Assistive Technology You Already Have

What is this Page?

You may have contacted SAS or filled out our Self-Id form. You may be here because you had an IEP in high school, or you're simply looking for ways to improve your studies. Whatever your reasons and whatever tools you use, this page is here to educate you on some assistive technology that you already have access to.

Nipissing University provides all students with access to Microsoft Office 365, which includes powerful built-in accessibility features in apps like Word, PowerPoint, and OneNote. We’ll highlight some of those tools here.

We also recognize that most students rely heavily on their phones, so we’ve included useful accessibility features available on both iOS and Android devices.

Note: Assistive Technology may not be appropriate for all courses and classroom setups. Please contact SAS, your Instructor, or both to discuss the appropriate use or challenges you may be having with assistive technology within your course.

Recording Course Content

Once a student has recorded a lecture, the teaching material remains the instructor's property and is not to be distributed unless the professor has otherwise consented. Such recording is allowable under existing Canadian copyright legislation due to the exception of ‘fair dealing.’ For more information about copyright law please visit the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) or view the Copyright Act.

Note Taking

Taking Better Notes

How about starting with learning how to take more effective notes before we get into note-taking tech? Student Learning and Transitions has some excellent resources to help you maximize the notes that you take.

Student Learning and Transitions - Lakers NoteTaking Level Up

Apple Notes

The built-in Apple Notes is a powerful note-taking tool that can make it easy and convenient to make good notes in class. Below are some linked topics that are specific to note taking, however there is much more.

Record and Transcribe audio notes

Math

Graphs

Scan text into Notes

OneNote

Available to all Nipissing University students by logging in with their student MS 365 account see How to access MS 365 for Nipissing Students.

One Note for Computer – 15 Awesome Tips

OneNote for iPad – Maximizing Note Taking

Record Audio in OneNote

You’ll notice that you can transcribe the audio. Unfortunately, the limit is 300 minutes or 5 hours of transcription per month, so it’s not a powerful enough tool for all your transcription needs.

Voice-To-Text (VTT)

Microsoft Word Dictation (VTT)

Apple Dictation

iPhone Dictation

Windows Speech Recognition

Windows offers complete hands-free control of your Windows computer, including dictation into multiple document platforms.

Mac Voice Control

Mac also offers complete hands-free control of your Mac computer, including dictation into multiple document platforms.

Text-To-Speech (TTS)

Immersive Reader and Read Aloud (TTS)

Use Word to proofread your work before you submit it or to read documents that you’ve been provided.

Import a pdf into Word

Got a pdf instead of a Word Document, no problem. Word can import the PDF and then use the Immersive Reader for your TTS. You can even make changes and then save the PDF.

Adobe Read Aloud

Don't want to import into Word, Adobe Reader has a simple TTS built-in.

Microsoft Lens

If an Instructor hands you a paper copy or if you’re out and about an need some assistance reading something. Microsoft Lens is a free app for your phone that can take a cropped picture of a document and use the built-in Immersive Reader.

You can also send the document photo to OneNote.

Personal FM System

Live Listen for iOS

If you have an iPhone, you can turn on Live Listen to turn your phone into a personal FM system. The phone can connect to your hearing aids or headphones and the microphone will broadcast the voice to your ears. The phone is a boundary microphone and does it’s best to remove background noise, so placement of your phone is key to better audio quality.

Live Listen with Headphones

Live Listen with Hearing Aids

Captions

Google Chrome Live Captions

If there is a video that you've been assigned to watch that does not have Closed Captions, you can use Google Chrome Live Captions to automatically create captions. Live Captions will even work on your Instructor speaking in class, although distance from your computer and background noise may cause more inaccuracies more often.

Microsoft PowerPoint Captions

If you are presenting to the class or recording your presentation, why not turn on Captions in Powerpoint. You can even send the link to your Instructor so that they can turn on their captions when they present to the class. 

Microsoft Captions

Similar to Google Chrome Live Captions, except this is built into Windows. If there is a video that you've been assigned to watch that does not have Closed Captions, you can use Windows Live Captions to automatically create captions. Live Captions will even work on your Instructor speaking in class, although distance from your computer and background noise may cause more inaccuracies more often.

Apple Live Captions

Use your iPhone to caption the Instructor or videos that you're viewing on your phone.

Additional Paid Options

Note Taking

Rocketbook

Converts handwritten notes to digital with reusable notebooks. You can learn more on the Rocketbook website.

Glean

Syncs lecture slides to audio recordings and transcribes audio to text while also having the option to type notes.

There is a cost associated with Glean, although you can try it for free for 30 days on the Glean website.

Jamworks

Jamworks generates a complete set of text and audio notes automatically, empowering students to engage with learning rather than experience stress and anxiety about using technology to keep up with notes.

There is a cost associated with Jamworks, but you can try it for free on the Jamworks website.

Dictation

Dragon Anywhere Professional-grade Mobile Dictation