If it's easier to listen than to read, try...
Kurzweil 3000
Kurzweil 3000 reads articles, books, and other materials out loud--including web pages. It also offers writing features, including word prediction, mind mapping, and outlining.
Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges such as dyslexia, who speak English as a second language, and students who learn best by listening. Students who need help with writing will also find it useful.
How does it work? Watch this reading demo to see Kurzweil 3000 in action. The program also offers very useful writing features; watch this video for details.
What does it cost? There is a free 30-day trial, and after that it is $700 per year.
How can I get it? Many colleges (including at SMCCCD) offer Kurzweil 3000 as an accommodation for their students. Check with your school's resource center.
Read&Write
Read&Write reads text in EPUB books, Microsoft Word files, PDFs, websites, and Google Docs. It also offers writing tools such as outlines and word prediction.
Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges such as dyslexia, who speak English as a second language, and students who learn best by listening. Students who need help with writing will also find it useful.
How does it work? It comes in Windows, Mac, and Chrome Extension versions. Watch this demo of the Chrome version to see the tool in action. You may download the extension from the Chrome Web Store.
What does it cost? The premium version is $145 per year. There is a free 30-day trial (with writing and other features); after that, you can continue using the basic reading features for free.
How can I get it? You can download Read&Write from TextHelp.
NaturalReader
This text-to-speech reader is easy to use. A basic free version reads text in most file formats and has a "floating bar" that reads text on webpages; premium versions let you create audio files from text, type with word prediction, and more. It's available on the Web and as Windows and Mac downloads.
Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges (like dyslexia), who speak English as a second language, who learn best by listening, and who need help focusing on what they are reading.
How does it work? Go to the NaturalReader Online webpage, or launch the desktop software, then copy in text or upload a file; the Play button and other controls are at the top of the screen. Go to the NaturalReader website. and scroll down the page to watch how-to videos. There is also a browser extension for Google Chrome.
What does it cost? The basic versions are free. NaturalReader for Windows and the Mac has premium versions that start at $99.50 (a one-time cost); NaturalReader Online's premium accounts start at $10 per month.
How can I get it? Go to NaturalReader Online to use the Web version, or download Windows or Mac software from the NaturalReader website.
ClaroPDF
ClaroPDF is a text-to-speech app that runs on Apple iPhones and iPads, Android phones and tablets, and Windows PCs.
Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges such as dyslexia, who speak English as a second language, and students who learn best by listening.
How does it work? Download the free app to your smartphone or your Windows computer, launch it, and then open a PDF within the program. This free version of ClaroPDF reads text within any PDF, highlighting the text as it reads.
What does it cost? The ClaroPDF apps and Windows software are free. Note that there is a $10 version of the iOS app (ClaroPDF Pro) that lets you annotate PDFs and save the files.
How can I get it? Search for "ClaroPDF" (free version) or "ClaroPDF Pro" (premium version) on the Apple App Store, or download the free Android version from Google Play. Go to the Claro website for the Windows download.
Speechify
Speechify is a text-to-speech app that runs on Apple iPhones, iPads, and Macbooks (there is also a Chrome extension). The Mac/iOS versions are more versatile than the Chrome options (which reads only text selected in the Web browser).
Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges such as dyslexia, who speak English as a second language, and students who learn best by listening.
How does it work? Download the free app to an iPhone or Macbook, then use your cursor to select text in any program. Speechify reads the text at any rate you prefer and displays each word as it is read out loud. Several high-quality voices are available. If you pay $8 per month for Speechify Pro, you get two important features: you can scan any physical document with text and then have the program read it to you, and you can create "audiobooks" that you can listen to on your iPhone. The free Chrome extension reads text that you select on webpages.
What does it cost? The Speechify Mac/iOS apps and Chrome version are free; Speechify Pro (for Mac/iOS only) is $8 per month.
How can I get it? Go to the company's website for the iPhone/Mac versions; download the browser extension from the Chrome Web Store.
C-Pen Reader
Use this hand-held device to scan printed text and have it read to you. The scanned text can be uploaded to a computer. The C-Pen also includes a built-in dictionary and translation features.
Who should use this? Students who have reading challenges such as dyslexia, who speak English as a second language, and students who learn best by listening.
How does it work? Turn it on and move the pen across printed text. Watch a demo for details on what it can do.
What does it cost? The C-Pen costs $250--but there's a free 30-day trial so you can decide if it works for you.
How can I get it? You can order the C-Pen from the ScanningPens website.
Mobile Scanning Apps: Prizmo Go, Text Fairy
These free mobile apps let you take a picture of any text (a label, say, or a sign), then they read the text out loud to you.
iOS (iPhone, iPad) - Prizmo Go: Download Prizmo Go from the Apple App Store.
Google Play - Text Fairy: Download Text Fairy from Google Play.