Assistive Tech Instructions and Resources

Reading and Text-to-Speech

Kurzweil 3000 Instructions:

• K3000 WebAccess UL (PDF)-no download required and access e-text from Universal Library.

• Using Kurzweil 3000 for Web Browser  Getting Started 2022  and Kurzweil 3000 for Web Browser Full Guide 2021

• Kurzweil 3000 v. 22  (or later) Windows Download and Basic Instructions (PDF) - Instructions for downloading full version and accessing e-text from Universal Library.  As of 9/2022, v. 22 is available. Use linked directions but click on v. 22.

• K3000 Read the Web extension for Google Chrome (PDF) 

• Universal Library File Upload Utility--upload your course materials and textbooks to Kurzweil's Universal Library. Upload Utility Instructions

• Kurzweil Automater Tool and Kurzweil Automater Tool Instructions

• Create an Audio File using the Downloaded Version of K3000

• Kurzweil Training Videos

• Link to download Kurzweil 3000 and Additional Voices

• Kurzweil and Safari fix (or use Google Chrome instead of Safari)

• Access to content for use with Kurzweil--Please contact the LAP  or check out Kurzweil's digital text and ebook site

Other Text-to-Speech Options:

• Scan and read aloud on your iPhone--Using the Notes app and built-in TTS scan and read aloud.

• Balabolka for Windows (PDF)

• Voice Dream for Apple Devices (PDF)

• Speak  Selection and Speak Screen TTS for Apple Devices (PDF)

• EZ PDF Reader for Android devices (PDF)

• Google Chrome Extensions (PDF)

• Google Docs TTS

• Microsoft Word 365 Speak (PDF)

• Office 365 Immersive Reader and other Learning Tools or IR in Chrome and Office 365

• Immersive Reader in Canvas

• Immersive Reader Chrome Extension: Add to Chrome, select text to read, right click,  and then click "Help me read this".

• Immersive Reader for Chrome, Canvas and Word (PDF)

• Mac Speak Selection

• Equatio Math to Speech and Equatio Free vs Premium

Alternative Textbook Providers/Organizations:

• Bookshare--An accessible online library for students with print disabilities. Check out the different options for listening to your Bookshare textbooks.

• Learning Ally--Accessible textbooks for students with print disabilities. Check out the different options for listening to your Learning Ally textbooks.

Other Reading Options:

• Rewordify-Simplify what you read.

Photophobia and Contrast Sensitivity

• Color Changer Chrome Extension-change online background, text and link colors.

• Beeline Reader Chrome Extension--uses a color gradient to guide your eyes from the end of one line to the beginning of the next.

• Adobe Reader--Change the background color in PDFs.

• Immersive Reader--Change background color, spacing, font style and size. Available in Canvas, as a Chrome Ext,and in Office 365.

• Kurzweil 3000--Change the background color of textbooks.

• Print on colored paper.

• Colored Overlays

• Tinted glasses

• Change the font size on screen and on paper

• Word--Change font size, style and background color 

• Dyslexia Accessible fonts: Use sans serif fonts, such as Arial and Comic Sans. Alternatives include Verdana, Tahoma, Century Gothic, Trebuchet, Calibri, Open Sans. Font size should be 12-14 point or equivalent (e.g. 1-1.2em / 16-19 px). Dyslexiefont.com and Opendyslexic.org are also good options.

• Generally accessible fonts--Arial, Calibri, Century Gothic, Helvetica,Tahoma, Verdana

Math

• ModMath helps with the placement of numbers and completing equations, available only on iOS. Meant specifically for dyslexia/dyscalculia.

• Mathpix helps with converting equations into other formats like Word and LaTeX. Works with handwritten or image equations. 

• CARS

• Equatio Math to Speech and Equatio Free vs Premium

  • Equatio Prediction Items

  • Equatio Speech Input Commands

• GeoGebra-(free, open source, works on multiple platforms), allows the student to create fairly complex precise diagrams using imprecise mouse movement, or stylus movement on a touchscreen, then export those diagrams to another document.  Free GeoGebra Calculator on this page (click the purple "Start Calculator") and check out this GeoGebra video. 

• Voice in Voice Extension for Chrome--With the free version it allows voice input into Sheets and the pro version allows voice entry into websites such as Desmos. 

• MS Dictation Tool

• Math Dictation for OneNote and PowerPoint

• Write an equation in Word https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/video-insert-equations-a12336a4-d56d-4260-b827-88a715385320 

• OneNote, Microsoft Edge and Math Solver app Video

• MathPix Snip - offers a quick method to convert scanned math into editable math:  https://youtu.be/ejkoHmI6xew

• Math Equation Editor

• Math Type

• Desmos

• Accessible Equation Editor

• Pearson Online Calculator

• Talking Calculators

• Other math input methods that can help reduce typing include a math screenshot reader (capture entire equation online, OCR them, then paste into Equatio or Google Workspace) and Equatio Mobile (capture image of equations, etc. with phone, transfer to Google Workspace or MS Word).  Equatio also include a LaTeX editor, if the student knows LaTeX.  Check out  Texthelp's Equatio Academy for more, especially the  Feature Tour.

• GraphNCalc83 GraphNCalc83 offers a familiar calculator keyboard, arrow keys, and functions are enhanced with full touch input for all graphs, editors, and menus. 

• MathTalk, Scientific Notebook and Dragon--Mathtalk company closed.

Chemistry

• LaTeX chemfig shapes could be used to represent Molecular Patters.

•  LaTeX Chemical Graphics explains some of processes.

•  a CTAN LaTeX programs

•  Chemical Representations on Computer: Part III

•  Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities: A Manual For High Schools, Colleges, and Graduate Programs - Edition 4.1

•  Smarts - A language for describing Molecular Patterns.

•  Accessibility in the Laboratory

•  Accessible Periodic Table of Elements with Chemical Group Block

•  Audio Accessible Periodic Table

•  My Experiences as a Blind Chemistry Student

•  Creating an Adaptive Technology Using a Cheminformatics System

• Can Chemistry be taught to students with disabilities?

Writing 

• Inspiration is mind mapping software and offers a free 30-day trial and an Inspiration tutorial.

• The Writing Process

• Writing and Anxiety

Speech to Text (Voice Recognition)

Free or Built-in Voice Recognition

• Google Voice Typing for Google Docs (PDF) (As of 10/23 this is not working well)

• Office 365 Dictate and Common Commands Speech Recognition or Dictate Commands for Office 365

• Microsoft Speech Recognition

• Siri Voice Commands for Apple

• Mac Dictation 

  • Mac Commands

• Equatio with Google Docs and  Equatio Free vs. Premium and Dictating Using Equatio and Equatio Speech Commands Example of using Equatio

• Dictating math using Talon

Dictating into Canvas and Online

• Enable Touch Keyboard and tap microphone on Touch Keyboard to dictate into Canvas. 

• Enable Touch Keyboard in Windows 11 and in Windows 10 Enable and Use Touch Keyboard.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Voice Recognition:

• • Nuance Dragon V. 13 user guide (PDF)

  • Dragon Getting Started

  • Dragon Commands 

  • Nuance PowerMic 3 for Dragon-Dictates documents and controls your PC

Note-Taking Technology

Apps

Voice Memo Recording app for IOS devices and Voice Memo Instructions (PDF)

Recorder Recording app for Androids

Otter Records and transcribes. Using Otter as a study tool (video).

Notability Note-taking synced with recording for IOS and OS

Audio Note Note-taking synced with recordings for Window, Mac, IOS and Android

GoodNotes Training Video Note-taking and recording but doesn't appear to sync. Windos, IOS, and Android.

Note Taking Express Detailed Youtube and Note Taking Express User Guide

OneNote Recording audio via PowerPoint After clicking Record, highlight info as instructor lectures.

Notedly  Upload reading and watch notes magically appear

Collanote: Similar to Notability but free

RocketBook

Lots of other options, ie. Evernote, OneNote, etc.

LiveScribe Echo

• Echo Pen 1 & 2 Instructions (PDF)

• Echo Pen 1  Instructions (PDF) 

• Echo Pen 2 Youtube

• Echo Pen Ink and Notebook Purchasing (PDF)

• Echo Pen Website 

• Echo Pen User Guide (PDF)

• Echo Desktop User Guide (PDF)

• Cal Poly's Echo Training Resources

• Echo vs LiveScribe 3

• Echo Pen Training Youtubes:

  • SF State Getting Started with your Echo Pen

  • SF State Taking Notes with your Echo Pen

  • Echo Pen Video,

  • CNET Echo Video

Other Tools and Apps

• Apple Pen Instructions

Study Skills and Other Technology

Quizlet: Finding Study Sets/Flashcards

Parts of Speech Highlighter This is a syntax highlighter for English. You may also want to try Rewordify or the Immersive Reader in Canvas, Microsoft Word, Outlook and OneNote.

Tech for Students who are Blind or Low Vision

Screen Readers

VoiceOver for Macs and IOS Devices

VoiceOver Commands and Gestures

First level VoiceOver commands 

2nd level VoiceOver commands

3rd level VoiceOver commands

4th level VoiceOver commands

Mac For the Blind

AppleVis

Note-Taking

NVDA Quick Notetaker

Magnification

Optelec Clearview Magnifier with Speech Video  an Optelec Training Manual

Onyx Deskset HD Portable Video Magnifier for Distance

Windows Magnifier and Change Size of Text in Windows

Windows Keyboard Shortcuts for Accessibility and Screen Brightness

Mac Zoom

Zoomtext

Magnification, Talking and/or Graphing Calculators

Scientific Calculator with Speech

• Sciplus 2300 Scientific Calculator without Speech User Guide (PDF)

• Sciplus 2300  LV Scientific Calculator with Speech User Guide (PDF) (Not available for loan)

• SciPlus 2500 Graphing Scientific Calculator (PDF)

Talking Graphing Calculator

• Ti-84 Plus Guide  and Ti-84 Video

• Ti-84 Plus Speech Options Video

Calculator Software

• Audio Graphing Software

Quick Graph App

• Quick Graph Manual

Hands-free Mousing

• Smyle Mouse, Assyst Mouse, and GlassOuse

Two-Factor Authenification Keys

• Yubikey

Textbook Reading

• Easy Reader

• Apple Books with a screen reader

• pdf  with a screen reader

• Learning Ally

• BookShare

• Kurzweil 3000

OCR Options:

• Copyfish chrome extension

• Open pdf in browser

• Open pdf in Acrobat and Edit.

• Ocr in Google Drive

• One note then immersive reader

• Text grabber app - TextGrabber app:

• Sensus access for demo purposes or Instituions and RoboBraille for individuals

• Easy OCR

• Convert to text and interact with content via Chatgpt

• Morphic Reader

• HelperBird

Other Instructions:

Misc.:

Adobe Scan IOS Adobe Scan App Instructions for uploading to Email or Canvas (PDF) and Adobe Scan/Canvas Tutorial Video

Weston's Adobe Scan IOS and Adobe Scan Android

ClassCalc Quick Start 

Keyboard shortcuts for registering and searching for classes in the portal (Banner 9)

Office 365 Accessibility Features and Office 365 Youtube

Windows Accessibility

Mac Accessibility Features

Apple IOS Accessibility Features

Chrome and Chrome OS Accessibility YouTubes

Voice to Text on ChromeBooks

Useful Google Chome Extensions Instructions (PDF)

• Select and Speak, Read Aloud, Kurzweil Read the Web, Mercury Reader and Read & Write

• Grammarly and Google Dictionary

• Beeline Reader and Fokus

• EquatIO

Google Drive

PDF and Word Versions for Printing

Apple Configurator 2 Set-up Videos

IPad

Zagg Keyboard Instructions (PDF)

Pairing Zagg Keyboard with iPad

How do I check the 2 year battery for the Zagg  Keyboard?

Zagg Keyboard Special Function Keys

Apple Pencil 15 seconds of charging equals 30 minutes (12 hour battery life)

Screen Recording