Students with ADHD and learning disabilities may benefit significantly from assistive technology like the following apps, browser extensions, and tools.
Assistive Technology for Dyscalculia
EquatIO
iOS, Windows; Free for teachers, other prices vary depending on license
www.texthelp.com
EquatIO helps students more easily write math expressions, without getting bogged down in all those parentheses and square roots.
- Dictate, type, or hand write math equations to have them automatically uploaded to a Google Doc or other document
- The software understands what is being typed or handwritten, and turns those expressions into clear, accurate on-screen formulas
Assistive Technology for Dyspraxia
Bookshare
iOS, Windows, Google Chrome; Free
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/
Booshare offers texts in a variety of formats to benefit different learning styles and disabilities.
- The customized reading experiences include audiobooks, audio with highlighted texts, braille, large font, and more
- It also includes bookmarking and study tools, as well as partner apps for students
Seeing AI
iOS, Free
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/seeing-ai
Seeing AI is a mobile tool designed for the low-vision community that also helps students who struggle with reading, writing, and motor skills.
- Point your phone at text — handwritten or typed — and Seeing AI will read those words out loud
- The app recognizes friends and people around you, as well as their emotions
Assistive Technology for Dysgraphia
Read & Write for Google
Google Chrome; Free for teachers, subscription service for students
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/readwrite-for-google-chro/
Read & Write for Google is a Chrome extension that makes documents, web pages, and common file types more accessible for students with different learning abilities.
- Words or passages can be read out loud using the text-to-speech feature
- Text and pictures come with dictionaries
- Word-prediction tool suggests phrases as you type
- Dictate words and they appear on screen, eliminating handwriting
- Type directly on PDFs
- The Audio Maker feature allows teachers to create MP3 files of texts that students can listen to
Livescribe
Prices vary depending on product
www.livescribe.com
Livescribe smartpens simplify writing and note-taking for students who struggle with handwriting on paper.
- Digitize handwriting using a Livescribe “smart pen”
- Use the pen to record audio along with notes
- Share notes easily and immediately
Audio Notetaker from Sonocent
iOS, Windows, Android; prices vary depending on plan
https://sonocent.com/audio-notetaker/
Audio Notetaker is desktop software with a companion app that helps students take notes, write essays, compile research, and brainstorm.
- Capture audio, text, and slides in one place
- Organize and categorize note sets
- Augment notes with drawings, diagrams, and graphs
Assistive Technology for Dyslexia
Demo DocsPlus
iOS, Windows; prices vary depending on license
www.cricksoft.com/us/docsplus
DocsPlus is software designed to help middle- and high-school students organize, write, and review long assignments, and also comprehend dense texts.
- “Learning grids feature” allows teachers, students, and parents to download word walls on specific topics
- Speech feedback helps to identify mistakes
- Graphic organizers aid brainstorming
ThoughtQ
Google Chrome; prices vary depending on device
www.quillsoft.ca/thoughtq
ThoughtQ is a Chrome extension that provides “thought trigger” words and phrases based on a user’s Google searches to help them find additional information that is compatible with reading and academic level.
- Users may import words and phrases to improve the tool’s word prediction
- Definition lookup feature defines words in the context of any web page
- Speech feedback helps teach pronunciation.
Mindomo
iOS, Android, Windows; Free, upgrades available for purchase
www.mindomo.com
Mindomo is mind-mapping software that allows students to create collaborative concept maps, outlines, and charts that simplify project planning.
- Progress from outline to graphical mind map with one click, simplifying the outlining process for students who struggle to organize and rearrange their ideas
- Students may embed videos and graphics in their mind maps
- Includes templates for different types of writings, like a persuasive essay
Excerpted from “18 Assistive Technology Apps and Extensions for Struggling Students” in ADDitude Magazine. Read the article on the ADDitude website for the complete list of resources.
Source: ADDitude Magazine | 18 Assistive Technology Apps and Extensions for Struggling Students, https://www.additudemag.com/assistive-technology-for-students | Copyright © 1998 – 2023 WebMD LLC. Last updated September 2022. Retrieved January 2023.
