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Helpful Apps and Software

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app
Name Price Description
Sono Flex Free or for purchase ($99.99) ACC vocabulary app turns symbols into clear speech.  The have a Lite (free) version and a full version ($99.99)
Verbally   Verbally is an easy-to-use, comprehensive Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app for the iPad. Verbally brings speech to those without and enables real conversation with its simple, intuitive design. Just tap in what you want to say and Verbally speaks for you.

 

Concept Mapping
Name Price Description
Mindmaple Free Mind mapping tool
Gliffy Free or for purchase Mind mapping tool
Inspiration Maps Free or for purchase Brainstorm, analyze, take notes, study, etc. Lite version (free) allows you to create up to five diagrams.  Full version ($14.99) is unlimited.
iThoughts iPad - $9.99/iPhone $7.99 Mind mapping tool
Mind Meister Free or for purchase Create and share mind maps (requires free registration)
Mindjeg Free Easily enter ideas, tasks and meeting notes into intuitive visual maps
Popplet Free or for purchase Brainstorming and mind mapping with options for a Lite version (free) which has a limit of one popplet and the full version ($4.99) which is unlimited.
Simple mind $6.99 Mind mapping software with a free version and fully functional version
Total Recall Free Mind mapping software
WordCloud Free Mind mapping tool

 

Math
Name Price Description
Khan Academy Free Video tutorials in math, science, computer programming, history, art, and economics.
Formulus HD for Calculus Free Formulus HD is the perfect study tool. It is a simple, easy to use, easy to navigate collection of the most important formulas and topics for high school and college students taking Calculus and Differential Equations.
Free Graphing Calculator Free or for purchase Graphing Calculator turns your phone or iPod into an intuitive high-resolution function plotter and scientific calculator – There are versions that are free and versions over $10.00.
RealCalc Scientific Calculator Free “For serious computing… a perfect alternative for the calculator-less”
Wolfram Alpha Free or for purchase Computational knowledge engine.

 

Note Taking/Writing Apps
Name Price Description
Evernote Free Helps you remember everything across all of the devices you use – notes, photos, to-do list, and voice reminders.  It’s searchable!
AudioNote Free or for purchase Allows you to record notes and audio synced with note taking app.  The have a lite version (free) which limits to 10 minutes per note and 2 hours total OR a full version).  
Smartpens $99+ Assistive technology device; Livescribe Smartpens allow users to take hand written notes while recording the lecture they are listening to.  Notebooks then sync to Livescribe software or Evernote depending on the smartpen model.  Livescribe Sky pens sync wirelessly and come with an Evernote subscription for the user.
Bamboo Paper Free Basic app for organizing your terms, courses and daily calendar but it also has the additional benefit of note-taking with the app with ability to record audio, insert or take a picture as well as file-share.
inClass Free or for purchase QuickVoice is the most popular, full-featured iPhone/iPad voice recorder available. Record ideas, voice memos, voice email, dictation, lists, meetings, classes, or entire lectures! For professional, educational, and personal use.
Typ-O Free or for purchase Includes word prediction, text-to-speech and corrects most common spelling mistakes. They have a Typ-o Lite version for free, a Typ-o Writing is for Everyone version for $4.99, and the Typ-o HD version for $14.99
Grammarly Free trial; $29.99 monthly Grammar checking software
Write Check Varied pricing-see website Grammar, plagiarism checking
Audio Memos Free   Voice recorder

 

Reading
Name Price Description
Scannable Free App by Evernote that allows users to use their phone or tablet to scan a document or set of notes with their camera and upload and share it to a number of sources.
GoodReader $4.99 Super-robust PDF reader for iPad where you can read virtually anything, anywhere - books, movies, maps, pictures.
iAnnotate $9.99 Read, annotate, and share PDFs
iBooks Free iBooks is an amazing way to download and read books. You can flip through pages, bookmark or add notes to your favorite passages and some have audio visual features
Inkling Free Digital college textbooks. A textbook case of innovation. Inkling brings the world’s best content to iPad with interactivity, social collaboration, and simple ease-of-use. No more heavy, expensive textbooks to carry around campus. Inkling textbooks are more interactive, more flexible and cheaper.
Kindle Free Download articles, books and more.
PDF-Notes Free or for purchase Utilize pdf-notes to manage all the pdf files on your iPad. Fast display, quick page-turning even a thousand pages, useful finger-writing and email your notes to your friends. Easy importing PDF files through (DropBox, Email or Safari’s). Free version has advertisements and paid version does not.

 

Text-to-Speech
Name Price Description
Overdrive Free App and website allows users to view available eBooks and audiobooks from libraries of their choice.
Natural Voice Reader Free Text-to-speech website and software with an OCR (optical character recognition) function.  The website allows users to customize the voice, language, and speed being used.
Read It Free Type text and it will speak back to you.
Speakit! Free Web extension and app that allows users to have their emails, selected text, web articles, and documents read aloud to them.  App will continue working if user navigates away from the app screen.
Speak Text Free or for purchase Text-to-Speech for emails, documents, web pages, PDF files, and more.  You have to paste into Speak it!  Free version speaks / translates a few sentences only and has sponsored ads. They have a variety of versions (e.g. text, office and a combined version).
$9.99 each for text and web, $16.99 each for office and e-book, and a combined version for $19.99
Balabolka Free Text-to-speech software for document conversion.  Allows users to put documents into MP3 files.
Read Write Gold Price Varies Text help software and app that works as a text-to-speech program that provides users with various dictionaries, highlighting features, and fact mappers.
Audible Free Audiobook app by Amazon that allows users to purchase audiobooks and listen to their purchases on various devices.
Natural Reader Free Reads PDF, Word, and text files as well as websites aloud while highlighting the text.  Compatible with Google Drive and DropBox.  Offers customizable features.
inDAISY $19.99 Multimedia talking DAISY book reader that allows users to enjoy different flavors of DAISY 2.02 and DAISY 3 books
Learning Ally $16.99 Gain instant access to Learning Ally’s downloadable DAISY formatted books. Learning Ally members can explore our extensive library of more than 65,000 audiobooks that are designed for people with print and learning disabilities.
Read 2 Me $4.99 Read 2 Me is the FIRST AND ONLY iPhone App that allows full speech synthesis for an entire library of texts. You can even import you own URL based *.txt files straight into your bookshelf to be read aloud!
Read2Go $19.99 From within Read2Go, you can browse, search, download, and read books directly from Bookshare using your Bookshare membership, as well as read DAISY books from other sources.

 

Dictation Apps
Name Price Description
D2u Dictation and Transcription Free The “d2u app” combines a world-class voice recorder with one of the world’s top Transcription Services to provide you with the best dictation and transcription solution available. Record, edit and upload a digital recording then have the file accurately and efficiently transcribed to text anywhere, at any time. All you need is an Internet connection. It’s easy to use, yet safe and secure (128-bit encryption). We are fully data protected and HIPAA Compliant.
Dragon Dictation Free Dragon Dictation is an easy-to-use voice recognition application powered by Dragon® NaturallySpeaking® that allows you to easily speak and instantly see your text or email messages.
QuickVoice Free or for purchase QuickVoice is the most popular, full-featured iPhone/iPad voice recorder available. Record ideas, voice memos, voice email, dictation, lists, meetings, classes, or entire lectures! For professional, educational, and personal use.

 

Study Skills
Name Price Des
Rescue Time Free Time management software.  Program runs in the background of your computer and tracks the time spent on various applications and websites, breaking down how much time is spent doing what throughout your day.  This software allows the user to block websites for a desired amount of time, and alerts users when they’ve spent over a set amount of time on one task.
SelfControl Free Software that allows the user to block access to distracting websites and webmail.  All “blacklisted sites will be blocked for the designated amount of time; even if the users restart their devices.
Timers Use these to break up long study sessions and to focus/avoid distractions.
StudyBlue Free StudyBlue is an online library of study materials generated by over 250 million users.
Quizlet Free Flashcard app that allows users to select various study sets and create their own flashcard sets.

 

Time Management/Organization
Name Price Description
iStudiez $10.00 Allows users to combine schedules, homework, and grades to provide an interactive visual representation of their workload in each of their courses.
Things $10.00 Task manager app that allows the user to create various To-Do lists for all aspects of their life, with color coding.
Easilydo Free Easilydo syncs the user’s email with the Easily do app to create To-Do lists. Syncing with email allows users to share upcoming travel information and receive bill reminders.
Conqu Free To-Do list app with delegation among Conqu users, filters, and overdue items feature providing important reminders and task organization by level of importance.
Wunderlist Free Create, share view, or publish lists and view public lists.
Awesome Note $3.99 Allows users to combine their notes with To-Do lists, keeping all of their information in one place.  Allows note sharing and photo, location, and URL tags.
myHomework Keep track of your homework, classes, projects and tests.
Schedule Planner HD Free  
TextMinder $1.99 TextMinder allows you to schedule SMS text reminders to be sent to you at the times you specify, repeating as often as you choose. Remind yourself of your medication, homework assignment, class, meeting, etc.

 

And there are so many more
Name Price Description
Dictionary.com Free Free version with advertisements or $4.99 no advertisements
iElements Free View periodic table online
Molecules Free Three dimensional models of molecules
Pandora or Spotify Free or for purchase Music for background noise
Alarmy/Sleep If U Can $1.99 Sleep, relaxation and mental health wellness
Calm.com Free Relaxation/meditation walk-throughs
Coffitivity.com   Website for white noise
Noisili.com   Website for white noise
Asoftmumur.com   Website for white noise
Sleep Pillow Free Application for white noise
Sworkit Free Exercise app that allows you to select workouts in 5 minute increments focused on strength, cardio, and yoga.
MyFitnessPal Free Track nutrition, fitness, and weight maintenance/loss goals
Charity Miles Free “Earn” $.25 as this app tracks your walk, run, or bike ride for a charity of choice.
Mint.com Free Helps keep records of finances and spending.
Unstuck Free “Need some motivation help?”

 

(Information has been provided by Deanna L. Arbuckle from the University of Dayton via a presentation at the 2012 AHEAD Conference and Kimberly Doan and Brianna Goacoppe from the Student Accessibility Services Department at Tufts University via a presentation at the 2015 PTI Conference.)

Disclaimer: Prices and information subject to change.