Voice Typing Voice typing is one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal! Google has a build in voice typing option under the ‘tools’ bar. Simply click on voice typing, and a microphone shows up on the screen. Click the microphone to turn the voice typing feature on and off. This is a great way to quickly document a therapy session or get a few notes down. For students, voice typing is one of the most commonly utilized accommodations as it can often increase efficiency and decrease frustration with written expression. There are a lot of executive functioning demands that come along with voice typing, so it may be a tool that requires some explicit teaching and practice for students. Students usually benefit from being taught how to think about what to say before turning on the microphone, as well as completing the editing process as the computer may not always accurately pick up what the student wants to say. Create Checklists Did you know that there is an easy way to create checklists in google docs? Simply change the bullet points into checkboxes! I personally utilize this feature for my weekly to-do list. There are times that I prefer to write on paper, but since I travel between schools I have moved to using Google Docs as I know I will always have access to it, no matter where I am. This would be an easy way to make a checklist for a student as well! Collaboration Features There are so many features within Google Docs that make collaboration among teams more efficient. I know personally, since I travel between buildings, I am not always able to attend every team meeting. Someone who is there takes notes on a shared document for the entire team to review. You can attach the meeting notes to the recurring Google Calendar meeting invites, which makes it easy to access them. Additionally, you can insert dropdown menus that can help support collaboration. For example, let’s say follow up tasks are assigned to team members at a meeting. By using the dropdown feature, team members can update the status of the task easily for everyone to see. This helps to ensure everyone is on the same page. Technology Tips: Google Docs – December 11, 2023 OT-Approved Holiday Gift Ideas: Games Edition – November 27, 2023 3 Ways to Add Sensory Input to a Traditional Classroom Desk and Chair – November 13, 2023
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