G Suite is Sweet

 I know we have all heard of or used something that belongs to Google Suite. There are so many applications that belongs to G Suite, it's hard not to. But have you thought about the possibility that they can help you or children do things you may normally find difficult? I bet you haven't!! Am I right?

Image of some of the applications included in G Suite: Applications are (starting from top left) Google Mail, Google Hangout, Google Slides, Google Sheets, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Docs

Imagine a child with autism who lacks some fine motor skills.  Because writing and keyboarding are fine motor skills, autistic children may avoid doing these activities.  This child may hate writing and when they do write it's hard to read. Now give that child a keyboard and allow him or her to peck away at the keys, not type. Even better let the child use the text to speech option and you're in a totally different ball park. 

    I hate peckers, and when it's time to write we need silence to think. But I would gladly allow the child to do both. 

Image of Google Docs logo: blue rectangle with 3 white horizontal lines

    I have had the privilege of working with multiple autistic students. As a teacher, I did not know what to do to help them with their writing. I remembered the day, I had a student who could not spell well and would refuse or stall with writing. I decide, at the spur of the moment, to use Google doc to help her with her writing. She used the speech to text option to help her get her thoughts onto paper. I took the same strategy and used it for my autistic students. One that couldn't write but spell, and the other that would cry because they couldn't read or spell, both used Google Docs to help them in writing. 

Did You Know???

 Google Docs is beneficial for teachers for multiple reasons, but also because it's free. Being free may not make it a form of assitive technology, but when teachers are able to use something that will truly benefit their students and it is free, we call that a WIN-WIN.    

 Google Docs has add on that helps students with dyslexia. Here's an article by Jamie Martin (2015) for more information. Google Docs like other writing programs have many fonts and text sizes for students. This allows students that are dyslexic to choose a font that best meet their needs. What is easier for them to read and not mix up? 

Accessibility Features...

In truth, a lot of the applications that are part of the G Suite are assitive technology, and should be researched and utilized in classrooms. 

Here's a video that teaches teachers how they can use Google Docs in classroom. 

 

YouTube video that provides 7 accessibility features found in Google Docs and how to use and assure your documents is accessible.

    Google Docs accessibility features include...

• Screen reader support for editing, navigating, reading, and collaborating.
• Navigation and editing are keyboard accessible.
• Supports refreshable Braille displays.
• Supports alt text on images.
• Notifications and collaborator information are spoken when using a screen reader.
• Supports keyboard shortcuts.

It also features...

• screen magnification,
• screen read compatibility, 
• touch input, and 
• voice typing.

References: 

MCS Ed Tech (2020). Top 7 accessibility feature in Google docs & slides. YouTube.            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TytRXQw_Y_s

Google (n.d.) Explore Google's accessibility features and products. Google Belonging.         https://about.google/belonging/disability-inclusion/product-accessibility/ 

Laurie, C (2022). Autistic children and motor skills. National Autistic Society.                      https://www.autism.org.uk/