Assistive Technology

A visual organiser for scheduling and organising tasks of varying complexity. Synchs with applications such as Gmail.

Microsoft To Do is a task management app to help you stay organised and manage your day-to-day tasks.

• Smart Daily Planner: Set yourself up for success with My Day, intelligent and personalised suggestions to update your daily or weekly to do list. 
• Manage your to do list online: Access your task list and stay organised.
• Sharing made easy: Sharing an online to do list can help keep you connected with friends, family and colleagues.
• Make managing tasks easier: Break tasks down into simple steps, add due dates, and set reminders for your daily checklist to keep you on track.

This software keeps track of how much time you spend on websites and different software applications. It aims to assist in understanding daily habits and assist in planning for more focused work habits.

This clock allows you to set a specified timeframe to do a task. You can see the remaining time that you have left by viewing a shrinking red disc on the clock face.

The WatchMinder is a simple wristwatch that can easily be programmed to set up discreet vibrating reminders throughout one’s day. WatchMinder was designed to aid children and adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) and others with special needs in staying focused, managing their time, and modifying their thoughts and behaviors.

There are a range of apps which can be used on smartphones to control various programs on a computer. For example a student could control a video or audio playback from their computer, while laying down and using their smartphone.

Take notes with recorded audio. AudioNote combines the functionality of note-taking and voice recording apps to create a powerful tool that will save you time while improving the quality of your notes.

Sonocent Audio Notetaker is an application for Windows or Mac that allows you to create documents which include audio, text and images.  The software can be used to create lecture notes by recording onto a laptop, then key information can be highlighted and the lecture slides can be incorporated. In 2021 Sonocent officially became Glean.  Sonocent Audio Notetaker will continue to be supported until 2025, 

The Pulse Smartpen from LiveScribe is a computer within a pen that captures handwriting and simultaneously records audio and synchronises it to the writing. Users can simply tap on their notes to replay what was recorded from the exact moment they were writing, so they never miss a word they hear, write, or speak.

Natural Reader offers a free professional basic text to speech program that converts any written text into spoken words.It provides Text-to-Speech for at home, work, or on the go and you can upload text and documents or convert to mp3 to listen to anywhere anytime. The paid version of Natural Reader has many more features.

Acrobat Reader provides several preferences that make the reading of PDFs more accessible for visually impaired and motion-impaired users. These preferences control how PDFs appear on the screen and read by a screen reader.

Most preferences related to accessibility are available through the Accessibility Setup Assistant, which provides onscreen instructions for setting these preferences. Some preferences that affect accessibility aren’t available through the Accessibility Setup Assistant including preferences in the Reading, Forms, and Multimedia categories. You can set all preferences in the Preferences dialog box.

Speak is a built-in feature of Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote. You can use Speak to have text read aloud in the language of your version of Office.

Text-to-speech (TTS) is the ability of your computer to play back written text as spoken words. Depending upon your configuration and installed TTS engines, you can hear most text that appears on your screen in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote. For example, if you're using the English version of Office, the English TTS engine is automatically installed. 

For android smartphone users, Text Fairy will OCR photographed text and the built in text-to-speech capability of android phones (go to accessibility settings) allows text-to-speech to read the text aloud.

Being able to take a photo of a page of text, OCR it and have it read back is very useful when coming across hardcopy in a classroom, library or work placement. For iPhone or iPad users Prizmo does just this.

ClaroRead for Windows PC supports reading and writing. ClaroRead is a simple, easy-to-use and flexible software program that helps you to read, write, study, and increases your confidence. You can read any on-screen text out loud and improve your writing in Microsoft Word. ClaroRead Plus and Pro also lets you read aloud scanned paper books and documents with complete clarity.

TextHelp's Read&Write is an easy-to-use toolbar containing support tools to make reading, writing and research easier for you. The software was designed to address some of the issues that people with dyslexia face daily, namely reading difficulties, writing difficulties, problems with spelling and general literacy support. Read&Write is also a popular solution for exam access arrangements, as it can be used as a computer reader.

Kurzweil products are for individuals with learning difficulties (Kurzweil 3000) and for those who are blind (Kurzweil 1000).

NextUp Technologies specialise in Text to Speech software that helps people all over the world enhance productivity for learning or personal reading enjoyment. Their mission is to bring cutting edge voices to your desktop in products that are consistently effective, reliable and cost-competitive. TextAloud 4 converts text from documents, webpages, PDF files and more into natural-sounding speech.

Rationale is an argument mapping software used to develop critical thinking and for structuring argumentative style essays. 

ConceptDraw is a tool that creates colourful diagrams that help you organise your work projects and personal ideas. ConceptDraw MINDMAP supports numerous map inputs, including Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Project, EverNote and Outlook

Sometimes referred to as a brainstorm or spider diagram, a Mind Map is a visual thinking tool used to capture information and ideas. Mind Maps have been proven to boost productivity, creativity and memory. A Mind Map begins with a Central Idea (the topic to be explored) and branches out into Key Themes and further development of ideas that radiate from the center out.

Previously iMindMap. Ayoa is next-generation mind mapping brought to you by Chris Griffiths who developed iMindMap in conjunction with Tony Buzan (2005 -2019), the inventor of Mind Mapping.

XMind is a mind mapping software that offers a free version as well as a professional version. The free version of this software offers basic mind mapping functionality that may suit the needs of some students. The non-linear manner of mind map and Xmind's intuitive features give everyone the ability to spark creativity and create mind maps for just about anything.

Nuance is a supplier of Dragon Naturally Speaking.  Dragon is the leading voice recognition/dictation software. Specialised versions are available that will recognise legal terminology and medical terminology. Student discounts are available for some versions.

The product “Dragon Anywhere” is a smartphone app version of the product designed for dictating notes and thoughts so providing a mobile means of voice dictation.

Microsoft Windows provides a range of inbuilt features that may benefit people with various disabilities.  In the attached document you will find a list of tools and a brief explanation of how to access them. (August 2019)

Macintosh computers provide a range of inbuilt features that may benefit people with various disabilities.  In the attached document you will find a list of tools and a brief explanation of how to access them. (November 2019)

iPhones and iPads have a range of inbuilt features that may benefit people with various disabilities.  In this document you will find a list of tools and a brief explanation of how to access them. (August 2019)

The Human Rights and Technology Project Final Report is the culmination of a three-year national investigation into human rights risks posed by new and emerging technologies undertaken by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

“Improving vision impaired student’s access to graphics in higher education”  investigates the level and type of access that vision impaired students gain to graphic components of their study materials in higher education in Australia, to uncover any barriers to access and inclusion, and to offer strategies and resources to enable improved access to graphics for blind and vision impaired students. The project consisted of three major stages:

• Data-gathering: What access do vision impaired students currently have to graphics in higher education? What are the barriers to access? The questions were explored through a national online survey of 72 vision impaired students in higher education, along with 41 semi-structured interviews with students, their disability advisors, academics and accessible formats producers.
• Pilot studies: Working closely with vision impaired students and associated staff to trial processes and technologies over three semesters in 2015 and 2016.
• Synthesis: All study participants were invited to a full day workshop at which they developed and refined a set of model principles for improving vision impaired students’ access to graphics in higher education.

The results of stages 1 and 2 are reported in “Understanding the graphical challenges faced by vision-impaired students in Australian universities”, Higher Education Research & Development, May 2016.

iPhones and iPads have a range of inbuilt features that may benefit people with various disabilities.  In this document you will find a list of tools and a brief explanation of how to access them. (August 2019)

Macintosh computers provide a range of inbuilt features that may benefit people with various disabilities.  In the attached document you will find a list of tools and a brief explanation of how to access them. (November 2019)

Microsoft Windows provides a range of inbuilt features that may benefit people with various disabilities.  In the attached document you will find a list of tools and a brief explanation of how to access them. (August 2019)

This guide, hosted by CAUDIT, provides Higher Education Providers with practical information about procuring ICT products and services with accessibility as an essential criterion. It also draws on existing good practice in Australia and overseas. The content was developed to assist Higher Education providers to embed accessible ICT procurement into their procurement policies, procedures, and practice, with a view to building a more accessible future by design.

This was a collaborative project led by the National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) Program, Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET) and Intopia and guided by an expert advisory committee from the sector. (October 2022)

In this webinar, Jessica from Apple discussed key technology updates, hints and tips in the cognitive and neurodiverse space as well as new accessibility features that come native on iOS and iPadOS and how they may assist all in learning and productivity. There is a terrific list of links to share that contains all the features (plus more) that were discussed during the webinar. The links as well as questions answered by Jessica after the webinar can be found in the document below.  Unfortunately, we were not able to record this webinar due to Apple recording restrictions.  (November 2020)

ADCET was delighted to welcome back Andrew Balzer from Microsoft for a discovery session on how to make your Office 365 more inclusive and accessible. In this 90-minute webinar, Andrew introduced and demonstrated Microsoft's AI Assistant Copilot, along with the simple and powerful tools that are built into the Microsoft Office suite, such as the Accessibility Checker and Learning Tools, to help you create and access content for everyone. (March 2024)

ADCET was delighted to welcome back Andrew Balzer for a refresher webinar on Microsoft Office and Copilot. This presentation explored the simple and powerful tools that are built into the Microsoft Office suite that can be used to make Office 365 more inclusive and accessible. Andrew also introduced and demonstrated Microsoft's AI Assistant Copilot. (November 2024)

ADCET was delighted to host the second webinar in our Microsoft Accessibility series, presented by Andrew Balzer. This webinar showcased how the accessibility features built into Windows and Microsoft Office can empower and personalise the experience. A vast array of assistive technology products that are designed for individuals who have a language or communication disability were introduced. (June 2023)