Dyslexia Apps For Mac

  
Dyslexia Apps For Mac 7,1/10 2148 votes

Mar 01, 2017

Learning Tools for OneNote - Top Dyslexia apps of 2016 - Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide, leading Dyslexia authors and researchers Students spend so much energy decoding that they can't focus on content. Today Microsoft released a great addition to its free organization – productivity app OneNote – and the two nicest things about itit’s Free and it was created with students and adults with dyslexia in mind. As a result, Dyslexic Advantage is proud to announce that Microsoft’s OneNote Learning Tools is our first Top Dyslexia App. Amazing App My 9 year old son loves this app. They have wonderful games to help with his dyslexia. I feel it's really making a difference in helping him learn to read better, without mixing up the letters as much. It's the one 'homework app' he begs to play. The only thing missing is a multi-user feature.

Students with dyslexia face special challenges with school and homework that can include staying focused, difficulty processing sounds and visuals, more difficulty with math than their peers and trouble staying organized and on task. Parents need all the help they can get without breaking the bank. One great tip is to find apps that help your child succeed academically, but which are the best apps for your child’s struggles?

See our list of affordable apps that can specifically help students with dyslexia overcome challenge:

Aug 25, 2016  In apps where Accessibility Checker has been available for many years such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint for PCs, we are making it easier to discover and use. Accessibility Checker can be run from the Review tab of Office for Mac apps. Export as tagged PDF from Word for Mac and more. Aug 08, 2014 The apps and services mentioned above are just some of the dozens of tools that can help people with dyslexia and I would encourage people to explore other options as well. The accessibility of Apple products and the accessibility of other related apps are such an indispensable tool for me in school and at home.

The following apps are for enhancing Study Skills

Quizlet

This top education app allows students to create their own flashcards for thousands of subjects. Users are required to sign up for a free account at Quizlet.com. From there, you can create study sets by typing words or even adding images or audio. This teacher-friendly resource is easy to use and engages students in multiple ways (text, audio, visual, games), making it a top choice for students with dyslexia.

  • Useful for learning languages
  • Test prep for exams like the SAT’s
  • Learning proper pronunciation & memorization
  • Useful on the go & can be used offline
  • Students can play a game of Match against the app (a great activity for visual learners)

Quizlet is available for free on iTunes for iPhone and iPad, and on Google Play.

Explain Everything

This app, recommended by the International Dyslexia Association, provides a collaborative white board that allows students to study, design and share slides for just about any school subject. This is also a great tool for homeschoolers, special ed and learning support teachers, and subject teachers, who can share notes and visual diagrams with their students or to the Explain Everything Discover content portal. Teachers can even create interactive templates for students.

  • Can integrate color, shapes, text, math equations, videos, images and audio files
  • Images can be rotated, sorted, flipped, etc. & recorded and played back to give students a personalized study tool
  • Includes a laser pointer tool and the capability to import lots of different file types, including PDFs, HTML and movies
  • Students can also import their own presentations & create a movie they can customize by adding notes, images and highlights

Available for iOS, this app has two version, VPP for $15.99 and Classic, for $5.99. VPP also has real time collaboration and cloud and link-based sharing, for schools and others.

The following apps are for enhancing Math Skills

Photomath.net

This app allows students to take a photo of math problem to get instant and step-by-step solutions. It is not designed for math past high school, but is a simple, easy-to-use program. After taking a picture of your problem, Photomath provides both the solution and a detailed list of steps to help students figure out how the answer was derived.

Supports:

  • arithmetic, integers, fractions, decimal numbers, roots, algebraic expressions
  • linear equations/inequations, quadratic equations/inequations, absolute equations/inequations, systems of equations
  • logarithms, trigonometry, exponential and logarithmic functions, derivatives and integrals

Available on both iTunes and Google Play, this free app offers in-app purchases.

ModMath

This free app for iPad allows kids to write or speak out math problems. Designed for kids who need help with handwriting, it provides both a touchscreen for math problems as well as voice recognition.

  • It does basic math, multiplication, square roots, fractions, long division, variables & complex algebraic equations
  • Designed to be a “virtual piece of paper.” Students can share files to print, email and DropBox
  • Specifically designed by the developers for their dysgraphic son & directly addresses your student’s challenges
  • Users can make in-app purchases, such as buying additional symbols (pi, infinity, currency, etc.). Future updates are being developed, which may incur a nominal fee

Available on iTunes, this free app offers in-app purchases.

The following apps are for enhancing Mind Mapping

MindMapper

This is the must-have tool can help students with dyslexia coordinate their thinking. Students can also sync it to their PC with MindMapper software that must be purchased separately, however, the apps are free to download.

Mac
  • MindMapper converts maps to linear outlines and vice versa
  • It features quick, simple mapping and scheduling, which syncs to DropBox
  • It also has a planner that users can sync with Google Calendar. This is handy to help students plan for finals and major exams, create a project and schedule it from start to finish or just organize to-do lists

This mind mapping tool available for both iOS and Android.

Inspiration Maps VPP

Inspiration Maps allows users to build diagrams and graphic organizers.

  • Users can add in a variety of elements, like images from a library or URLs
  • Students also can select a built-in template or create their own, allowing them to write, take notes, plan and customize their maps
  • Can convert outlines into diagrams and vice versa
  • Inspiration Maps allows your student to share his work to apps like DropBox or AirDrop and to other PC and Mac software from Inspiration

Available for purchase for iPad and iPhone, this app has been recommended by the International Dyslexia Association. You can try out Inspiration Maps first, for free, to create up to 5 documents and test its functionality before purchasing the full version. Inspiration also makes a Kidspirations Maps app for iPad for ages 4 and up.

The following apps are for enhancing Writing

Page English Grammar & Spell Checker + Translator

Kids with dyslexia struggle to write properly. Page by Ginger Software is a tool that can help with spelling and grammar but it offers so much more.

  • It provides users with contextual definitions and synonyms
  • Gives users “smart” suggestions on a better ways to rephrase a sentence helping students improve their writing skills
  • Translates 50 languages
  • Page also has a text reader, making it ideal for dyslexic students

Available for purchase on both iTunes and Google Play, and offers a keyboard app for Android. Also available as a free browser extension for Windows or Mac.

Ghotit Real Writer

Dyslexia

This app is specifically designed for people with dyslexia and dysgraphia.

  • Employs an intelligent contextual spell checker, which is optimized for users with various learning disabilities, making its function easier to understand
  • Spell check algorithm is far more detailed to help these readers
  • Corrected word options are also defined and students can tap to have the word and definition read aloud
  • Also features intelligent word prediction, integrated text to speech and an integrated dictionary

Ghotit is available for iPhone, iPad and Android for a flat fee of $99, or a monthly subscription of $29. (Mac and Windows versions are offered as well.)

The following apps are for enhancing Reading

Endless Reader

Endless Reader can help beginner readers learn sight words. Designed for preschoolers, kids interact with cute monster icons.

  • Words are pronounced and demonstrated by the word itself moving around the screen (i.e., the word “ball” bounces)
  • Words are also inserted into sentences
  • While intentionally designed without competitive games, Reader does use word puzzles to enforce word definition and usage
  • For iPhone 6s and 6x Plus users, letters and words react in a special way

Endless Reader is free to download for both iOS and Android with 6 sight words available. In-app purchases of Reader Packs or Bundles are available for $5.99 or 11.99, or download all the packs for $29.99. The parent company, Originator Kids, has numerous Endless series apps, including Endless Spanish and Endless Alphabet.

Learning Ally

Learning Ally provides kids access to 80,000 audio books and textbooks. These audiobooks can help any struggling reader.

  • Users can browse their book catalog, which allows you to filter by category, subject and grade (1 to 13)
  • Membership also gives you access to their community of parents
  • If the fee is a burden, Learning Ally has a Fee Waiver Application for Individual Membership for whole or partial annual fee reduction for some who qualify
  • Learn more and sign up at LearningAlly.com

Available for both iOS and Android, this app is free but requires annual membership, currently $135 per year.

Wrap-Up

These are some of the top apps that can help your student with dyslexic thrive in school. Most are affordable or at least let you sample for free before investing. What other apps do you use that have helped your child? Connect with us on social media to tell us your answers: Facebook or Twitter

Gina Badalaty

Gina Badalaty is a lifestyle blogger for moms raising kids with special needs. She is passionate about living a nontoxic life, inclusion for kids with disabilities and technology to help kids thrive.

Featured On:

The #1 and most Complete Parental Control Solution for all your devices

  • Block unwanted and inappropriate web content
  • Manage Screen Time and mobile Apps
  • Create schedules and curfews

And much more..

Learn More

Dyslexia is probably the most common language-based learning disability in the world. In fact, 70-80% of people we consider to have poor reading skills are probably dyslexic. People with dyslexia have trouble reading and writing fluently, but it doesn’t mean that they are less intelligent.

Now, Microsoft adds dictation to Office web apps to help with dyslexia so dyslexic people can write more effectively instead of typing. This is great news for dyslexic students who have to write essays and papers but can’t get to write down their thoughts coherently or dyslexic working people who are having trouble making reports because of their disabilities. Voice dictation coming to Microsoft Office provides dyslexic people with the opportunity to read and write coherently despite the disability. Not only does it help improve their school or work performance, it also boosts their confidence.

How’s that for “regressive”?? Affinity photo apps for mac IMO, it does not get any more 'regressive' than that.The EULA for Serif’s “legacy” applications for Windows allows two installations but does not permit them to be run concurrently. As if that were not sufficiently restrictive, the secondary installation must be on a portable computer, and that copy may only be run by the primary user of the main computer. How’s that for “regressive”??Pretty good, I think, & that is for a Windows-only app!It has been too many years since I had to deal with this stuff on our Macs to remember all the details, but at one point we had 3 networked Macs in our home.

Microsoft has enabled voice dictation for Microsoft Desktop Office users earlier this year. As of now, voice dictation is available to Word and OneNote. And in the next few weeks, Microsoft will bring dictation to Office web apps. This means that dyslexic people can use dictation, using the browser versions of both Word and OneNote. Aside from people with dyslexia, voice dictation will also help people with mobility issues and dysgraphia (inability to write coherently).

This move is part of Microsoft’s campaign to build a better future for those with learning disabilities such as dyslexia. In an announcement posted last week, the Microsoft Education Team said:

“That is why today, we are honored to be the first company to sign the Made by Dyslexia pledge: to give the 700 million people with dyslexia around the world access to technology that empowers them to excel in their academic journey, and in life.”

Microsoft pledged to expand access and facilitate ease of implementation of tools, training materials, research and products that support dyslexic students. Aside from Word and OneNote, voice dictation will also spread to other Microsoft Office tools such as PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook sometime in 2019.

Microsoft will also be adding a real-time translation feature to the web versions of Word, OneNote and Outlook, as well as OneNote for Mac, iPad and Windows 10. This translation feature will be able to translate words, sentences, and even full pages of text from one language to another. Word and full page translations will be rolled out this Fall, while sentence translations will follow a few weeks later. The Microsoft Translation tool will be available in Immersive Reader, along with some cool Math features.

Take note that this feature works only for Office 365 subscribers. If you’re using an older version of Microsoft Office, you might need to upgrade to be able to use this feature.

To use voice dictation on Word, follow these steps:

Dyslexia Apps For Mac And Cheese

Make sure that your microphone is turned on and that it is working fine. If you’re using a Mac, go to System Preferences > Dictation & Speech. For Windows users, right-click the volume icon on the Taskbar and click Sounds. In the recording tab, you should see green bars rising as you speak, which means that the microphone is working properly. If you don’t see the bars moving, it means that your microphone is defective. To fix common problems on your PC, you can use an app such as Outbyte PC Repair . It scans your computer for issues and deletes junk files to improve your device’s performance.

  • Sign into your Microsoft 365 account.
  • Go to the Word application.
  • Click Home and find Dictate or look for the microphone icon.
  • Wait for the microphone icon to turn red. Red means it’s turned on.
  • Start speaking clearly. As you talk, you should be able to see what you’re speaking appear in your document.
  • Enunciate your words clearly so that the microphone can pick up exactly what you’re saying. To insert punctuation, just say the name of the punctuation mark you want to add. For example, say “Comma” if you want to add a comma to the text. You can also use Period, Question mark, Exclamation point, Exclamation mark, New line, New paragraph, Semicolon, Colon, Open quote, Close quote, Open quotes, and Close quotes.
  • If you want to edit your sentence or delete some words, just move the cursor to the part where you made the mistake and fix it using your keyboard. You don’t need to turn off the microphone to do the editing.
  • When you’re done with your document, just click the Dictate button again to stop typing.

The voice dictation works with English for now, but Microsoft is working to make the feature available for other languages such as French, German, Italian and Portuguese. You also need an internet connection for this feature to work.

This move to improve Office web apps to help people with dyslexia will certainly help people with learning disabilities save time and produce better results.

Dyslexia Apps For Mac Download

A Computer Engineer by degree and a writer by profession, Cathy Trimidal writes for Software Tested and Outbyte. For years now, she has contributed articles focusing on the trends in IT, VPN, web apps, SEO, and digital marketing. Although she spends most of her days living in a virtual realm, she still finds time to satisfy her infinite list of interests.