During my senior year of high school, I was selected as one of three students to give a presentation on educational technology to my school district, with a special focus on assistive technology and apps that help students with low vision in the classroom. Even though I gave this presentation back in 2015, I’m still using all of these apps in college and beyond, and continue to recommend them today. Here is a list of five apps that help students with low vision in the classroom that I recommended many years ago and that was one of my original blog posts in 2016.
Notability
I was introduced to the Notability app by the educational technology specialist at my second high school, and it was an instant game changer for completing science labs and assignments. I find it easier to carry my iPad around the classroom compared to a laptop, and Notability allows me to edit and annotate Word and PDF copies of assignments downloaded from the class website or a shared folder with my teacher, giving me options to type, draw, dictate, or write answers on assignments using a stylus or finger. I found it easier to write answers for my chemistry assignments with Notability on my iPad compared to a computer, because I could adjust the viewing angle under the bifocal lens of my glasses more easily and use different colored ink to label different sections of equations.
The Notability app is free, though there is a paid subscription available as well, and available for iOS devices.
Related links
- Notability and Low Vision Review
- Five Apps I Use In The Science Classroom As A Low Vision Student
- How I Use Microsoft OneNote With Low Vision
- How I Organize Digital Files For My Classes
- Common File Types For Vision Impairment and Print Disabilities
myScript Calculator
The myScript calculator application is one of the first accessible calculator applications I ever tried out and is probably my most-used calculator option. Instead of having a user input values using a keyboard or by pressing on-screen buttons, myScript allows users to draw or write out equations using a stylus or their finger, and displays the answer in large print, and is also a viable option for students with dysgraphia. This is the calculator app that was approved for use on my personal iPad for Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL) standardized exams, as well as for the SAT and ACT exams. The myScript Calculator costs $2.99 and is available for iOS and Android devices.
Related links
- Five Accessible Calculator Apps For Low Vision
- My Favorite Free Math Websites For Low Vision
- SOL Test Accommodations And Low Vision
- How To Use Guided Access For Testing And Exams
- Assistive Technology For Dysgraphia
PicsArt
I’ve been using PicsArt for years now, as it is a free photo editing software with multiple features and editing capabilities for manipulating images. I prefer to use it on my iPad over computer-based photo editing applications, because I can align the screen under the bifocal lens in my glasses and more effectively use magnification tools to enlarge the different buttons on the screen. PicsArt does not require an account to use, but the free version of the app does have some ads, which can be turned off by turning off the device’s wifi connection.
Some examples of ways I’ve used PicsArt in the classroom include:
- Adding colored filters over images or adjusting contrast
- Creating images that simulate my visual impairment
- Editing images for class projects
- Creating drawings and diagrams
- Adding colors and other overlays to images
Related links
- Using PicsArt To Simulate Low Vision
- Using The iPad Markup Tool With Low Vision
- How To Create Accessible Diagrams For Low Vision
- How To Modify Anatomy Diagrams For The Visually Impaired
- How To Modify An Instrument Fingering Chart For Low Vision
Clarisketch
Clarisketch is a free Android and Chrome OS app that allows users to create their own short tutorial videos (up to two minutes in length) by taking a picture or background and drawing on top of it while speaking. After creating their Clarisketch, users can share a link to their final product, which can be opened in any web browser and does not require a Clarisketch account.
Clarisketch is free and available on Android only, though I have also linked the similar Shadow Puppet app.
Related links
- Clarisketch App For Low Vision Review
- Creating Video Tutorials With The Free Shadow Puppet App
- Choosing A Tutor For Low Vision Students
- Tips For Screensharing With Low Vision
Amazon Kindle
I use the Amazon Kindle app for all of my textbooks because of the large text sizes and because a lot of my books have built-in support for text-to-speech, which can be used with the Amazon Echo Dot/Amazon Alexa. Users don’t have to purchase content from Amazon in order to read it in the Kindle app- I email files to my Kindle by sending an email with no subject line and the supported file attached.
To find your Send to Kindle email address, go to Manage Your Content & Devices> Preferences > Personal Document Settings.
Related links
- How To Request Accessible Textbooks In College
- How Amazon Alexa Can Help You Study For Exams
- How Amazon Alexa Can Help You Read
- How Amazon Alexa Can Help With Online Learning
More apps that I wish I had access to as a high school student with low vision in the classroom
- Why Every Student Needs Microsoft Office Lens
- ScanMarker Air: OCR Scanner Pen for Low Vision
- Socratic App Accessibility Review
- How I’m Using My eReader To Support Virtual Learning
- Ways I Use My Google Chromecast For Virtual Learning
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
