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Name | Description |
Bookshare | An accessible online library for people with print-based disabilities. Bookshare offers over 204,000 digital books, all available free for K-12, 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. |
Dragon Dictation | A speech-to-text app that allows you to speak and instantly see your email and text messages. Available for free download from the iTunes store for iPad and iPhone devices. |
Firefox with Add-Ons | If you use the web browser Firefox (a free download) you’ll want to check out this set of add-ons that offer features like text-to-speech, dictionaries and more to make your internet browsing easier. |
Gmail | 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 Google Calendar, which allows you to keep track of multiple responsibilities and plan a schedule. |
Google Calendar Reminders App | If organization and scheduling is difficult for you, this is a must-have app. It syncs all of your day’s tasks and to-dos and can send reminders to your phone or tablet. It’s available free for iOS and Android devices. |
Google Drive | Need to easily share and collaborate on documents with a teacher, tutor or 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 | LibriVox is a volunteer-run organization that provides audiobooks of works in the public domain, including works like religious texts and classic literature. |
Project Gutenberg | Got some Charles Dickens or Mark Twain on your reading list this year? Project Gutenberg provides free ebooks (in multiple formats) of non-copyrighted works, including many classic and historical texts. |
Siri | 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 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. |
Vlingo | 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 help you send messages and find information, and is available free on all major smartphone and tablet platforms. |
WordTalk | A free plugin for Microsoft Word (available only for Windows users) that will speak the text of any Word document and highlight as it goes. |
Looking for more free and low-cost technology solutions? Check out these apps for students with dyslexia and reading difficulties, dysgraphia and writing difficulties, dyscalculia and math difficulties, and for help withorganization and study skills.