Disclaimer: These following tools are third-party applications and are not officially supported or endorsed by Penn College. These instructions are intended to assist those users who choose to use these tools. Account management and troubleshooting must be sought through the respective websites and support services.
Overview
Free software accessibility tools can play a crucial role in enhancing inclusiveness in educational environments at colleges and universities. By providing this list of free or limited cost tools, we hope to ensure that students with diverse needs, including those with disabilities, have equitable access to learning resources. The following list has several tools that may help to empower students with the ability to navigate digital content in a more seamless manner. Each tool will have a short description of what it does, along with links to a download page and documentation.
Reading
- Natural Reader: Natural Reader converts text, PDF, and 20+ formats into spoken audio so you can listen to your documents, eBooks, and school materials anytime, anywhere.
- Ibooks: Have your book read to you.
- Microsoft Immersive Reader: Read aloud tool that allows you to listen to written text in Microsoft’s Edge web browser, OneNote, Word, Outlook, Forms, Teams, and more.
- Office Lens: While a separate app, it integrates with Office 365 and acts as a scanner for documents, whiteboards, and business cards. It provides features that assist users with visual impairments by converting images to text and making them more readable.
- ChromeVox: This is a screen reader built into Google Chrome, providing spoken feedback for Chrome users. It is available as an extension.
- TalkBack: This is an Android screen reader designed for individuals with visual impairments. It provides spoken feedback and navigation for mobile devices.
Vision
- Seeing AI: Designed with and for the blind and low vision community, this ongoing research project harnesses the power of AI to open up the visual world. Seeing AI assists with daily tasks from reading, to describing photos, to identifying products, and more.
- Color Control: Built into Windows to adapt color contrast of your screen to view digital content.
- Narrator: This is a built-in screen reader in Windows that offers navigation and spoken feedback for users with visual impairments. It is deeply integrated with Office 365 applications.
- NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access): This is a free, open-source screen reader for Windows, offering support for Braille displays and speech output for blind and visually impaired users.
- Magnifier: Windows Magnifier is a built-in tool that enlarges the screen content for users with low vision. It is compatible with Office 365 applications.
- VoiceOver: This is an integrated screen reader available on Apple devices, including Mac, iPhone, and iPad, providing spoken and Braille descriptions of items on the screen.
Auditory
Writing
- Google Docs-Voice Type: feature allows for you to use your voice to type written responses. A microphone is needed for this tool.
- Grammarly: A writing assistant that helps with grammar and getting your written points across in a concise manner. Knowledge Base Article
- Microsoft Word-Dictation: Allows you to use your voice to type written responses. A microphone is needed for this tool.
- Balabolka: Free text-to-speech application that can save the synchronized text with the audio files so that when an audio file is played, the text is displayed synchronously (like lyrics for songs)
- Central Access Reader: Free open-source text-to-speech application for Windows or Mac operating systems. This option is great because it can open Word documents that have math in them and read it aloud correctly. It can also be used as a general copy-and-paste reading utility and has nice color contrast, magnification, and other features.