Skip to main content

Assistive Technology

AccessibleNU makes more broadly used assistive technology tools, such as Read&Write, Snap&Read, and SensusAccess available to the entire campus community via site licenses. When more specialized assistive technology is required as an accommodation, AccessibleNU provides access to registered students. 

Please contact AccessibleNU to schedule an appointment with Jim Stachowiak if you have further questions.

 

Examples of software and equipment

  • Text-to-speech software (Read&Write, Snap&Read)
  • Note taking tools (Echo Smartpen, Aegir Smartpen, Sonocent Audio Notetaker)
  • Speech-to-text software (Dragon Naturally Speaking, Dragon Dictate)
  • Screen-enlarging software (ZoomText)
  • Screen-reading software (Jaws)
  • Accessible textbooks
  • FM assistive hearing devices
  • Braille translation software and embossers
  • CART and other captioning

This is not an exhaustive list and AccessibleNU will work to obtain needed technology that would not be considered a personal device.

Texthelp's Read&Write for Education

Northwestern has purchased a site license of Texthelp's Read&Write for Education tools. Anyone with a Northwestern NetID can access to use these tools. These tools allow students to have digital text (Word, HTML, PDF, ePUB) read aloud while offering various annotation support to improve the learning experience across platforms. Here are the tools available through Northwestern's license:

OrbitNote 

Texthelp's OrbitNote is a cloud-based PDF reader accessed via your browser. This powerful study tool allows students to:

  • Listen to text in a PDF
  • Highlight text in a PDF and move it into another document for note taking purposes
  • Annotate a PDF via highlights, underlines, text, notes, etc.
To use OrbitNote:
  1. Visit the OrbitNote site (orbit.texthelp.com)
  2. When prompted to sign in, choose the appropriate method (Google = Students, Microsoft = Faculty and Staff) and enter your Northwestern email and password.

OrbitNote Help

OrbitNote is easy to begin using. Texthelp provides a series of videos on using OrbitNote and its features to help students maximize it's effectiveness.

Note: OrbitNote can only read text-based PDFs. Should OrbitNote not be able to read your document, try converting it with SensusAccess first.

Read&Write Desktop

The Read&Write desktop software reads text aloud within text editors, PDFs, and online. This software is a toolbar that sits on top of the screen and works within other software programs on the computer. Read&Write Desktop is helpful if you are wanting to use the tool within several different types of documents. If you are primarily reading PDFs, OrbitNote offers a smoother interface. To obtain Read&Write, complete the following steps:

  1. Access the 30 Day free trial from Texthelp by clicking "Try Read&Write" and choosing your desired operating system.
  2. Follow the prompts to load the trial on your computer
  3. When prompted to sign in, choose the appropriate method (Google = Students, Microsoft = Faculty and Staff) and enter your Northwestern email and password. Once you've signed in with your Northwestern credentials you have access via our site license

Read&Write Desktop Help

Texthelp produces several videos that can help users understand how the different tools within Read&Write work. 

Texthelp also offers free courses on specific aspects of the Read&Write Gold tools for those wanting more in depth training.

Read&Write for Google Chrome

Read&Write for Google Chrome is a Chrome extension toolbar that provides text reading and learning support tools within the Chrome browser.  This is most helpful on Canvas, Google Docs, and websites. 

To obtain Read&Write for Google Chrome, complete the following steps:

  1. From a Chrome browser, visit the Texthelp free trial page.  
  2. Click "Try Read&Write" and choose "Chrome".
  3. Follow the prompts to load the extension into your Chrome browser
  4. When prompted to sign in, choose the appropriate method (Google = Students, Microsoft = Faculty and Staff) and enter your Northwestern email and password. Once you've signed in with your Northwestern credentials you have access via our site license

Read&Write for Google Chrome Help

Texthelp provides a series of videos on Read&Write for Google Chrome and it's features to help students maximize their experience.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Jim Stachowiak at james.stachowiak@northwestern.edu or 847-491-2960.

Snap&Read

Northwestern has purchased a site license of the Snap&Read extension for use by anyone with a Northwestern NetID. Snap&Read works with both the Chrome Browser as well as via an iPad app. This tool provides users the ability to:

  • Select text to be read aloud on websites and PDFs (including inaccessible PDFs)
  • Highlight and annotate PDFs
  • Remove distractions from web pages
  • Adjust readability of text by replacing difficult words with easier to understand
To launch the extension, go to snapandread.com, click SIGN IN, Click Sign in with Google, and enter your Northwestern credentials.