The following free and low-cost assistive technology software programs are available for anyone to use. These programs, software, websites, and apps focus on different Reading and Literacy Support forms.
Free Applications
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Features:
- Free PDF reader if PDF documents are readable PDFs
- Listen to readings instead of reading them yourself
- Tagged PDFs are read in order in structure tree, untagged are read in logical inferred reading order
- Tagged PDFs will read alternative text descriptions
- More Information: http://help.adobe.com/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Windows; Mac OS
Balabolka
Features:
- Text-to-Speech program using the voices installed on your computer
- Save online text as mP3, mP4, WAV, OGG or WMA file for portable or later listening
- Reads documents from the clipboard or file types such as DOC, EPUB, HTML, PDF, RTF, and more
- Customize the background color, font size, and reading options including pitch and rate
- More Information: http://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Windows
Bookshare
Features:
- Largest online library of accessible reading materials for people with print disabilities
- Accessible books, textbooks, newspapers and magazine are available
- Individuals with Print Disabilities can sign up for a membership
- Books available for download can be read on DAISY players, with Screen Readers, Refreshable Braille Displays, and other Assistive Technology Programs
- More Information: https://www.bookshare.org/
Cost: Free with Print Disability
Compatibility: Online Resource
CamScanner
Features:
- Use your camera phone to scan documents, notes, whiteboards, business cards or any other document
- Use the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature to convert images to readable text
- Add annotations to your scanned documents
- Sync documents across devices
- More Information: https://www.camscanner.com/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone; Android; Windows Phone 8
Capti Narrator
Features:
- Convert documents and webpages into text-to-speech
- Upload documents from Dropbox, Google Drive, Clipboard, Instapaper, or Web Browser
- Listen to document immediately or save it to your playlist for future listening
- Adjust speech rate along with the choice of built in voices; additional voices for purchase
- More Information: https://www.captivoice.com/capti-site/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch; Window and Mac Browser Extension
Cometdocs PDF Converter
Features:
- Create and convert PDF documents to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Images, and other formats
- Use within Google Drive with the converted documents waiting for you there
- Use the web application, desktop app or app on your iOS device to convert documents too
- More Information: http://www.cometdocs.com/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Windows; iPad, iPhone; Chrome Extension
Fokus
Features:
- Highlight only the text you want to read while Fokus dims and darkens the rest of your Chrome or Firefox window with an overlay
- Highlights the paragraph you’re reading with the ability to change the opacity of the background overlay
- Easy to install extension with the ability to turn the feature on or off
- More Information: https://chrome.google.com or https://addons.mozilla.org/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome and Firefox Add-On
Go Read
Features:
- Download and listen to your Bookshare books on your Android device
- Read DAISY and EPUB books with voice navigated and text-to-speech
- Connects directly to online libraries, and Bookshare for quick download
- Optimized for visually-impaired readers but usable for anyone
- More Information: Go Read
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Android
Mercury Reader
Features:
- Remove clutter from webpages for easier reading
- Customize the size of the test, the font, and if it’s a light or dark themed background
- Send the reading to Kindle for reading on that device
- More Information: Mercury Reader Website
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
NaturalReader
Features:
- Text-to-Speech software which converts Microsoft Word, Webpages, PDFs, and Email into spoken text
- Customize reading voice and speed for your readings
- Floating toolbar to read text in other applications
- Online Text-to-Speech program with options to input text from various sources on your computer
- More Information: http://www.naturalreaders.com/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Windows; Mac OS; Online Resource
Read Mode
Features:
- Remove distractions from reading on the internet with this app
- Click the Chrome Extension for clean reading with black text on white background
- Ads and flash animations removed by the click of a button
- More Information: https://goo.gl/wY6nY
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
Rewordify
Features:
- Rewordify replaces higher-level vocabulary with words that are
- easier to understand
- Help build understanding within readings and builds vocabulary
- Difficult words are replaced and highlighted
- Click on the words that were replaced to see the original word in
- the text
- More Information: http://rewordify.com
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
Spreed
Features:
- Train yourself to increase your reading speed with Spreed
- Import online articles and have them read at double or triple the speed
- Spreed can train you to read between 200 and 400 words per minute
- More Information: https://goo.gl/uHKNHO
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
Spreeder
Features:
- Free online web application to help you read faster
- Copy and paste text from any source into the online application and spreed!
- Words will flash at a words per minute rate as you read along and increase your reading speed
- Ability to adjust words per minute speed, chunk size/number of words flashed, background color and more
- More Information: http://www.spreeder.com/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
Spritz
Features:
- Test your reading speed using Spritz to find your optimum reading speed to use in partnership with Readsy
- Increase or decrease the test reading speed to find your balance of speed and comprehension
- Spritz custom interface called the Spritzlet, adjusts word position and red letter placement for increased focus, attention and comprehension
- Various website and apps have the Spritz Spritzlet embedded in it
- More Information: http://www.spritzinc.com/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Web; iOS; Android
Text2Speech
Features:
- Enter text from any source and have it read out loud by this online resource
- Ability to download file to an mp3 file
- Customize voice and speed
- 4000 character limit to text read
- More Information: http://www.text2speech.org/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
Yuzu (formerly Nook Study)
Features:
- Read your textbooks on the go – anywhere
- Annotate your readings with highlights, sticky notes, and flags in your textbooks
- Filter your notes and highlights onto one screen
- More Information: https://www.yuzu.com/
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iPad; Web App; Windows App
Low-Cost Applications
ABBYY TextGrabber + Translator
Features:
- Using the camera of your device, capture text and translate it using OCR
- Easily extract text from books, magazines, newspapers, ads, etc.
- Use VoiceOver (iPad only) to listen to your document in a text-to-speech format
- Captured text can be edited and/or copied to another source
- More Information: http://www.abbyy.com/textgrabber_ios/
Cost: $9.99
Compatibility: iOS: iPad; Android
Beeline Reader
Features:
- Monochrome color text reader with Open Dyslexie Font
- Read PDF files, webpages and convert ebooks to PDF files to be read with this program
- Monochrome color text helps eyes to track lines of text for easier, faster reading by eliminating “line transition errors.”
- Various monochrome color schemes for personalized use
- More Information: http://www.beelinereader.com/
Cost: $1.99 – iOS app; browser extensions free
Compatibility: Browser Extension: Chrome & Firefox; iOS: iPad, iPhone; Desktop
Claro PDF Pro
Features:
- Listen to your PDFs read aloud using the built in voices on iOS as well as 4 high quality voices
- Convert images to fully accessible PDF files that can be spoken, searched, copied, or highlighted
- Change the background color of document and invert the text colors
- Annotate and mark up your document using highlights, underlines, strike outs, notes, drawing, insert images, audio, video and more
- More Information: Claro PDF Website
Cost: $6.99
Compatibility: iOS; Android
Claro ScanPen
Features:
- Listen to printed material on the spot
- Take a photo of your printed document, select text with your finger, and have it read back to you
- Compatible with Voiceover
- Multiple languages
- More Information: Claro ScanPen Website
Cost: $6.99
Compatibility: iOS; Android
GhostReader
Features:
- Text-to-Speech app for Mac computers
- Reads your text aloud with the ability to customize voices and modify the pronunciation of words so it sounds correct when reading
- Ability to zoom and highlight words
- Covert text to audio files for on-the-go listening
- Import text from a variety of formats including Text, Word, HTML, PDF & RTF
- More Information: http://www.convenienceware.com/ghostreader
Cost: $24.99
Compatibility: Mac
NaviDys
Features:
- Adapt and adjust webpages to your own reading preference settings
- Adjust the font to one of 10 available fonts including Dyslexie font
- Adjust font size, letter spacing and line spacing of the webpage you’re reading
- More Information: http://michaeldardol.com/navidys/
Cost: $2.99
Compatibility: iOS: iPad
Prizmo
Features:
- Take a picture and have immediate conversion into text with this OCR program for text-to-speech
- Ability to change the voice and interactive reading display with words highlighted as they are read
- 10 different languages built in with over 30 addition for download
- Ability to edit the OCR results to correct spelling errors or reorder text
- More Information: http://www.creaceed.com/prizmo/about
Cost: $9.99
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone
Read2Go
Features:
- Browse over 190,000 books for have access all of your Bookshare books on your mobile device
- Easy use app to read text or turn on the text-to-speech mode
- Control the text layout of the page for easier visual reading including font size, color, background and reading options such as reading speed, and voice options
- Connect via Bluetooth to a braille display to read in Braille
- More Information: http://read2go.org/
Cost: $19.99
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
ReadMe!
Features:
- Read PDF and ePUB files on your tablet when you upload them to your bookshelf
- Spritz Reader is integrated into it – a tool for speed reading showing one word at a time to the reader
- Beeline Reader – polychromatic text color reader integrated into pay option of app
- More Information: https://www.readmei.com/
Cost: Free with Spritz Reader but Beeline Reader has additional monthly ($0.99), yearly ($4.99) or lifetime membership options
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch; Android
Select and Speak (formerly SpeakIt!)
Features:
- Select the text you want read aloud in your browser
- Click on the SpeakIt! Icon and the text will be read out loud
- Can read text in more than 50 languages
- Ability to add new voices and change the speaking rate
- More Information: https://www.ispeech.org/
Cost: Free: 500 words per day; Full version: $2.99/month
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
SwiftRead
Features:
- Increase your reading speed while maintaining comprehension
- Assists with focus, visual tracking, comprehension, and reading at a faster pace
- Ability to read text out loud with human-sounding voices
- Compatible with webpages, PDF, ePub, or text that you can copy-paste
- More information: https://www.swiftread.com
Cost: Free version and paid Pro plan
Compatibility: Chrome and Edge browser extension
vBookz PDF Reader
Features:
- Read PDF files with this app
- Interactive cursor allows readers to follow along with text
- Use annotation tools such as highlighting, text, notes, and bookmarks to help support your reading
- Read books in text mode with the option for Dyslexie Font
- Import PDFs using email, Dropbox, or through iTunes
- More Information: http://vbookz.com/
Cost: $4.99
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
Voice Dream Reader
Features:
- Text-to-speech app to read books with the ability to customize your screen for preferred reading options
- Read by listening to the text, visually or both at the same time
- Supports PDF, Word Docs, EPUB, DAISY, eBooks, Web pages and more with the ability to integrate your Bookshare books or books in Dropbox, Evernote, Pocket, Gutenberg and more
- Includes multiple language options along with various fonts, including Open Dyslexic font, and voices, including the option to purchase additional voices
- Highlight information in the reading and export it to other programs and apps
- More Information: http://www.voicedream.com
Cost: $9.99; VoiceDream Reader Lite – Free
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch; Android