Assistive Technology, Apps, and Resources
A free screen reader that works best with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. If you are just getting started with screen readers, I highly recommend checking out NVDA.
JAWS is the most popular screen reader on the market and can provide speech and braille outputs. JAWS provides outputs for the most popular computer applications on your PC and works best with the Chrome, Edge, and Firefox browsers on Windows computers.
VoiceOver Screen Reader
VoiceOver is the native screen reader on all Apple Products including Macs, Macbooks, iPads, and iPhones. It comes on every device and can be found in the accessibility setting section. VoiceOver works the best with the Safari browser.
The Vision Buddy is a wearable headset designed for people who have low vision! It can magnify the world around you and can connect to TVs, phones, and computers for a new magnification experience. The full package even has a mini CCTV that makes reading documents, mail, and books super easy!
Pebble HD boasts a new HD camera providing a crisp, clear, colorful, high-definition picture. A new ergonomic lightweight compact design makes it the perfect companion whether at home or on the go. Carry Pebble HD in your purse, or pocket, or clip it on your belt with the included carrying case.
Reads printed text out loud for you? promotes independent reading and helps with reading difficulties such as dyslexia and low vision
Simply pass the nib across a word and the built-in dictionary displays the definition and reads it to you. Great for learning pronunciation
Compact, portable, and light? half the size and weight of other portable pen scanners? easy to carry with you anywhere you like to read
Both Mac and PC compatible? no software is required, just connect the pen with the USB cable and it appears as an external hard drive
The New Oxford North American Dictionary gives accurate definitions for American spellings
The Be My Eyes App connects people needing sighted support with volunteers and companies through live video around the world. This app is available for use 24/7 and keeps your identity anonymous. This is a must-have on your home screen if you have a visual disability.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 offer a ton of options for customizing your visual experience with color contrast modes and various color combinations. If the bright white screens aren’t for you, you can change to darker themes and customize accent colors to make for a better visual experience.
You can now change your color themes on MacOS devices to be in light mode or dark mode. Select the version of MacOS you are running and follow the step-by-step guide to customize your visual experience. Some versions allow for auto theme adjustments if you are not quite sure which one works best for you.
Advanced Low Vision Technology connects individuals with low vision or blindness to assistive devices using the latest technology on the market. They offer a variety of devices, headsets, phones, and other assistive technology from their partnering organizations.
Seeing AI is a free app that narrates the world around you and was designed for the blind and low-vision communities. The goal of this research project is leverage AI to open up the visual world by describing nearby people, text, and object.
BuzzClip is a wearable assistive device that is discrete and versatile. This device was designed for those with visual disabilities. Through ultrasound technology, this device detects objects that may be in the user’s path, including objects off the ground. It delivers notifications to the user through intuitive vibrations to facilitate safer navigation.
TapTapSee is a mobile application that was designed for blind and visually impaired users. This app utilizes your smartphone camera and voiceover functionalities to take photos and videos and describe them to you. Double-tapping the right side of the screen takes a photo and double-tapping the left side of the screen takes a video. Within seconds, you will be provided with the identification of the object.
Chrome Vox is the built-in screen reader on all Chromebooks running the Chrome operating system. This screen reader option ensures that users with visual disabilities can use Chromebook devices and all of their functionalities. This screen reader has been noted to do certain things better on Chromebooks than other screen readers like JAWS or NVDA.
The Google Chrome Screen Reader extension is an add-on for the Google Chrome browser that works within the browser to read content aloud. This screen reader was built using web technologies and may be a great temporary solution when finding a full system screen reader like NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver.
The Voice Dream reader is a text-to-speech software for IOS and Mac OS devices that allows emails, PDFs, books, and other digital content to be converted to speech. This reader does not require internet, has more than 200 voice options, and is free to install!
VD Scan is a paid IOS and iPad OS app that uses AI for OCR and text recognition to allow any paper document or label to be scanned in and listened to via text-to-speech. This app is secure, easy to use, and runs in just a few seconds!
The National Library for the Blind and Print Disabled provides alternatives to print materials and books for those with visual disabilities, cognitive disabilities, temporary disabilities, and permanent disabilities. Their national network circulates books and magazines in braille and audio formats that can be downloaded directly to a device or delivered via mail for free.
BookShare is a low-cost option for a customizable reading experience for those with visual, reading, physical, or other disabilities that cause reading barriers. With more than 1 million titles that can be read anywhere, reading experiences can be customized to large print, braille, audiobooks, audiobooks with highlighting text, and more!
Menus 4 All is an IOS application that provides accessible formats for restaurant menus and contact information. This app is accessible with IOS screen reader VoiceOver and tutorials on how to use the app are available.
The Rebokeh app was designed for those with low vision and moderate visual impairments in mind. Within the app, you can see the world the way that best fits you. Take photos, change color filters, increase contrast, and much more! Additional features are available via in-app purchases.
