Google Unveils 15 New Education Features
At the BETT 2026 conference, Google announced 15 new features for its educational products. The updates highlight the rapid pace of change within major EdTech platforms, posing a continuous challenge for universities to maintain accessibility and integration across their digital ecosystems.
- The U.S. Department of Justice has set an April 24, 2026, deadline for public colleges and universities to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. This mandate requires that all digital content, including course materials and websites, be fully accessible. - Several of the new Google features are being integrated into paid tiers such as Education Plus and the Teaching and Learning add-on, including the Gemini AI assistant in Docs, Slides, and Forms. Gemini for Gmail, however, will be available to all users. - A significant update is the ability for educators and students to record and embed audio and video directly within Google Classroom for assignments, feedback, and announcements. This was previously only possible with third-party extensions. - The new regulations under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act require a shift from reactive "accommodation on request" to proactive, comprehensive digital accessibility. - For the first time, Google is introducing the ability to tag assignments in Classroom with learning standards from various countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan, to help track student progress. - With the new Class tools display app, teachers can now mirror content from any teacher or student device to a main screen and annotate on it, aiming to increase classroom engagement. - The BETT 2026 conference, where the announcements were made, is a major global education technology event in London, attracting over 35,000 attendees and more than 600 exhibitors.
