Reading and Literacy Apps and Software
Free/Low Cost AT for Reading and Literacy
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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS: iPad; Android
Features:
- Free PDF reader works if PDF documents are readable PDFs
- Listen to readings instead of reading them yourself
- Tagged PDFs are read in order of structure tree, untagged are read in logical inferred
reading order
- Tagged PDFs will read alternative text descriptions
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Windows; Mac OS
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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Windows
Features:
- Color gradient text reader with Open Dyslexie® Font
- Read PDF files, webpages and convert ebooks to PDF files to be read with this program
- Color gradient text helps eyes to track lines of text for easier, faster reading by
eliminating “line transition errors.”
- Various color gradient color schemes for personalized use
Cost: $2.00 browser extensions; Free for iOS app only
Compatibility: Browser Extension: Chrome & Firefox; iOS: iPad, iPhone; Desktop
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
Cost: Free (for qualified individuals)
Compatibility: Online Resource
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
Cost: Free for personal use only (with optional in-app purchases)
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch; Window and Mac Browser Extension
Features:
- Reads aloud text on any website
- Reads Google Docs
- Speak accessibile PDFs
- Turn on Colored Overlay and highlight words as they are being read
Cost: Free browser extension with premium in-app purchases
Compatibility: Android
Features:
- Create and convert PDF documents to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Images, and other formats
- Use within Google Drive with the converted documents stored there
- Use the web application, desktop app or app on your iOS device to convert documents
Cost: Free; upgrade for $9.99/month
Compatibility: Windows; iPad, iPhone; Chrome Extension
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
Cost: $14.99-$19.99 after free trial period ends
Compatibility: Mac
Features:
- Download and listen to your Bookshare books on your Android device
- Read DAISY and EPUB books with voice navigation and text-to-speech
- Connects directly to online libraries, and Bookshare for quick download
- Optimized for visually-impaired readers, but usable by anyone
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Android
Features:
- Web browsing text-to-speech and speech-to-text options
- Customizable styles and colors, including high contrast
- Includes features for assistance with color blindness and zoom features
- Overlay to reduce bright white light
- Other features: dictionary, Google Translate, underlining, ad removal, dyslexia font,
notes and more
Cost: Free; $4.99/month for Plus version
Compatibility: Chrome Browser Extension
Features:
- Built-in text decoding solutions for students to assist with reading
- Enhanced dictation, focus mode, immersive reading, font spacing, short lines, parts
of speech supports, syllabification, and comprehension mode
Cost: Free through Microsoft Office
Compatibility: Edge Browser, iOS, Windows
Features:
- Select the text you want read aloud in your browser
- Can read text in more than 50 languages
- Ability to add new voices and change the speaking rate
Cost: Free; premium in-app purchases available from $4.99 and up
Compatibility: Online Resource
Features:
- Text-to-speech software which converts Microsoft Word, webpages, PDFs, and e-mail
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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Windows; Mac OS; Online Resource
Features:
- A collection of ebooks
- Browse by subject, book title, or author
- Ability to create an account
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
Features:
- Removes clutter from webpages for easier reading
- Customize the size of the text, the font, and adjust for a light or dark-themed background
- Send the reading to Kindle for reading on that device
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
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 additional for download
- Ability to edit the OCR results to correct spelling errors or reorder text
Cost: Free; Purchase Pro option $49.99-$74.99
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone
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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
Features:
- Browse over 190,000 books to have access to 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
Cost: $19.99
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
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
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
Features:
- Use Readsy to focus your eyes on one word at a time without having to move them while
reading
- Upload a PDF, txt file or copy and paste text into the website to have it read
- Increase reading speed and comprehension using Readsy
- Use Spritz to test yourself to find optimum reading speed
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
Features:
- Rewordify replaces higher-level vocabulary with words that are easier to understand
- Helps 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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
Snap&Read is the Next-Generation reading tool for Google Chrome, iPad and more, that
can cover the most diverse reading needs. It reads both accessible and inaccessible
text aloud, it levels vocabulary, and translates, delivering usage data to teachers
who then can more easily assess students’ reading needs individually.
Features:
- Read Aloud
- Dynamic Text Leveling
- PDF Annotation for worksheets and assignments
- Translation
- Study tools
- Remove Distractions
- Color/Overlay/Reading Line Guides
- Picture Supported Dictionary
- Bibliographer
- Screenshot Reader
- Readability Analyzer
- Data Collection
Compatibility
- Google Chrome Extension
- Microsoft Edge Extension
- Google Classroom
- Chromebooks, Mac, Windows desktops running Google Chrome Browser
- iPad App
- Online
- PDFs
- OverDrive
- Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader
- Bookshare
- iReady
Pricing
- Free Trials! 30-day time period for Educators -- no credit card required
- Personal, Parent or Educator $4.99 per program/per seat/per month. Credit Card required
- School Wide or District Wide Licensing: $.50 - $2.00 per student seat/annually based
on total student enrollment and number of schools for District Wide. Coalition package
deal available. Per student seat and other options also available. Contact your
Educational Support Specialist for Universal tools - Jennifer Loucks at 800/999-4660,
ext. 596 or jloucks@donjohnston.com for more details
Speechify
Features:
- Have text read out to you in natural-sounding human voices
- Upload documents into the application
- Have your text read in a variety of languages
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS: iPhone; Mac; Android; Online Resource
Features:
- Train yourself to increase your reading speed
- 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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Chrome Extension
Features:
- Free online web application to help you read faster
- Copy and paste text from any source into the online application
- 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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Web; iOS; Android
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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: Online Resource
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 e-mail, Dropbox, or through iTunes
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone
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 OpenDyslexic
font, and voices, including the option to purchase additional voices
- Highlight information in the reading and export it to other programs and apps
Cost: $14.99
Compatibility: iOS: iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
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
Cost: Free
Compatibility: iPad; Web App; Windows Apps
