The following Free or Low Cost Assistive Technology software programs are available for anyone to use. The following programs, software, websites, and apps focus on different forms of Vision Support.

Research Tools:

AccessNote

Features:

• Notetaking tool for those who are Blind or Visually Impaired created by the American Federation of the Blind
• App combines notetaking capabilities with the other accessibility features and functions of the iOS device
• Input notes with either QWERTY Keyboard, refreshable Braille Display
• More Information: http://goo.gl/bozjm7

Cost: Free

Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

TapTapSee

Features:

• Use this app to help identify everyday objects for anyone with a visual impairment or who is blind
• Double tap the screen, take a picture of the object, and hear what the object is spoken out loud
• Turn VoiceOver on to have the object description read out loud
• More Information: http://www.taptapseeapp.com/

Cost: Free

Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

LookTel Recognizer

Features:

• LookTel Recognizer allows users who are blind or low vision to recognize objects
• Build a library of images of objects commonly found in your daily life
• Once the library is built, place object in front of camera of phone and instant recognition and description of the object will occur
• More Information: http://www.looktel.com/recognizer

Cost: $19.99

Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

LookTel Money Recognizer

Features:

• LookTel Money Recognizer allows users who are blind or low vision to recognize currency and will speak the denomination out loud
• Place money under the camera of your phone and the app will recognize the currency amount
• Over twenty currencies supported by this app
• More Information: http://www.looktel.com/moneyreader

Cost: $9.99

Compatibility: Mac; iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

Be My Eyes

Features:

• App that connect 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 person who is blind’s eyes
• A networks of thousands of both blind and sighted people across the world
• More Information: http://www.bemyeyes.org/

Cost: Free

Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

NVDA Screen Reader

Features:

• NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) is a free, open source screen reader built for Windows based operating system computers
• Download to your computer directly or to a USB drive and run on any computer without installation
• Works with many popular applications such as web browsers, email, and Microsoft Office programs
• Ability to convert text into a Braille using Refreshable Braille Display
• More Information: http://www.nvaccess.org/

Cost: Free

Compatibility: Windows

DanKam: Colorblind Fix (iOS)/DanKam A2.0+ (Android)

Features:

• Use this app to help differentiate between colors more easily for people who are color blind or have trouble distinguishing colors
• Take a picture of the object you want to remix and use the modes to adjust the colors and hues to make it easier to differentiate color(s) the object actually is
• Helps enhance the colors individuals who are color blind see but this does not mitigate all functional limitations of color blindness
• More Information: https://itunes.apple.com/dankam-colorblind-fix

Cost: $2.99

Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch; Android

Cost: $2.99

Vision Assist

Features:

• Use your iDevice to become an instant handheld magnifier  or CCTV
• Zoom images up to 20x
• Change display mode to match your best vision including black and white, color, highlights, contrasting colors, and smart text to enhance text
• Magnify documents, books, whiteboard or anything you see
• Compatible with VoiceOver
• More Information: http://visionassist.slinkyware.com/

Cost: $5.99

Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

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

ER Browser

Features:

• Adapt and adjust webpages to your own reading preference settings
• Choose your font from options such as OpenDyslexic
• Customize the background color of the webpage to decrease visual stress and improve reading ability
• Adjust font size and letter spacing
• Bookmark your favorite websites or search your stored history
• More Information: http://erbrowser.com/

Cost: $0.99

Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

Thunder Screen Reader

Features:

• Free screen reader for Windows based computers that provides access for individuals who are blind or low vision
• Download to your Windows computer or download to a USB drive to run from any computer without the need to download
• Use this program to access internet browsers, word processing and common applications on your computer in multiple languages
• More Information: http://www.webbie.org.uk/thunder/

Cost: Free

Compatibility: Windows

Fleksy

Features:

• Increase your keyboard or text input system size to 114% the normal size increase ease of sight using this QWERTY keyboard
• State-of-the-art system powerful enough for individuals who are blind or low vision to use by not needing to look at the screen to type
• Powerful word prediction system and autocorrect system edits your text without the need to even see the keyboard
• More Information: http://fleksy.com/

Cost: $0.99

Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch; Android

Turn Off the Lights

Features:

• Click the light bulb button to get your screen to fade to a dark opacity overlay
• Everything but the key area you are working in, such as a YouTube Video, a Google Doc, or an HTML 5 website will fade
• Ability to adjust opacity and darkness
• Shortcut keys to command program
• More Information: http://goo.gl/l96MtE

Cost: Free

Compatibility: Chrome Add-On

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: http://goo.gl/pHjc3b or http://goo.gl/CZVhBw

Cost: Free

Compatibility: Chrome and Firefox Add-On