Google Glass could also be a powerful assistive technology for students with a handicap or disability. Voice activation and its ability to read aloud to you are especially helpful applications for such situations. Through another Glass wearer, a handicap student could also experience, in the first person, what it’s like to go rock climbing or even run a marathon. This many not be an application particular to education, but it’s still a powerful one.
“You can kind of live vicariously through someone else in their experiences so you can send people out and have them doing different things these people might not have the opportunity to actually do,” says Cambigue.
How It Works
When you’re ready to use the glasses you say “OK Glass” followed by a command. For example, “OK Glass, Google HigheredTechDecisions.com.” The side of the glasses is like a touchpad similar to the one on a laptop allowing you to scroll through the website or tap on the side to open a link. Holding down your fingers will cause the screen to zoom in while moving your head allows you to see the whole site.
“As soon as you play with it you’ll figure it. I put them on my 81-year-old mother and she didn’t have any problems. She caught on quickly about the swiping and the vocal commands and she sent an email right away,” says Cambigue.
Since Cambigue picked up her glasses in June, there have already been three updates to the Google Glass operating system. Any of the minor problems she picked up on originally have since been corrected. It used to be difficult to click on links but that problem has been resolved. In addition the latest update included better integration with Google Now including cards for events and reservations, movie times and public alerts. Voice support was added for third-party apps Path and Evernote, the Glass video player received controls through swipe and users now have the ability to use hashtags.
When asked about the greatest impact Google Glass could have on the learning environment, Cambigue points to distance education. “I think it would make things a lot more accessible to people outside the classroom, “ she says. Distance learning requires a camera and a microphone positioned strategically to get the best visual for students off-site as well as superior audio, a task that can be daunting. If you don’t have a lavalier microphone then you’re rooted to one particular spot. Google Glass simplifies all that.
“You don’t have all those other things in your way like the laptops and the cameras and the microphone because you have everything right there on your head,” says Cambigue.
Morningside will continue to explore Google Glass during the school year. There are already five faculty members borrowing the technology to try out in their classrooms as they brainstorm the many ways wearable technology can be incorporated into education.
“It’s just been a fun experience,” says Cambigue. “It’s something totally new and we’re just having a good time being able to explore. It’s a great opportunity.” 
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