A significant number of students entering higher education in the United Kingdom manage dyslexia, a learning difference that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word recognition and spelling. While universities offer support services, navigating the vast array of available technology can be daunting. Fortunately, a variety of software, apps, and browser extensions are available to assist with reading, writing, and note-taking, with many offering free access or significant discounts for students. This article details the types of assistive technology available, focusing on tools that can help dyslexic students manage their studies more effectively, based on information from specialist resources.
Reading and Literacy Support
For students whose primary challenges lie in reading fluency and comprehension, several technologies are designed to make text more accessible. These tools often utilise text-to-speech functionality, specialised fonts, or structured reading programmes.
Audiobooks and Text-to-Speech Tools
Access to audiobooks is a cornerstone of support for many dyslexic students. Bookshare is a platform that provides free access to hundreds of thousands of audiobooks for individuals with reading barriers, including dyslexia. Users can customise their reading experience with eBooks in audio, audio with highlighted text, and other formats. The platform offers over 751,300 textbooks, bestsellers, and other materials (Source 3).
OverDrive is another platform for accessing eBooks and audiobooks. Students can sign up using their local public library card to read books for free (Source 3). Learning Ally provides free access to audiobooks and educational resources specifically designed for students with reading difficulties. It offers tools and support for both educators and families, and its content includes thousands of human-read audiobooks, such as bestsellers, literature, and textbooks. Features for dyslexic users include speed control, bookmarking, highlighting, and note-taking. Learning Ally is available as a browser extension and as mobile apps for Android and Apple’s iOS (Source 1, Source 3).
For general text-to-speech functionality, Microsoft’s Immersive Reader is a free tool that reads text aloud in multiple languages and is designed to improve learning for students with dyslexia and dysgraphia. It can be used as a Google Chrome extension (Source 1). Read&Write for Google Chrome is another extension that allows users to personalise documents, webpages, and files in Google Drive to be more accessible. Its features include text-to-speech with dual-color highlighting, text and visual dictionaries, dictation, predictive text, collective highlighting, voice notes, and distraction-free ad removal (Source 1). ReaderSpeaker TextAid allows students to listen to an audio version of assignments, textbooks, and other written materials while following along with highlighted text. It also includes writing support, speech-to-text and text-to-speech features, and tools to reduce distractions, like reading masks and customizable text settings. A 14-day free trial is available, followed by a subscription of £4.90 per month (Source 1).
Specialised Fonts and Readability Tools
Visual presentation of text can significantly impact readability. Several tools are available to modify fonts and page layouts.
OpenDyslexic is a free, open-source font for Chrome that increases readability for those with dyslexia. This Google Chrome extension overrides all fonts on webpages with the OpenDyslexic font and formats pages to be more easily readable (Source 1). Dyslexia Friendly is a free Google Chrome extension that replaces the font on websites with OpenDyslexic or Comic Sans for easier readability. It also provides contrast between paragraphs and includes a highlighted bar to help users stay on the correct line while reading (Source 1).
Other commercial font options include Dyslexie, a font specifically designed to make letters more distinguishable and reduce flipping or blurring. Pricing for Dyslexie products ranges from £4.99 to £49.99 per month depending on the product (Source 1).
Postlight Reader is a free tool that allows users to view only the important content of a site by blocking ads and all other distractions. It also enables adjustments to the text and the ability to send articles to a Kindle device (Source 1). ATbar is a free toolbar that combines many accessibility tools. It is available for most browsers and allows users to change the look and feel of webpages, including font size, have text read aloud, use coloured overlays, and access a dictionary, spell check, and word prediction (Source 1).
Writing and Note-Taking Assistance
Challenges with dysgraphia, which affects handwriting and spelling, can be addressed with technology that supports the writing process from planning to final output.
Word Prediction and Grammar Support
Co-writer uses AI word prediction to help with grammar and sentence curation to assist students with writing difficulties (Source 1). Clicker and Docs Plus are literacy support software packages that use word prediction, images, speech feedback, a talking spell checker, and planning, structuring, and editing tools to support students with learning disabilities (Source 1).
Note-Taking and Organisation
For students who struggle with traditional note-taking, several apps offer alternative methods. SnapType lets students take a photo of a worksheet and type their answers directly onto it, reducing the need for handwriting (Source 1). Livescribe Smartpen captures both writing and audio simultaneously, allowing users to revisit their notes and listen to the corresponding audio recordings. It also uses speech-to-text technology and dyslexia-friendly fonts (Source 1).
Fireflies ai notetaker helps to record, transcribe, and summarize lessons (Source 1). For organising thoughts, mind maps are a valuable tool. Coggle is a free online mind-mapping tool that helps students visually organise ideas in a continuous, branching flow (Source 1). MindNode Next is an iOS app designed for children with dyslexia and ADHD to help collaborate with others and brainstorm (free with in-app purchases) (Source 1). Mindomo is a software that offers AI-powered generation for mind maps, outlines, and charts, with a free plan available (Source 1). Popplet is a mind-mapping tool that helps students organise their thoughts through bubbles representing ideas, images, and notes, with a free option available (Source 1).
Spelling and Literacy Practice
For targeted spelling and literacy practice, Dyslexia.ai is a free app available on iOS that offers short and simple games to help improve literacy skills, including targeted exercises for reading, spelling, phonics, rhyming, and vowel sounds. A premium version is available for £49.99 per year (Source 1). Nessy offers free learning resources for kids with dyslexia to practice their reading and writing (Source 1). Sir Linkalot is an app that moves away from rote repetition, instead helping children learn to spell through patterns of letter combinations (links). This approach is noted as being particularly effective for children with dysgraphia or dyslexia (Source 1).
Structured Reading Programmes and Apps
Some students benefit from structured, multisensory reading programmes. Orton-Gillingham (OG) Reading Programs and Apps offer structured, explicit, and multisensory reading apps tailored to students who struggle with reading (Source 1). Readability Tutor is a reading app based on Orton-Gillingham principles, offering structured, personalised reading support to build fluency, comprehension, and confidence. It adapts to each student’s reading level and provides real-time feedback. A 30-day free trial is available, followed by a subscription of £19.99 per month (Source 1).
Important Considerations for UK Students
When seeking out these technologies, it is crucial for students to check their university’s accessibility or disability support services. Many UK universities have site-wide licenses for software such as Read&Write or MindView, which can be accessed for free by registered students. Furthermore, students should always verify the terms of service and pricing, as offers can change. For tools that require a subscription, students should look for educational discounts, which are often available but not always prominently advertised. The information provided here is based on specialist resources, and students are encouraged to consult directly with official provider websites for the most current details on pricing, availability, and free trials.
Conclusion
A wide range of free and low-cost assistive technology exists to support dyslexic students in their university studies. From audiobooks and text-to-speech tools to specialised writing aids and mind-mapping software, these resources can help level the playing field by addressing specific challenges related to reading, writing, and information processing. By exploring options like Bookshare, Learning Ally, OpenDyslexic, and mind-mapping apps such as Coggle, students can find the tools that best suit their individual needs and learning styles. Proactive engagement with both university support services and these available technologies can significantly enhance the academic experience for students with dyslexia.