Chrome Extensions as Assistive Technology

Chrome Extensions

Thank you Oklahoma ABLE Tech (OK’s State AT Program) for this AT Tip for Employment! 

Chrome Extensions

Technology can be a powerful tool to assist individuals with disabilities or any sort of learning challenge. The Chrome Web browser allows users to install a wide variety of Web extensions as tools to help learners, regardless of ability level.

Chrome extensions are designed to work with websites and they are usually intuitive and unobtrusive. They can perform several functions that are helpful to individuals with disabilities, including text-to-speech, word prediction, color analyzing, and magnification. Extensions are found and downloaded from the Chrome Web Store, and icons of active extensions are placed on the Chrome toolbar for easy access.

Chrome extension icons on a toolbar

An example of some Chrome extension icons, which appear to the right of the URL address window in Chrome

To install Chrome extensions:

  1. Visit the Google Chrome Web Store. Here is a link to the store’s free accessibility extensions.
  2. Browse or search for the extension you’d like to install.
  3. On the extension’s details page, click the “Add to Chrome” button.

Here are some Chrome extensions to get you started:

TidyRead (for uncluttered web reading)
Cortexit (a reading and focus enhancement tool)
Chrome Daltonize! (exposes details to color-blind users)
Keyboard Navigation (browse the web without using a mouse)
Change Colors (set your preferences for webpage colors/fonts/style)
ChromeVox (screen reader)

Published On: February 20, 2018Categories: AT Tips, Education, Employment, Toolkits
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The AT3 Center, the Association of AT Act Programs (ATAP), and the Administration on Community Living (ACL) make no endorsement, representation, or warranty expressed or implied for any product, device, or information set forth in this blog. The AT3 Center, ATAP, and ACL have not examined, reviewed, or tested any product or device hereto referred.

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