Eclectic Technology

If you are looking for a browser that provides accessible features check out Google Chrome, specifically the "many add-ons available to facilitate access, as well as websites that have been designed to take advantage of features built into Chrome." Once again Paul Hamilton has pulled together a variety of add-ons, both Chrome extensions and apps. All are free from the Chrome Web Store. Some examples of extensions and apps discussed include SpeakIt!, which provides text-to-speech for reading web content; Voice Search, which allows you to speak your search terms (and works with multiple search engines); and Chrome Vis, which allows you do magnify and change the color of text as well as view the text selected inside a separate lens. An additional five add-ons are listed with links to the add-ons and in some cases additional information. Please note "You need a Google (GMail) acccount to install an app."

Readability is one of my favorite tools, a tool that removes 'clutter' from webpages, creating a page that is clean of ads. This post looks at combining Readability with Google Docs, making "an effective and efficient method of taking digital notes." This provides another way that students may choose to take notes. 

There is a Google Presentation that provides additional information about how to work with Readability and Google Docs.

I also like to use Readability with Natural Reader, a free program put out by Natural Soft, that will read text to students. 

Readability is a web and mobile app that zaps online clutter and saves web articles in a comfortable reading view.

Do you use Readabilility? It is a great tool that allows you to remove the clutter from a webpage and save the article...and it is free! They have just upgraded the app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod. For more information check out their blog post.