Assistive software
Information Services provides a range of specialist software to enable users to carry out their work and access the resources they need:
- JAWS (Job Access With Speech)
- ZoomText Magnifier
- Kurzweil 3000
- TextHELP Read & Write Gold
- Mind Genuis
- Punctuate and Punctuate Editor
- SuperNova
- Inspiration
- CMap Tools
In addition, users can also download freely available online software to use in their study, research or work. Please note that this software is not centrally supported by Information Services.
JAWS (Job Access With Speech)
JAWS will read aloud information on the screen. It can be used with the Windows desktop, the Internet and standard software including word processors, spreadsheets and databases. JAWS can be customised to allow the selection of different voices and reading speeds.
To use this software, please email library@cardiff.ac.uk, or get in touch with your library's Disability Contact.
ZoomText Magnifier
Zoomtext Magnifier can enlarge the screen image up to 16x without altering the appearance of the document. It can magnify all or specific sections of a document.
Other options allow you to change the colour and font of both the text and background. It can also read information on the screen aloud.
To use this software, please email library@cardiff.ac.uk, or get in touch with your library's Disability Contact.
Kurzweil 3000
Used in conjunction with a standard scanner, Kurzweil 3000 displays, highlights and reads aloud scanned material on-screen.
This software is particularly useful for those with dyslexia, sight and learning difficulties. It is intended to improve reading speed and comprehension.
To use this software, please email library@cardiff.ac.uk, or get in touch with your library's Disability Contact.
TextHELP Read & Write Gold
TextHelp Read & Write Gold is a comprehensive literacy support tool which uses a simple to use toolbar that floats on top of any open Windows application. This allows for seamless integration with applications such as Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer.
The software provides speech, spell and homophones checking, word prediction, a daisy reader, a dictionary, a word wizard, scanning and optical character recognition, an mp3 speech maker, a pronunciation tutor and a fact finder.
When installed Read & Write will also add TextHelp's PDFAloud toolbar to Adobe Acrobat Reader, allowing any PDF file to be read aloud at the click of a button.
It will also install TextHelp's Study Skills toolbar into your PC's Microsoft Word startup directory.
Once the application object has been run from the network, a Windows shortcut to the TextHelp Read & Write Gold software will be placed on your desktop and also in the Programs menu available from Start. To be able to make full use of the software’s scanning and OCR functionality you will need to run the software from one of these shortcuts.
TextHelp Read & Write Gold can be accessed via any networked computer on campus.
HTML Guide to Texthelp Read & Write Gold
Mind Genius
MindGenius is an assistive software tool that makes use of mind mapping techniques to aid communication, organisation and memory skills.
MindGenius can be accessed via any networked computer on campus.
Punctuate and Punctuate Editor
This application is designed to assist with the learning of punctuation.
Punctuate can be accessed via any networked computer on campus.
SuperNova
SuperNova is a screen reading and screen magnification product. It also provides:
- a Windows interface colour changer
- various accessible mouse pointers
- mouse, cursor, line and focus highlighting
SuperNova can be accessed via any networked computer on campus.
Inspiration
Inspiration creates 'graphic organisers' to visualise ideas, concepts and relationships.
Once created, the visual representations can be transformed into text outlines ready for export into Microsoft Word.
Inspiration can be accessed via any networked computer on campus.
CMap Tools
Cmap Tools allows users to construct Concept Maps which are graphical representations of knowledge that are comprised of concepts and the relationships between them.
CMap Tools can be accessed via any networked computer on campus.
Other online software
Users may download other third party software that provides tools and features they may require. Please note that this software is not supported by Information Services.
Disabled users may find the following software useful:
- MyStudyBar - provides access to a number of open source and free tools to help with reading, writing, and study skills.
- Natural Reader - text to speech conversion that can be run within programmes.
- ScreenTinter LITE - easily change the text and background colours in any document or webpage.
- SayPad - text to speech conversion for large volumes of text, including MP3 conversion.
- Desktop Zoom - portable magnifier that works from a USB drive.
- Accessible PDF - a free programme to customise the colours and fonts within a PDF.
- LetMeType - word prediction software.
- Audacity - records, imports and edits audio files.
- Click-n-Type - onscreen keyboard with word prediction and completion.
- Robobraille - e-mail service which can convert digital text documents into Braille or audio files.
- Dragon Dictation app for iPhones and iPads - Dragon Dictation is an easy-to-use voice recognition application powered by Dragon NaturallySpeaking, available free from the iTunes apps store.
- Optelec Magnifier app for iPhones - The Optelec Magnifier app turns an Apple device with an on-board camera into a powerful low vision solution; the app is available for free from the iTunes apps store.
JISC TechDis offers further guidance and links to useful online and free resources for disabled users.