turned off by default on a Chromebook. The first thing you will want to do is turn them on so that they can be easily accessed through the system menu where you typically log out, connect to wifi, etc.
How to enable accessibility feature on a Chromebook:

1. Click on the "snowman" at the top right corner of the Chrome browser and select "settings"

2. On the settings page, search for "accessibility"

3. Look for the option that says "Always show accessibility options in the system menu" and turn the switch on.

4. That's it! The accessibility features are now easily accessible in the system menu at the bottom right corner of your Chromebook.

How to Disable Chromebook Accessibility Features

You can easily enable and disable accessibility features through the system menu. This is important as some accessibility features are annoying to have enabled all the time.

As a technology trainer, I frequently turn features like dictation and highlight mouse cursor on and off throughout the day.

Just click the system menu (bottom right corner of your Chromebook, where you typically log out), select "accessibility" and select the feature you want to enable or disable.

Features that are enabled are identified with a green check mark.

Adjust your accessibility settings in the Google Admin console to avoid problems

Chromebook accessibility features are "device sticky" by default. This can cause problems in a classroom setting.

Here is a very common situation:

Student A uses a Chromebook during first period and turns an accessibility feature on

Student B uses the same Chromebook during second period and discovers that the accessibility features are still enabled.

In a school setting where Chromebooks are shared by many different students, you want accessibility settings to be connected to a student account, not the device.
When accessibility settings are "device sticky" problems can occur!
Middle school students find it entertaining to turn on the more annoying accessibility settings (like ChromeVox) right before they sign out of the device.

The next student who signs into the Chromebook is startled when their Chromebook starts talking to them!

To avoid this frustrating situation I recommend that district administrators check a single, important box inside of the Google Admin console: "Turn off accessibility setting on sign-in screen upon logout."

Admin Console Path: Device management > Chrome > Device Settings > Sign In Settings > Accessibility Control

Checking this box will disable any enabled accessibility when user signs out of a Chromebook.

Enabling this setting will not prevent a student from using accessibility features when they are signed in, but those changes won't impact other students who use the same device.

▶ Note: to make this change you will need access to the Google Admin console.

Now that we have those important setup notes out of the way, let's dive into each Google Accessibility feature and consider how we can use it in the classroom.

ChromeVox (Spoken Feedback)

ChromeVox is a screen reader for blind users that allows them to navigate the web through verbal prompts.

When enabled, ChromeVox places an orange box around selected objects and reads the on-screen text.

Of all of the accessibility features on a Chromebook, ChromeVox is the most extreme and the one you are least likely to use.

If you are blind, ChromeVox is capable screen reader. If you are not blind ChromeVox is incredibly annoying!

One of the top accessibility related searches on Google is "How to get rid of the orange box on Chromebook." This feature frequently gets turned on accidentally and can be quite startling and frustrating if you don't know how to disable it!

▶ To disable ChromeVox, click on the system menu of your Chromebook, select accessibility features, and remove the green checkmark by clicking "ChromeVox".

While it might be the first feature listed in the Chromebook accessibility menu, ChromeVox spoken feedback is designed for a very specific disability. Unless you have a blind student in your classroom, you can turn off Chromevox.

Select-to-Speak (Text to Speech for Chromebooks)

Select to speak is a Chromebook reader that can read most on-screen text!

While similar to ChromeVox, select-to-speak doesn't activate unless a student requests it. This makes it a more useful classroom accessibility feature for students who would benefit from having text read aloud, but don't need it all the time.

First, you will need to enable select-to-speak from the accessibility system menu on your Chromebook.

Once enabled you will see a new icon appear on the shelf (the black bar at the bottom of your Chromebook).
You can enable select to speak in two ways:

1. Press the speaker icon on the Chrome Shelf and then drag to select the text you want read.

2. Highlight some text on your screen and press search + s

Select-to-speak works on MOST websites including:

Select to speak can help you meet one of the most common accommodations listed in IEPs - having text read aloud. It even works in Google Forms during a locked quiz!

Dictation

The Dictation feature (Chromebook voice typing) is the newest addition to the accessibility lineup...And it's awesome!

Most adult smartphone users will be familiar with the concept of voice typing. This feature is now available on all Chromebooks!

Voice typing is awesome for students who are slow typers, poor spellers, or need some extra help getting their thoughts "on paper."

First, you will need to make sure that dictation is enabled through the Chromebook accessibility menu.

Once you've done that, you will see a microphone icon appear on the shelf, right next to the select-to-speak icon.

Click it to enable Google voice typing on your Chromebook!

I am typing this sentence right now using the dictation to text feature! You can even add punctuation by saying "period," "exclamation point" or "question mark."

▶ You can activate voice typing by using the keyboard shortcut Search + d

The dictation feature will work in any text field, including Google Docs, Slides, Drawing, etc.

Once you show this to your students and fellow teachers they will want to know how to turn on Google voice typing too!
You can enable voice typing in two ways:

1. Click in a text field and then press the mic icon on the Chrome Shelf. Once you hear a soft "chirp", begin talking.

2. Click in a text field and press search + d

▶ Note: Google Docs and Slides also have a feature called "voice typing" however the dictation accessibility feature is far more flexible and will work in more places. Give it a try!

High contrast mode

High contrast mode is a Chromebook accessibility for visually impaired users.

Some students who are sensitive to bright lights may also benefit from enabling high contrast mode.

Some teachers have complained that the "white" look of Google classroom is difficult for students to read and causes increased eye strain.

While you can't adjust the theme of Google Classroom, turning on high-contrast mode might help.

This picture illustrates what Google Classroom looks like with high-contrast mode turned on.

▶ You can activate high contrast using the keyboard shortcut Search + ctrl + h

Fullscreen magnifier

This is another feature for users with visual impairments, but it also happens to be a feature I rely on every day!

Fullscreen magnifier is typically used to enlarge a portion of the screen for easier reading or to reduce screen clutter, helping students who are easily distracted focus on a specific task.

It can also be used by technology teachers who want to emphasize an element of the Chrome browser during a live demo.

This is a marvelous feature that I use as a presenter every day.

Enable full-screen magnifier in the accessibility menu. When you do this, your screen will zoom in a little bit.

Press and hold ctrl + alt while "scrolling" with two fingers on the trackpad. This will zoom the screen in / or out based on your scroll direction.

▶ To unzoom a Chromebook screen, hold the ctrl + alt key and "scroll" out with your fingers, or disable screen zoom from the Chromebook accessibility menu.

It's a bit tough to explain this in words. Watch the video embedded below for a visual guide to using the screen zoom feature.

Docked magnifier

Docked magnifier is a variation of the fullscreen magnifier. When enabled, the top third of your screen shows a highly enlarged portion of the bottom 2/3 of your screen.

A lot of people accidentally enable this feature and it can be pretty annoying if you don't want it! To unzoom your Chromebook screen, click on accessibility and uncheck docked magnifier.

The docked magnifier may also be useful for graphic design projects if you need to precisely align objects or look at something down to the nearest pixel.

If you visit the accessibilities settings you can adjust the zoom magnification from 4x-20x.
You can activate the docked magnifier by using the keyboard shortcut ctrl + search + d
Automatic clicks

Whoever named this feature did a great job! When enabled, blue and green circles will appear around your mouse. When the green circle is complete, a click is enabled.

This feature is helpful for individuals who are unable to use both hands or for younger students who struggle to click effectively.

On-screen keyboard

It might come as a surprise that the Chromebook, a device that has a physical keyboard, also has an on-screen keyboard. This is the same experience that you have on your phone or tablet.

The on-screen keyboard is frequently used by individuals who use eye-tracking software to navigate their device. It is also activated if you have a Chromebook that converts into a tablet.

At first glance, the on-screen keyboard is pretty normal. But if you take a closer look, there are some pretty neat features you can't find anywhere else!

Draw to Type - click the squiggly line on the keyboard and you can draw to type! This could be an amazing way to help elementary students practice their writing skills!

Emoji Keyboard - just like your phone, the Chromebook on-screen keyboard give you access to hundreds of emoji characters!

Dictation - The speech-to-text feature is baked right into the on-screen keyboard, making it easy to write, type, or speak your content onto the screen.

Mini Keyboard - this is actually pretty useful. You can "pop out" the on-screen keyboard into a mini screen that floats on top of your other windows. This is convenient if you only need the keyboard for emoji or special math symbols.

If the on screen keyboard keeps popping up, it can be super annoying. To hide the on-screen keyboard you will need to disable it from the accessibility menu on your Chromebook.

1. Click the Chrome settings menu (three dots in the upper right corner)

2. Click on settings

3. Search for "accessibility" from the settings menu

4. Open up the accessibility settings and look for "on-screen keyboard"

5. Slide the switch to disable the on screen keyboard for Google Chrome

Mouse Pointer Accessibility Features

Ever lose your mouse cursor on the screen? It happens.

Individuals with low vision or younger students who are still learning to navigate their Chromebook can benefit from a selection of mouse cursor accessibility features:

Large mouse cursor

Enlarges the mouse cursor for increased visibility. This is helpful for young students who struggle to click precisely.

Highlight Text Caret

When enabled, this feature identifies text fields with a blue circle; A good option for students who lose the cursor on a web page.

Highlight object with Keyboard Focus

This feature is very similar to highlight text caret, but instead of emphasizing the mouse cursor, it highlights the entire text field with an orange box, similar to ChromeVox.
Note: Highlight text caret and keyboard focus do not work in Google Docs or Slides.
Highlight mouse cursor

When enabled a red circle appears around the mouse pointer at all times. This is an alternative to the large mouse cursor and can be helpful for students who frequently lose the pointer on the page.

This is a great feature for computer teachers and technology trainers. I enable highlight mouse cursor when I am leading Chromebook workshops. It's a lot easier to see from the back row when you can follow the red circle!

▶ To get rid of the red circle around your cursor, visit the settings page for your Chromebook, and look for "highlight mouse cursor." Disable it and the red circle will disappear!

Mono audio

Most audio recordings (music, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc) are recorded with stereo audio which means there are slightly different sounds coming from the left and right speakers on your Chromebook. If you have headphones in, take one out and you can hear the different channels.

Audio recorded in stereo can be a problem for individuals who are deaf in one ear as they only hear one part of the recording.

Enabling mono audio on your Chromebook forces audio to play the same sounds from both the left and right channels so you won't miss a thing.

You can hear the difference by listening to a song on Spotify and flipping the mono audio setting on and off a few times.

Sticky keys

Typing requires a lot of coordination! There are roughly 100 keys on a traditional keyboard, but because of various keyboard combinations, those 100 keys can be combined to make thousands of combinations when pressing the shift, control, or alt keys.

What do sticky keys do? This feature was developed for individuals who have difficulty pressing multiple keys simultaneously. When enabled, ctrl, alt, shift, and search become "sticky" so that you don't need to press two keys at the same time.

This is a useful feature for students with physical impairments that prevent the use of both hands (i.e. a student who breaks an arm) or young students who are still developing their fine motor skills.

When sticky keys are enabled, a transparent notification will appear in the top left corner of your screen if you press the ctrl, shift, alt or search keys.

Wrapping Up

Even though I would consider myself a Chromebook expert, (hey, I WROTE the book on Chromebook!?) I have learned so much by researching this post.

My primary takeaway is that accessibility features are NOT just for individuals with special needs. Many of these features I have begun using on a regular basis (highlight mouse cursor, dictation, and screen zoom are my favorites!).

But here's the thing. For me, these accessibility features are a nice BONUS that makes my life easier. For individuals who have disabilities, these features are essential.

"For people without disabilities, technology makes things easier. For people with disabilities, technology makes things possible." - IBM Training Manual 1991

Every teacher has a responsibility to develop a basic understanding of the features and controls that can open opportunity for students with special needs. That goes for iPads, PCs, and Chromebooks; whatever device you use in your classroom. I hope this detailed overview of Chromebook accessibility features will help you support the learners in your classroom!
Contributors: I wish to thank Robin Pegg (@RSPegg), Jeff Crocket (@jeffcrockett8), and Karen Chichester (@kchichester) for reviewing and contributing to this post.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Chromebook Accessibility Features for the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Chromebooks are fast and simple devices for the classroom, but are they a good option for learners with special needs? How do Chromebook accessibility features compare with iPad accessibility features, text-to-speech tools, or screen readers available on Windows devices? What accessibility options are available on a Chromebook?

# data[].attributes.body
Discover the best Chromebook learning extensions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Best Chrome Apps and Extensions for Students | Common Sense Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Best Chrome Apps and Extensions for Students is a list of 25 apps, games, and websites curated by Common Sense Education editors.