What Is Assistive Technology?
Assistive technology is any item, piece of equipment, or system that can increase, maintain, or improve independence. These items may be high- or low-tech. While many assistive tech devoices were designed for people with disabilities, many people use them. If you’ve used Siri or another voice-activated assistant on your phone, you’ve used assistive technology!
Whether or not you have a disability, you may find using some assistive technology helpful. While this is not a comprehensive list, you can explore different assistive technologies and find one that may help you.
Disclaimer: Links on this page point to external sites not affiliated in any way with Ensign College.
Whether or not you have a disability, you may find using some assistive technology helpful. While this is not a comprehensive list, you can explore different assistive technologies and find one that may help you.
Disclaimer: Links on this page point to external sites not affiliated in any way with Ensign College.
Resources by Need
- Largest online library of accessible reading materials for people with print disabilities
- Text-to-speech/screenreader software
- You have free access with your Ensign email!
- Chrome extension that can remove ads and distractions, leaving only text and images
- Adjust typeface and text size
- Replaces higher-level vocabulary with words that are easier to understand
- Chrome extension that helps you read at double or triple your normal speed
- Corrects your typos, phonetic mistakes, severe spelling mistakes, and misused words based on the context of a sentence
- Eliminate writing mistakes and contextual errors, spelling errors, and poor vocabulary usage
- Find the word you are looking for with synonym suggestions
- Helps you make your writing bold and clear
- Highlights lengthy and complex sentences, points out adverbs, weakening phrases, and passive voice
- Google Voice Typing
- Dragon Naturally Speaking
- Dictate within Office 365
- Google Voice Typing
- Voice Control within Mac Operating Systems
- Windows Voice Recognition
- Synchronize your notes with the audio recording of your lecture
- A one-stop place to collect notes, files, web clippings, and images with the ability to access them on virtually any device
- Collaborate with others on projects using the sharing features
- Take all your notes in OneNote by typing, writing with a touchscreen, importing pictures, video, web links and other resources
- Ability to record your lecture with this program
- Divide up your classes and work by notebook, section, and pages
- Create multimedia notes (text, audio, images, etc.)
- Music created to support you in everyday activities, including helping to get more done
- Block distracting websites for set amounts of time
- Set up Pomodoro sessions and track where you’re spending your time
- Pomodoro app helps you to focus your work efforts in timed 25-minute chunks
- Block distracting websites and apps
- Organizes your classes, tasks, and exams and syncs across all your devices
- Chrome extension that restricts the time you can spend on time-wasting websites
- Once your allotted time is used up, the sites you have blocked will be inaccessible for the rest of the day
- App that connects people who are blind with sighted volunteers around the world
- Using video chat, volunteers help people who are blind with a variety of tasks as they serve as the eyes for the person who is blind
- Screen reader developed for computer users whose vision loss prevents them from seeing screen content or navigating with a mouse
- From hygiene and self-care products to electronics and accessories, search through Atvisor’s Products Catalog to find and select products that best fit your needs
Augsburg University Disability Resources
- Augsburg University put together a list of various assistive tech that may help students.
- Products for independent living
National Directory of Home Modification and Repair Resources
- This directory provides resources for home modifications (e.g., grab bars, roll-in showers, and ramps) and repairs for each state. A directory of local home modification service providers can be found through a state search.
Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR)
- Search and find information about various accommodation options in work and educational settings for people with disabilities through SOAR, a database maintained by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN).
- Search through this database to find access to communication, computers and digital devices.
Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP)
- Puts assistive technology into the hands of people who need it.