13 Free Assistive Technology Resources
A limited budget doesn’t have to stop you or your child from getting some of the best
assistive technology available to help people with LD. These free resources will help you
stretch your dollar while getting geared up for the new school year. Better yet, some of them
may already be in your pocket—we’ve included features built into common devices like the
iPhone and iPad that can be helpful for people who struggle with reading, math, organization
and more.
Name
Description
An accessible online library for people with print-based disabilities.
Bookshare offers over 204,000 digital books, all available free for K-12,
Bookshare
college, and adult education students in the United States (must submit
proof of disability to Bookshare).
Dictation for
iOS
Got an iPhone 4S or 5 or an iPad 3 in your backpack? Dictation, a feature
that allows you to speak instead of typing, is built right in.
A speech-to-text app that allows you to speak and instantly see your email
Dragon
Dictation
and text messages. Available for free download from the iTunes store for
iPad and iPhone devices.
If you use the web browser Firefox (a free download) you’ll want to check
Firefox with
Add-Ons
out this set of add-ons that offer features like text-to-speech, dictionaries
and more to make your internet browsing easier.
A free email account that comes with a text-to-speech reader, spell check,
built-in organization systems and more. A Gmail account also comes with
Gmail
Google Calendar, which allows you to keep track of multiple
responsibilities and plan a schedule.
If organization and scheduling is difficult for you, this is a must-have app. It
Google
syncs all of your day’s tasks and to-dos and can send reminders to your
Calendar
Reminders App phone or tablet. It’s available free for iOS and Android devices.
Need to easily share and collaborate on documents with a teacher, tutor or
Google Drive classmate? Google Drive lets you create documents, spreadsheets and
slideshows and share them with others...all for free.
Library of
Congress
The Library of Congress provides a free library of audio materials for
circulation to eligible borrowers with reading disabilities.
LibriVox is a volunteer-run organization that provides audiobooks of works
LibriVox
in the public domain, including works like religious texts and classic
literature.
Got some Charles Dickens or Mark Twain on your reading list this year?
Project
Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg provides free ebooks (in multiple formats) of noncopyrighted works, including many classic and historical texts.
If you have an iPhone 4S or above, you have one of today’s best AT tools
right in your pocket. Siri is a “personal assistant” that is more than just
Siri
dictation: It lets you use your voice to ask your phone questions or give
commands. You can use it to make calls and set reminders.
Like the sound of Siri, but use an Android, BlackBerry, or Windows Mobile
device? Vlingo is a virtual assistant that uses speech-to-text technology to
Vlingo
help you send messages and find information, and is available free on all
major smartphone and tablet platforms.
A free plugin for Microsoft Word (available only for Windows users) that
WordTalk
will speak the text of any Word document and highlight as it goes.
This article is adapted from the LD Resources Foundation, which assists college students
and adults with LD and ADHD by granting assistive technology awards to meet their
educational and vocational needs.
http://www.ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education/free-assistivetechnology-resources
Assistive Tech Innovations: 14 New Apps & Other
Tools
Here’s the roundup that came from a combined #LDchat/#ATchat hosted by The National
Center for Learning Disabilities
Dragon Dictation: Speech-to-text for a variety of mobile applications (think: messaging,
emailing, blog writing)
1. ModMath: Designed for individuals with dyslexia and dysgraphia for whom the
mechanics of writing math problems causes a barrier. ModMath takes care of the
construction of, for example, the long division problem. After that, solving that problem is
up to you.
2. VoiceDream: Text-to-speech to aid in reading. This app also allows for screen, font and
text size customization and highlighting. It has a built-in dictionary and works with text
from lots of sources (PDF, ebooks, email). If you’ve looked into text-to-speech apps,
you’ll agree that the power of VoiceDream does sound dreamy in comparison.
3. Notability: Takes “handwritten” notes on documents to allow for adding sketches to PDF
or graphics or editing student work (!!). Notability also has an audio recording feature for
auditory learners, photo capability and it coordinates with sharing platforms like Google
Drive and Dropbox. This will be my next download.
4. StoryVisualizer: Creates storybooks for students using their words and images. From
Lego Education.
5. UsTyme: Allows two people to remotely read a story together by coupling FaceTime-like
software with reading. Would be great for traveling parents or faraway relatives. I’m
thinking about using this as a formative assessment to check-in with students who are
using iPads for reading either in the classroom or for homework.
6. DyslexiaQuest: A series of games designed to “assess working memory, phonological
awareness, processing speed, visual memory, auditory memory and sequencing skills.”
Gamers are encouraged to keep practicing to master skills.
7. Read2Go (iOS) or Go Read (Android): Makes books accessible to people with print
disabilities. Developed by Bookshare.
8. Co:Writer: Word prediction software aids writing in real-time or later when editing. Textto-speech feature reads letters, words, sentences, documents, which is great because
not many have this thorough level of read-aloud. Produced by Don Johnston and
features the grammar-smart word prediction that his company is famous for. Opt for the
SOLO Suite and get Co:Writer; Read:Outloud; Write:Outloud and Draft:Builder.
General productivity apps:
1. Corkulous: For everything you’d tack on a corkboard or jot on a sticky note (phone
numbers, reminders, dates, etc.). Sounds like a more practical Pinterest.
2. Voxer: Voice messaging somewhere between walkie-talkie and phone conversation.
Allows users to skip the ringing and the voice mail message and cut straight to leaving a
message/“vox”. Quick & practical.
3. The Little Memory: If Twitter had a journal feature, it’d be The Little Memory. Write short
memories or accounts of your day. I’m thinking this could digitize the exit ticket to save
trees & time.
4. Haiku Deck: Prettier, more powerful slide presentations. At a glance, it seems like a
Prezi contender. (Prezi is awesome!)
5. Finally, Graphite is a site for educators to find and review tech to use in class, including
apps, sites and games. Go there for more. What are your favorite educational apps?
Annie Krut is a special education teacher with more than 10 years’ experience working with
children and their families.
http://ncld.org/students-disabilities/assistive-technology-education/apps-assistivetechnology
Assistive Technology: Checklist of Questions to Ask
Colleges
Are you a college-bound teen who relies on assistive technology (AT) to compensate for
your LD or AD/HD? As you prepare for college, it’s important to know your rights and
responsibilities regarding AT accommodations as a college student. Once on campus, it’ll be
up to you to advocate for your needs and take the initiative to get the AT accommodations
you need to succeed.
Sound overwhelming? Don’t worry! We’ve created a checklist of questions to ask campus
disability services counselors about their school’s AT policies in general, as well as specific
questions about your individual needs. This “AT interview process” may help you choose the
right college and prepare you to hit the ground running once you’re there.
http://ncld.org/learning-disability-resources/checklists-worksheets/assistive-technologychecklist-questions-ask-colleges
Accessibility from a distance in higher education
Today’s digital learning platforms come with varying degrees of accessibility for students
with disabilities
By: Matt Zalaznick
University Business, November 2013
http://www.universitybusiness.com/accessibilitydistance