Educational & Assistive Technology Tools
The educational & assistive technology fields offer an astounding number of tools to support ELA accessibility.​ Assistive technology for the ELA classroom typically includes some or all of the following features: Speech-to-Text, Text-to-Speech, Audiobooks, eBooks, Translation services, and customizable displays. From text-to-speech software to next generation e-reading platforms, today's technology can support your students in reaching their literacy goals.
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This page highlights some of the best technology tools for ELA accessibility in and out of the classroom, beginning with products that offer multiple supports and moving on to more specialized programs.
These products offer multiple forms of assistive technology to support students in the ELA classroom. Many of these programs are funded by national grants and are free for schools and educators. However, a few options require purchase either at the individual, school, or district level.
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​Clusive: A flexible, adaptive, and accessible web-based reader designed by the Center for Inclusive Software for Learning (CISL). Based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Clusive scaffolds the development of reading skills for students in grades 5 - 12. It offers a wide selection of reading materials, flexible display, font, spacing, and color options, text-to-speech capabilities with adjustable reading speeds and voices, built-in highlighting, note-taking, on-demand translation, text simplification, visual dictionary, comprehension checks, and a personal word bank. Teachers and parents can customize comprehension prompts and vocabulary, upload instructional materials, and import books from BookShare. Clusive is completely free.
Read&Write: This literacy support tool offers several useful features as well as a Google Chrome extension. Students have access to text-to-speech and speech-to-text Capabilities, translation, visual dictionaries, proofreading tools, predictive writing, and screen masking to reduce distractions. Read&Write will also be integrating features from the popular programs Co:Writer and Snap&Read in the coming year.
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BookShare: Extensive audiobook platform with over 1.2 million titles along with many different accessibility features to support reading. Students can listen to customizable audio with follow-along karaoke-style highlighting, adjustable colors and text, as well as options for reading in braille. BookShare is available for free to US schools and integrates with other educational platforms.
Kurzweil 3000: All-around education tool for assistive learning. This software offers embedded customizable tools for reading, taking notes, studying, writing, and test-taking. Students have access to text-to-speech capabilities, with natural voices in 13 languages and 18 dialects along with words and sentences highlighted as they're spoken, speech-to-text capabilities, translation of 70+ languages, Open Dyslexic font, customizable text presentation, font, and magnification, highlighting and noting tools, and built-in vocabulary study guides.
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Glose: Gamified reading, listening, and collaboration platform designed to be used on any device (computer, tablet, or smartphone). Teachers and students have access to thousands of eBooks and audiobooks with customizable reading interfaces (including fonts for students with dyslexia) and options for translation and read-aloud. Teachers can enhance engagement by modifying reading materials with text, links, photos, and videos. Students annotate, highlight, and react to reading while they track their reading progress.
Text-to-Speech (TTS) assistance translates written text into spoken words. TTS allows students with visual impairments, dyslexia, reading difficulties, and English Language Learners to access written content. Speech-to-Text (STT) converts spoken words to text. STT allows students with limited mobility, visual impairments, and dyslexia to generate text hands-free.
Natural Reader: AI text-to-speech application that provides read-along experiences using a huge library of natural voices in over 40 different languages. Teachers and students can upload materials or install an extension to read aloud any webpage or document.
Read Aloud: Google Chrome Extension that supports over 40 languages and offers text-to-speech technology on websites, PDFs, Google Docs, Amazon Kindle, and EPUB.
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EasyReader: App for computers, phones, tablets, and eReaders that allows text-to-speech conversion with synced highlighting, customizable display and font (including dyslexia-friendly text), and a huge library of reading materials.
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TalkTyper: Free website offering speech-to-text conversion and translation.
Use this website to convert your speech to text. Then, copy and paste your text into any application of your choice. TalkTyper includes a translation feature, as well.
Google Docs Voice Typing: This speech-to-text feature is integrated into Google Docs (under the “Tools” menu).
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VoiceIn Dictation: Google Chrome extension that enables voice typing on websites opened in the browser and in over 50 languages.
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Audiobooks are texts that have been converted into audio formats. They allow students to listen to the words, oftentimes while reading along with a physical or eBook copy. Audiobooks can also be sped up or slowed down allowing students to read at the speed they need. eBooks are digital versions of books that often include several accessibility features, such as customizable text, adjustable brightness, and built-in highlighting and dictionaries.
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Epic!: Epic! offers thousands of free K–5 eBooks in multiple formats such as graphic novels, motion comics, audiobooks, and educational videos. The “read to me” option allows for text-to-speech translation and many books are available in Spanish, French, and Chinese. The basic Epic! Program (with 20k books) is available to schools for free weekdays from 7am - 3pm.
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Libby: The Libby app connects students to their local public library collections. Students can download eBooks or listen to audiobooks on their computer, phone, tablet, or eReader. There are multiple customizable tools including customizable displays and texts and adjustable playback speeds. Libby is free and only requires a public library card.
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Lit2Go: Free online collection of stories and poems in Mp3 (audiobook) format. Stories can be searched by author, title, genre, collection, or grade level and playback speed can be adjusted as needed. Each reading passage can also be downloaded as a PDF and printed for use as a read-along.
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Perlego: A subscription-based online academic library with over 1 million books across 1,000 different topics. The platform features tons of accessibility functions, including customizable display options, adjustable fonts, sizes, and spacing, image descriptions, text-to-speech, highlighting, note-taking, and built-in dictionaries.
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Librivox: Online library of free, public domain audiobooks with the option to speed up or slow down the playback speed.
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Playaways: Pre-loaded audiobooks, learning apps, videos, and read-alongs that promote literacy, bridge the digital divide, and make technology accessible to everyone. Available in 3 formats: Launchpad (a pre-loaded tablet learning tablet with books, apps, videos, and comics, Wonderbook (a print book with pre-loaded audiobook attached), and Playaway (designated audiobook players with a huge catalog of pre-loaded audiobooks).
Note: If you are in the state of WA, reach out to the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library. They provide free playaways and pre-loaded audiobooks for students with visual impairments and reading difficulties.
Translation services convert text or audio from one language to another. Translation is one of the primary means of assisting English Language Learners in the classroom. Customizable Displays allow students to choose their fonts (including dyslexia-friendly fonts), increase or decrease font size, adjust the color of webpages or insert overlays and tints, remove distractions, or utilize rulers and reading guides. These features are particularly useful for students with visual impairments, ADHD, and dyslexia.
Accessibility Web Assistant: Award-winning extension designed to make online reading easier. It features text-to-speech software, font adjustments, dyslexia rulers, tint overlays, and color contrasts.
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BeeLine Reader: BeeLine uses a color gradient to guide your eyes from the end of one line to the beginning of the next. It is increasingly being adopted by schools for assistance with reading. Beeline is available as an extension on Chrome, Android, Apple, PDF, Firefox, and EPUB.
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Postlight Reader: Google Chrome extension that removes ads and distractions, leaving only text and images for a clean and consistent reading view.
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Google Multilanguage Translator: Google Chrome extension that translates words, phrases, and full pages in over 120 languages. Also offers text-to-speech translation in 60 languages and a built-in dictionary function.
Forum: Interpreter app for mobile and computer that allows teachers to communicate verbally with students using automatic translation in 25 languages and 45 dialects. Teachers can create a session and invite student guests to listen to a presentation in the student's preferred language.
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iTranslate: iTranslate offers text, voice, and camera translation in over 100 languages. It also provides a keyboard extension, transliteration, and the ability to translate text from other applications and documents. iTranslate is a popular choice within the education field.
