How to Use Helperbird in Locked Mode and Lockdown Browsers on Chromebooks

Many schools need students to have accessibility tools available during locked quizzes and lockdown browser assessments. This guide explains how to set up Helperbird so students with IEP or 504 accommodations can use their accessibility features during testing on managed Chromebooks.

Overview

When a school uses locked mode in Google Forms or a lockdown browser for assessments, most Chrome extensions are disabled. However, accessibility extensions like Helperbird are allowed to run if they are force-installed by the school admin through the Google Admin Console.

This means students can still use features like text-to-speech, reading rulers, dyslexia fonts, and color overlays during a locked quiz, as long as Helperbird is set up correctly.

Google Forms Locked Mode

Google Forms has a built-in locked mode feature for quizzes on managed Chromebooks. When a teacher turns on locked mode:

• The quiz takes over the full screen and students cannot navigate away.
• Most extensions and keyboard shortcuts are disabled.
• The Chromebook shelf (taskbar) is hidden.
• Accessibility extensions that are force-installed are allowed to keep running.

Google specifically allows accessibility tools to work in locked mode to support students with accommodations. Other tools like Read&Write and Snap&Read work this way too, and Helperbird is no different.

Important: Locked mode only works on managed Chromebooks. It does not work on personal devices, iPads, Macs, or Windows PCs.

Lockdown Browsers

Some schools use third-party lockdown browsers for assessments, such as Respondus LockDown Browser or Securly. These work differently from Google Forms locked mode.

Lockdown browsers typically:

• Launch their own browser window or kiosk-style app.
• Block all other applications and extensions.
• May or may not allow accessibility extensions depending on the specific product and configuration.

If your school uses a lockdown browser, check with the lockdown browser provider to confirm whether force-installed accessibility extensions like Helperbird are supported. In many cases, the answer is yes for force-installed extensions, but it depends on the specific product.

For the most reliable setup with Helperbird, we recommend using Google Forms locked mode for quizzes and assessments where possible, since accessibility extension support is built in.

How to Set Up Helperbird

For Helperbird to work in locked mode or lockdown browsers, it must be force-installed through the Google Admin Console. Here is how:

Step 1: Open Google Admin Console

Go to admin.google.com and sign in with your admin account.

Step 2: Navigate to Apps & Extensions

Go to Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions. Select the organizational unit (OU) where your students are.

Step 3: Add Helperbird

Click the + button to add a new app or extension. Search for Helperbird or enter the Chrome extension ID: ahmapmilbkfamljbpgphfndeemhnajme

Step 4: Set to Force Install

Under Installation policy, select Force install or Force install + pin to ChromeOS taskbar. Click Save.

This ensures Helperbird is automatically installed on every managed Chromebook in that OU and will stay active during locked mode.

Step 5: Set the Subscription Key

Push your Helperbird subscription key through a JSON policy so students are automatically logged into Helperbird Pro. Follow our guide: How to Set Helperbird JSON Policy in Google Admin

For a full walkthrough on deploying Helperbird, see: How to Deploy Helperbird to Your School

Assigning Accommodations Per Student

Not every student needs the same Helperbird features during testing. You can assign specific accommodations to specific students or groups by using Child Organizational Units in Google Admin.

How it works:

1. Create a Child OU for each accommodation group (for example, "Reading Support", "ELL Support", "Writing Support"). See: How to Set Up a Child Organizational Unit for Helperbird

2. Move students into the correct OU based on their IEP or 504 plan.

3. Set a JSON policy per OU that enables or disables specific Helperbird features. See: How to Disable Helperbird Features Using JSON Policy

4. Force-install Helperbird on each OU with the subscription key.

When a student logs into their Chromebook, Helperbird will automatically have the right features available based on which OU they belong to.

You can also set a JSON policy for a specific user group or even an individual student:

• Set Helperbird JSON Policy for a User Group
• Set Helperbird JSON Policy for an Individual User

Example Accommodation Setups

Reading Support (IEP — Dyslexia)

Features to enable:

• Text-to-speech
• Dyslexia-friendly fonts (OpenDyslexic, Lexie Readable)
• Reading ruler and line focus
• Immersive reader
• Color overlays

Features to consider disabling during assessments:

• Word prediction
• Dictation
• Translation

ELL / Translation Support

Features to enable:

• Page translation
• Immersive reader (with built-in translation)
• Picture dictionary
• Text-to-speech (for pronunciation)

Writing Support (504 Plan)

Features to enable:

• Word prediction
• Dictation (speech-to-text)
• Spell check
• Text-to-speech (for proofreading)

Assessment / Testing Only

A minimal setup for standardized testing:

• Text-to-speech only
• Reading ruler
• Color overlays
• All other features disabled

Tips for Testing Day

• Test the setup before testing day. Log into a student Chromebook and open a locked mode quiz to make sure Helperbird is working and the right features are available.
• Remind students how to access Helperbird. Since the shelf is hidden in locked mode, students access Helperbird by clicking the Helperbird icon in the browser toolbar.
• Have students set their preferences ahead of time. Helperbird remembers settings, so if a student sets up their preferred font or text-to-speech voice before the test, it will be ready to go.
• Keep it simple. You do not need a separate OU for every student. Group students by accommodation type first and only get more specific if needed.
• Use the Helperbird Google Docs add-on too. If students are taking assessments in Google Docs, the Helperbird Google Docs and Slides add-on gives them accessibility tools right inside the document.

Troubleshooting

Helperbird is not showing during locked mode:

• Make sure Helperbird is force-installed through Google Admin, not manually installed.
• Check that the student's Chromebook is in the correct organizational unit.
• Make sure the Chromebook is managed by your school district.

Helperbird features are not working:

• Make sure the student has an active Helperbird Pro or Unlimited subscription.
• Check that the JSON policy is set correctly for that OU.
• Try resyncing the subscription: How to Resync Your Helperbird Subscription

Only some features are showing:

• Check the JSON policy for that OU. Some features may be disabled by the admin policy.
• This might be intentional if you have set up accommodation-specific feature sets.

Validate Your Policy

Before deploying, use our JSON Policy Validator to check for errors, validate feature codes, and see exactly what each setting does.

Related Guides

• How to Use Helperbird in Locked Mode on Chromebooks
• How to Deploy Helperbird to Your School
• How to Set Helperbird JSON Policy in Google Admin
• How to Disable Helperbird Features Using JSON Policy
• How to Set Up a Child Organizational Unit for Helperbird
• Set Helperbird JSON Policy for a User Group
• Set Helperbird JSON Policy for an Individual User
• Helperbird Google Docs and Slides Add-on Features
• How to Login to Helperbird
• How to Resync Your Helperbird Subscription
• Force Installing the Helperbird Extension