Ready to Explore the World of AT?

This page is just for you – students who are interested in learning about or starting to use assistive technologies for reading, writing or other school work.

Whether you are a student in elementary school or college, you can use the AT tools we’ll show you here – in fact some people use these tools even at work.

If you visit the Videos section, you can choose from 7 different 3 – 4 minute videos on all the things that different types of AT can help you with, including writing, editing, math and taking tests.

There is lots of information in the videos, so if you want a list of all the AT tools and what they do, click on the Glossary.

If you want to learn how to use a particular program, or learn more about AT in general, you can go to some of the other websites listed in the Resources section.

Discover what works best for you… because we all learn differently!

Featured Testimonial

Hear about how assistive technology helps in the classroom.

Video Resources

Pre-Writing

That was easy!  … Using AT to organize your ideas.

Writing

AT tools for writing.

Reading

Hearing is believing! AT to support reading.

Editing

AT tools for editing.

Alternative Formats

Using alternative formats to prepare and present your work.

Working at Home

Getting organized and accessing AT for homework.

Math and Science

AT for math and science.

Resources for Students


Youth2youth is a great site for high school students getting ready to transition into post-secondary education. It provides some excellent materials describing the differences between high school and post secondary approaches to AT and Learning Disabilities. It is a site created by students with Learning Disabilities.

This section of the SNOW website explains Assistive Technology in general and provides detailed descriptions of screen readers and speech-to-text software, including things to consider in choosing software:

Sources for ebooks and audio books. Ottawa Public Library’s Overdrive Program:

Gutenberg Project – free downloads

Mercury Reader is an extension for Chrome that will remove all the clutter including ads, recommendations, dialogs, social buttons, comments and almost everything distracting, and extract the actual content. It will only show the website name, the actual text content photos/videos inside that content, and all the links in it. All you have to do is install the extension in your favorite browser and then open any article on the web. See below for Firefox and Safari options.

Firefox Reader:

Safari Reader View:

Cast tool: the strategy tutor helps students with multi step projects (free but students need to make an account)

A great site to help students who need to prepare any science project:

Learning to self-advocate from the Pacer institute:

Free Online Mind Mapping and Other Visual Tools


Grades 5 & up

Webspiration

Mind42

Wisemapping (can also be downloaded as open source)

Wordle

Speech to Text Resources

If you have an ipod touch (32 gb or more so it operates with a mic), iphone or blackberry, consider downloading the Dragon App:

Online Alterative Technologies

Voice Thread is an online tool that allows you to document and present your knowledge using your voice, images, videos and text all at once!

Free Downloadable Alternative Tools

Training Software for Students

Help improve our content

Your help to improve and add content to this site is appreciated. Your organization will be given credit for all contributions you want to share: tip sheets, training manuals, websites, etc.

Please send your contributions and ideas to:

Adriana Johnston
Program Manager, Volunteer Programs
900 Morrison Drive, Suite 205
Ottawa, Ontario K2H 8K7
Tel: 613-366-3085 ext. 259
ajohnston@onfe-rope.ca