Assistive Technology Resources
There are many accessibility features built-in to Microsoft Office products. Cornell students have free access to Microsoft Office!
This is a list of free, low cost, or built-in assistive technology resources that can be utilized by anyone.
Free for Cornell
Cornell-specific licenses are available for certain software, which gives free access to extra features! (Sign up with your Cornell email.)
Those include:
- NaturalReader (text-to-speech) (email SDS to get a free premium/plus account)
- Jamworks (note taking tool)
- MathPix (math accessibility)
- SensusAccess (document conversion)
Additional details below.
Useful Technology, by Category
Free and low-cost technology. Organized by category.
Recommended for users that benefit from having basic text read aloud. These programs will allow you to see text on the screen and hear the text read aloud. These programs also track the words that are read so you stay on pace with the information.
- Natural Reader (online, Chrome, iOS, Android)
- Video guide to Natural Reader
- Email SDS to get a free premium/plus account (available for Cornell community).
- ElevenReader (Android, iOS)
- Immersive Reader (Word, OneNote, etc.)
- Does not display images, only reads text information.
- Video guide to Immersive Reader
- Central Access Reader
- Reads Word files, including math!
- Chrome Reader
- Built-in to Chrome browser
Recommended for users that require audio cues in order to operate computer/laptop functions and have text material read aloud. Extensive training may be required to successfully and fully operate these programs.
- Narrator (Windows screen reader)
- Voiceover (for macOS)
- Voiceover (for iPhone)
- TalkBack (Android phones)
- NVDA Screen Reader (Windows)
Recommended for users that benefit from being able to speak aloud and have a software program type out what is being said.
- Google Docs (web app)
- Dictation (MS Word)
- Type with your voice (Android)
- Dictation (iPhone)
- Dictation (Mac OSX)
- Voice Typing (Windows)
For users who want to read a text transcription of spoken audio, in a video, or in real time.
- Android Live Transcribe
- Live Caption in Chrome
- YouTube Automatic Captions
- Microsoft 365 Transcription (must have a Microsoft 365 account)
- SignUp (interpreting for specific movies)
Recommended for users that benefit from audio recordings for later reference. Please note class recording requires permission from faculty or accommodations through SDS.
- Voice Recorder (Windows)
- Voice Memos (OSX)
- Voice Recording in iOS
- Rev Voice Recorder (iOS, Android)
- Otter.ai (app)
- Immersive Reader (Edge)
- Just Read (Chrome)
- Beeline Reader (browsers, iOS, Android, PDFs, ePUB)
- Open source alternative: Waspline Reader for Chrome, Waspline Reader for Firefox
- Bionic Reading (browsers, iOS, Android, can download files)
- Grammerly (app)
- Hemingway App (web app)
- Wordtune (Chrome)
- Citation Machine (web app)
- Jamworks (free for Cornell community; sign up for Jamworks with your Cornell email)
- One Note (app, desktop; free with Microsoft account)
- Obsidian (app, desktop)
- Zoom AI Companion (free for Cornell)
- Morphic (Windows)
- Goblin Tools (browser, iOS, Android)
- SensusAccess (web app; automated converter - requires Cornell NetID)
- Calibre (desktop)
- Natural Reader - conversion to MP3s (online, Chrome, iOS, Android)
- Video guide to Natural Reader
- Email SDS to get a free premium/plus account (available for Cornell community).
- Forest (desktop, iOS, Android)
- Todoist (desktop, iOS, Android)
- Pomofocus.io (web, desktop)
- Pomodoro technique
- Pomodoro Timer Lite (Android)
- Pomodoro technique
- MyNoise (web app)
- Free background noise generator (white noise, other soundscapes)