You can connect some computer speakers or something, but any speaker you hook up would have to be powered. You don't need a computer to run the 11r. I am not sure I understand about "disconnect everything to use said speaker", the way many people run it is to go through the rig output to a FRFR but you could get 90% of that going through the headphone-out plug into a set of aux-pluggable (not usb-only) computer speakers, then you wouldn't have to disconnect it from your main rig..

I don't have any experience with any footswitcher other than the Behringer FCB1010, it works great with midi!