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Cabot rolls out state-provided Read&Write extension for students and staff
Summary
District presenters demonstrated Texthelp/Read&Write — a state-provided Chrome extension available to all students — and said it offers text-to-speech, translations and writing supports that do not require an IEP.
Board members heard a demonstration of Texthelp (Read&Write), the literacy toolbar the district says the state provided to all school computers.
“This is a great extension ... it is available for all of our students,” a presenter said, and explained the extension works across Google Docs, learning management systems and web pages to provide read-aloud, translation into more than 90 languages, word prediction and spelling/grammar checks. Presenters emphasized the tool can be used by general-education students as well as by students with formal accommodations; they said teachers received district training over the summer and the district hosted after-school sessions with a state Read&Write lead.
District staff said teachers are introducing the tool in classrooms, the district will meet with the Read&Write CEO and local specialists next week, and that ATLAS assessment accessibility features (including text-to-speech for qualifying students) interoperate with the extension. The presenters described Read&Write as a way to provide universal access without an IEP for many daily learning tasks.
Board members asked whether the tool was free; the presenter replied, “It is free. The state's provided this for everyone, every school district in the state.”
