Chromebook Accessibility the Missing Users Guide

Chromebooks have exploded in popularity in school systems across North America. In celebration of Chromebook month Bridges shares with you our Chromebook Accessibility: the Missing Users Guide.

To download the free pdf, CLICK HERE. 

This brief reference summarises built in accessibility features in the Chromebook's OS and looks at how you can connect various assistive technology. 

Some of the topics covered include:

• What alternative access devices you can connect to a Chromebook
• Review of accessibility settings
• Connecting switches
• Voice Recognition
• Enhancing visual presentation and access for visually impaired users

This is by no means an exhausting how-to.  For instance in the guide we point you to how to turn on the Chrome Vox screen reader but we don't go into the detail of how to use it.  That information is readily available from Google Help.

We also don't try to review 3rd party accessibility apps and extensions.

So why did we see the need to create this guide?

In some cases to enhance and customise the visual presentation of the screen there are a few different menus you have to go into.  In the guide we try to put all that info under one heading for easy reference.

In addition, Google's ethos in their help documentation is to use next to no images.  We use lots of screen shots to help you explore the different accessibility features and options.  

Also a lot of people just don't know what is possible or what isn't possible when it comes to assistive technology on a Chromebook.  Hopefully this guide will be a helpful starting point for a teacher, assistive technologist, parent, end-user or any one else who might be working in Chromebooks and supporting AT.

If you have any questions, comments or spot any errors please feel free to contact us or comment below and we'll update as soon as we can. 

Bogdan Pospielovsky

bogdan@bridges-canada.com