Assistive Technology
DRC staff will consult with you on assistive technology you may wish to explore as a University employee.
Campus Resources
Speechify Licenses are available, free, for anyone with an @arizona.edu email address.
Make sure to activate your account in a private/incognito browser window.
Activate Speechify Premium with Your @arizona.edu Email
Install Speechify
Questions?
Contact accessibility@arizona.edu
YuJa Panorama easily transforms your course content into a format that works for you. Options to access your course readings include:
- Audio Podcast – Learn by listening.
- HTML – Create a web version for your mobile devices.
- Selectable Text PDF – Turn that scanned PDF into one you can highlight and interact with.
- EPUB – Read using your eReader or tablet.
- Gradient Reader – Read faster by using color gradients.
- Math Formats - alternative formats for math and science content.
If you are having trouble using text-to-speech technologies with your digital textbooks, try this!
- Install or open Microsoft Edge browser
- Open your textbook in MS Edge
- Use the Read Aloud feature in MS Edge
In the address bar, look for the "A" at the end of the address
- Select from many natural sounding voices.
- Microsoft Accessibility Features
- Accessibility for Everyone - Windows 11 Accessibility
- Transcription using Microsoft Tools
- Office 365 Dictate (requires Internet connection)
- Immersive Reader - Microsoft Text to Speech
- Live Captions for Audio Content
- OneNote Accessibility Features (Immersive Reader, Dictation, Keyboard Shortcuts, etc.)
- OneNote Audio Recording and Video Notes
- Using Read Aloud in MS Edge browser
- Color filters
U of A has many technologies that include an option for using AI in a secure environment. When you log in with your U of A NetID, your data does not train the large language models (LLMs)
Additional Access Tools
- Apps and Plug-ins
- JamWorks (free and paid versions)
- Just Press Record (paid version)
- Live Caption App (subscription fee)
- Maestra (alternate languages, free)
- Chrome Live Caption
- Apple live captions
- Microsoft
Examples for note-taking apps, note that some apps are free while others are fee-based.
- Microsoft OneNote (sign in with your U of A NetID)
- Google Gemini (sign in with your U of A NetID)
- Jamworks
- Just Press Record
- Notability
- Genio
- Evernote
- Due to data security practices, we suggest finding tools other than Otter.ai for your notetaking use.
Listen to digital content including text you have written:
- Review information under Microsoft tools, Apple tools and listening to digital textbooks - these all have options listed that also provide Text-to-Speech.
- Speechify - See information above, free Premium license with your netid@arizona.edu email address
- Balabolka
- Central Access Reader (CAR)
- Thorium Reader (ePub documents)
- NaturalReader
- ElevenReader
- Adobe Read Out Loud
- VoiceDream App
Convert text into a Braille format to be embossed
Software for visual outlining/concept mapping to assist with the writing process
Enlarge the screen for visually impaired individuals with limited speech reading capabilities
- ZoomText
- Sign up for a free ZoomText home license with your University email address.
- Microsoft Magnifer (Ease of Access)
- Mac Vision Tools
- Fusion - JAWS screen reader and ZoomText screen magnification
- Sign up for a free Fusion home license with your University email address.
Color Masking Tools which may make reading on a computer screen a bit easier
Reads all information on the computer screen allowing access for visually impaired individuals
- JAWS
- Sign up for a free JAWS home license with your University email address.
- NVDA (Free)
- Fusion - JAWS screen reader and ZoomText screen magnification
- Sign up for a free Fusion home license with your University email address.
- Microsoft Narrator
- Mac VoiceOver
Speak to the computer to write papers, emails, or control the computer.
- Dragon NaturallySpeaking
- Office 365 Dictate (requires Internet connection)
- Quillsoft - WordQ