Organizational Tools

Low tech tools

AT for executive functioning deficits (includes higher tech options as well)

specialized pens / pencils / crayons / markers / grips
specialized erasers, correction tapes
Raised line paper, grid paper, colored paper
highlighters, highlighter tapes
color coding
Post-It notes, flags, arrows
colored filters, page overlays (clear acetate sheets)
NCR paper
reading / writing guides
Slanted surfaces, Dycem, copy holder
white board, markers, crayons
Magnetic letters, tactile letters
magnifiers
rubber stamps, labels
specialized measuring and cutting tools
Graphic organizers (printable)

Mid tech tools

Location reminders (reminders that get activated when arriving at a certain location):

Apple Reminders (iOS, syncs with web app, free) comes pre-installed on your iOS device. For each reminder you can choose “Remind me at a location” and whether you want to be reminded when you arrive or when you leave. You can also adjust the radius of the location. On the map that appears, you can expand (or condense) a circle around the location so the reminder is triggered before you actually get there. (The radius is measured in feet to accommodate walkers and drivers so it’s good to know there are 5,280 feet in a mile.) From the web app, you can also share a complete Reminders list with your family or anyone who has an iCloud account so the location-based alerts are also shared. They’ll need to have an Apple mobile device to get the alert, however.

Google Keep (Android and iOS, syncs with web app, free) is a simple note-taking app with a dashboard appearance and location-based option for each note. Just tap the “Remind me” link, then choose “Pick place” and enter an address or name to search. While there’s no radius feature and Keep can only remind you when you’re arriving at a location, not leaving, sharing is super easy. You can share notes and their location-based reminders with anyone who has a Google Gmail account.

Any.do Premium (Android and iOS, syncs with web app, starts at $4.99/month for Premium) is a popular app that’s more of a life-planning app than the free apps above. It requires a premium (pay) subscription to get location-based reminders, but along with that you get sharing and the ability to upload an unlimited number of videos, PDFs and audio recordings. Those can come in handy when you want to include extra details with the reminders. AI support.

Todoist Premium (Android, iOS, syncs with web app, $4/month for Premium) is a robust productivity app with location-based reminders included in the Premium version. You can set reminders for both arriving or leaving a location and share reminders with collaborators. Todoist for Business (at the same price as Premium) takes the app to the project-management level — managing project tasks with location-based reminders is included. AI support.

Other Reminder apps/ tools (see more below)

MyStudyLife (Free, iOS, Android, Online) Create an account to keep track of your school work, assignments, course, schedule and exams, use the dashboard to schedule all your school related work, cross platform allows for access to your organizer wherever, whenever, set Reminders to help ensure all your work is done on time.

Tile (about $25/tile, less if buying multipacks- standalone device with app compatability for iOS/ Android) Small device that can be attached to items that are easily lost. If you misplace your item, use the app to help you track the item down, Tile will ring you to guide you to its location. If tile is out of range, the app will guide you to its last known location.

Priority Matrix (Free – basic; Pro App: $10/month; Windows, Mac, iOS, Android) Simple interface task management app using methods of time management to help manage priorities. Divide your tasks into one of four categories: Critical – Do Now; Critical but Not Urgent; Urgent but Can Be Delegated; Uncategorized. App includes visual icons, email reports, master list of daily or weekly action items and more. Ability to sync between devices and track your progress.

RemindMe Chrome Extension- free. Set reminders of tasks while your browse the internet, use it to remind you of job tasks, meetings, online projects or tasks, sync the reminders with multiple computers so you get reminders at home, school or work, set reminders of “in” so long or “on” a certain time.

Tools to prevent "wasting time" on non-productive websites/apps:

Leechblock for Firefox (add-on), free. You can specify up to six sets of sites to block, with different times and days for each set. You can block sites within fixed time periods (e.g., between 9am and 5pm), after a time limit (e.g., 10 minutes in every hour), or with a combination of time periods and time limit (e.g., 10 minutes in every hour between 9am and 5pm). You can also set a password for access to the extension options.

Brili- real time activity guidance and visual schedule/time management tool. Free trial, then $50/yr, app for Android or iOS.

Cold turkey- Block distracting websites, set the websites you want blocked and for how long and go “cold turkey” from them, if the timer is still going, you won’t be able to access your blocked websites. Pro version provides blocking of Applications, White Listing, Break Intervals, and Frozen Turkey features. $39 one-time purchase for Windows , Chrome and Mac

Stay focused- Increase your productivity by limiting the amount of time you spend on websites that waste your time. Pre-program distracting and time wasting websites -when your time limit is up, these sites will be inaccessible for the rest of the day. Free Chrome extension

Site Timer- an extension that keeps track of how much time you spend on each website, then lets you know which ones you use the most and how long you've spent on each one of them. It can show you a quick overview, or you can show a full list of sites you've visited for more than a configurable threshold. Free Chrome extension

Rescue Time Dashboard- Personal-Analytic service to track how you spend your time on your computer, smartphone or tablet. Get a customized report of what sites you visit and what you do on your devices, no manual date-entry, it tracks as you work. Free for OS X, Windows, Linux, Android, ChromeOS $78/yr

Write Room- Full screen, distraction free writing environment, get your computer distractions out of the way with just you, and the text on your computer screen, limits layout ability, including limiting the ability to add graphs, and tables. Auto save and word count are available features. $4.99, Mac

Dark Room- Use this tool to create distraction-free reading by removing visual clutter from web pages. Use the pre-created themes or create your own with color, font and text size. Save your readings to Everyone for later reading or archiving. Free for Windows

Fokus- Chrome or Firefox Add-on- Highlight only the text you want to read while Fokus dims and darkens the rest of your Chrome or Firefox window with an overlay. Highlights the paragraph you’re reading with the ability to change the opacity of the background overlay. Easy to install extension with the ability to turn the feature on or off. Free

Blocksi- free Chrome extension- web and youtube content filtering, app control filter, homework access time control. Combine with Stay focused extension to keep students from disabeling or deleting extension.

ReadyDoDone Timer- this tool shows the passing of time visually via an on-screen color-coded clock. Free Chrome Extension

Printfriendly is a free online tool that converts any website to a printable PDF and allows you to edit (remove pictures or make them smaller, increase text size etc.) This can help remove distractions and gives access to website content without being online if needed.

Working memory supports

Examples of Assistive Technology supports include:

· Graphic organizers and templates for data collection and organizing information

· Embedded prompts for categorizing and systematizing

· Checklists and guides for note-taking

Reclaim.AI- a free tool that works with Google Calendars (has some paid features, but not necessary). Helps students find ideal times for activities (studying/homework etc.) and helps with planning.

MyHomework (Free iOS, Androoid, Windows and Kindle app or Chrome extension) allows you to enter your homework by subject or due date. A good organizational tool for upper elementary or high school students. $4.99/yr for premium features

Corkulous (Mac/iOS) can be used to create to do lists, share information, etc. It is a “corkboard” where a student can map out ideas, brainstorm, and store notes, etc. $1.99/mo, $14.99/yr or $39.99 lifetime

Soundnote($4.99 Mac, IPad, IPhone, and IPod Touch app) syncs audio and notetaking at the same time. It is great for typing notes with the occasional drawing. So if a student is having a hard time keeping up with the notes or has difficulty writing, he/she can write one word, hit audio and listen to the playback of the lecture when he/she taps on that one word later. Most appropriate for high school and university students. There is a good review of Soundnote from Notebooks.com which awarded it iPad App of the Week.

Note Taker HD($4.99 IPad, IPhone, and IPod Touch app) The big key benefit is that it was designed from the beginning to be a written notetaking application. You can write with your finger (or a stylus) in the larger area at the bottom of the screen. You can write in large (and messy) letters, but then see your full page of smaller notes at the top. A student does not have to write neatly or precisely when notetaking but still benefits from a full page of notes. You can also store and organize all your notes in sections to retrieve them later. Some more detailed reviews on Appadvice.com.

Organizing supports

To help students become more plan-full and strategic, we need to put in place cognitive “speed bumps” that prompt them to “stop and think” (Source: UDL Guidelines 1.0). Students need graduated AT scaffolds that will help them implement strategies and make moment-by-moment decisions in line with their goals.

Examples of Assistive Technology supports include:

Embedded prompts to “stop and think” before acting
Checklists and project planning templates for setting up prioritization, sequences and schedules of steps
Embedded coaches or mentors that model think-alouds of a process
Guides for breaking long-term goals into reachable short-term objectives

Digital calendars like Outlook, Google Calendar, Watchminder (a watch that can be programmed to give text or verbal messages to the wearer) are helpful to students with executive function deficits.

Time Timer (free iOS or Android app) is an app based on the visual timer that is commonly used with students in school who need a visual timing system for behavioral intervention or for organization. Students can actually see time passing on the timer and solves the problem for those who ask, “how much time is left?” Useful for elementary students.

Choiceworks (iOS $24.99) app helps provide visual schedules to students. It allows to integrate a countdown between the tasks and allows creation of multiple calendars. Has integrated visuals ti ID feelings, social stories can also be integrated!

Visual Daily Schedule (free with limited features iOS, $49.99/yr or $119.99 lifetime) visual schedule and timer.

Visual Schedule Planner (iOS app, $14.99) Visual Schedule Planner is a completely customizable visual schedule iPad app that is designed to give an individual an audio/visual representation of the “events in their day". In addition, events that require more support can be linked to an “activity schedule” or “video clip” to help model the task even further.

Canva Sticky Notes Jot down your ideas in custom sticky notes online that your teammates can easily see and work off. From brainstorming sessions to design critiques, these handy sticky notes on Canva Whiteboards can make virtual collaborations more fun.

Thinking Time Tracker- Chrome Extension (free): virtual clock to visualize the passing of time (following 360 Thinking training on EF)

Self-Check Behavior Checklist Maker (free website)- creates printable PDF checklists with many suggestions for school routines.

Emojipedia website that creates emojis (visuals) that can be added to folders or notes for students with lower reading abilities (copy/paste)

Magic To-Do Goblin Tools- AI-powered: can help break down tasks into smaller steps, has a tone-detecting tool for emails/letters, and some other fun tools!

Metacognition

Metacognition requires the use of a broad set of skills and there is no one way to teach these skills. To develop important self-evaluation and self-monitoring skills, students require tools and teaching routines that help them self-monitor and opportunities to evaluate and do something with information while they learn.

Examples of Assistive Technology supports include:

Guided questions for self-monitoring
Representations of progress (e.g. before and after photos, graphs and charts showing progress over time)
Templates that guide self-reflection on quality and completeness
Differentiated models of self-assessment strategies.

Assistive technology that lessens the cognitive burden of performing mechanical tasks, along with guided mentorship and informative feedback are needed. For example, text-to-speech programs that support students struggling with decoding free the mind to consider and engage with the meaning of text. Study guides, reading outlines, and rubrics (www.rubistar.4teachers.org) are important. Digital photos and images, video software (www.animoto.com) can be used by students to represent progress, evaluation and analysis.