Assistive Technology

Apps for Android devices

Many learners can become more independent with the use of Assistive Technology, a variety of Apps are available on Android devices. Apps can:

- Read text aloud

– Convert speech to text

– Convert photographed text to be read aloud

There are many different Apps in the market, some better than others. Apps are constantly in development so it is worth trialling different ones, or going back to previously trialled ones to see if improvements have been made.

Using Assistive Technology in the classroom can become a learner’s ‘normal way of working’ for Access Arrangement purposes, should the learner be eligible.

Talk FREE is useful for reading web pages and easy to use

- Written notes can be saved as a WAV file (audio)

- It does not read PDFs or WORD documents

@Voice Aloud Reader can read PDFs and WORD documents

- Can be a bit ‘hit and miss’ for reading web pages

Text Fairy can scan (photograph) text to be converted into speech

- It cannot read handwriting

N.B. an internet connection may be required to gain full use of some Apps

Apps can be downloaded from Google Play Store.

I have suggested some Apps (below) that I have tried out on an older Samsung device. The instruction listed, therefore, may be slightly different on other android devices.

Manufacturers of Apps often have instructions available for download from their websites. I've given some guidance below, but please check out their websites for more information, different browsers may work differently. Check that you have a speech engine installed first (TTS). Tap on Apps, then settings. Scroll down (left) to Language and Input. Scroll down (right) and tap Text-to-speech options. Language and speech rate can be altered to suit personal preference. Download your chosen App from Google Play Store.

Talk Free - reading web pages

For Chrome browser:

•Load the web page and tap on the three dots to the right of the search bar

•Tap ‘share’ and select Talk Free

For Internet browser:

•Tap the menu icon at the bottom of your device

•Tap the 'Share via' icon

•Tap the play button

•The web page is also saved in you reader list. Tap on the Talk FREE app to access this

Talk Free - note-taking

•Tap on the Talk FREE icon

•Tap on the plus icon

•Type your notes

•Tap on the play icon to have your notes read back to you

•Notes will be stored in your reader list

•Notes can also be saved as a WAV file. Tap the three dots at the top right of the screen and select the App you wish to store them to e.g. Play Music

Text Fairy

•Tap the camera icon (top right)

•Photograph the text to be read

•Tap save (bottom right) click

•Crop the image if needed

•Choose whether you want the text presented in 1 or 2 columns

•Access ‘speak text’ by tapping (top right)

@Voice Aloud Reader

•Open a WORD document or PDF file from ‘my files’

•Tap @Voice add to list

•Tap @Voice icon

•Tap the file icon to view reader list

•Tap on the file to be opened