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 8.01 Gold
- Mind Genuis
- Punctuate and Punctuate Editor
- SuperNova 7
- Inspiration 8
- CMap Tools 4.03
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.
JAWS is not a networked application. 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.
ZoomText is not a networked application. 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.
Kurzweil 3000 is not a networked application. To use this software, please email library@cardiff.ac.uk, or get in touch with your library's Disability Contact.
TextHELP Read & Write 8.01 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, Internet Explorer and GroupWise.
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 network applications 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.
Once installed a number of video tours of the software are available from C:\program files\Texthelp Systems\Read And Write 8\Video Tours
TextHelp Read & Write Gold is a networked application and can be accessed via any networked computer on campus. Select Start, Networked Applications, Assistive Software, Texthelp Read & Write 8.01 Gold
HTML Guide to Texthelp Read & Write 8.01 Gold
Mind Genius
MindGenius is an assistive software tool that makes use of mind mapping techniques to aid communication, organisation and memory skills.
MindGenius is a networked application and can be accessed via any networked computer on campus. Select Start, Networked Applications, General Software, Assistive Applications, Mindgenius.
Punctuate and Punctuate Editor
This application is designed to assist with the learning of punctuation.
Punctuate is a networked application and can be accessed via any networked computer on campus. Select Start, Networked Applications, Assistive Software, Punctuate.
SuperNova 7
SuperNova 7 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 7 a networked application and can be accessed via any networked computer on campus. Select Start, Networked Applications, Assistive Software, Supernova 7 Installer.
Inspiration 8
Inspiration 8 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 8 is a networked application and can be accessed via any networked computer on campus. Select Start, Networked Applications, General Software, Concept & Mind Mapping, Inspiration.
CMap Tools 4.03
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 is a networked application and can be accessed via any networked computer on campus. Select Start, Networked Applications, General Software, Concept & Mind Mapping, CMap Tools 4.03
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 3 - 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.
JISC TechDis offers further guidance and links to useful online and free resources for disabled users.