Sign-up at least 14 days before your exam (applies to all timed assessments)
Assistive tools and apps can help reduce barriers to learning and support your academic success. Any McGill students can benefit from the assistive software, apps, and resources shared below.
Students who have an academic accommodation plan may have access to additional assistive technology resources through Student Accessibility and Achievement.
Software, Apps, & Extensions
Text-to-Speech Support(Web Extension)
| Text-to-speech (web extensions) | MyCourses quiz compatibility (Without lockdown browser) | MyCourses quiz compatibility (With Lockdown Browser) |
|---|---|---|
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Readerview (Chrome Extension) Use this to simplify the presentation of online text, invert colours, change spacing and font sizes. This tool estimates the remaining reading time of the time required to complete the reading is generated. Use the text-to-speech feature to follow along with the highlighted text. |
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Read Aloud (Chrome Extension) Use this to: Extracts the text from the main window and displays it in a teleprompter-style side window. Choose from many high-quality voices. |
✓ | |
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ChromeVox (Chromebook Extension) Text-to-speech extension for Chromebooks/Chrome |
✓ | ✓ |
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Immersive Reader (Microsoft Edge Built-In) Simplifies a webpage layout, removes clutter, and lets users customize their reading experience in Windows 10/11 |
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Firefox Reader View (Firefox Built-In) Strips away clutter like buttons, ads, background images, and videos, and allows for customization of layout and theme to fit reading preference |
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Kurzweil Read the Web (Kurzweil Web Extension) Extension that allows web content to be read aloud |
✓ |
✓ |
|
ReadSpeaker TextAid (Web-based Extension) Listen to documents, dictate text, check writing, download audio files, translate, look up text, collaborate with others, take tests* |
✓ |
✓ |
Text-to-Speech Support (Software)
| Text-to-speech (Software) | MyCourses quiz compatibility (Without lockdown browser) | MyCourses quiz compatibility (With Lockdown Browser) |
|---|---|---|
|
NVDA (Windows) Screen reader that allows for ease of access and interaction with the Windows Operating system and many third party applications. |
✓ |
✓ |
|
VoiceOver (Mac) Built-in screen reader on MacOS (Free) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Balabolka (Windows) Free text-to-speech software that allows you to save text as an audio file. (Free) |
✓ | |
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Texthelp's Read&Write (Windows/Mac) Software and extension for both text-to-speech and speech-to-text (Available on Windows, Mac, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, iPad, Android) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Speech on MacOS Text-to-speech embedded in MacOS with customizable keyboard shortcuts and other options (speaking rate). (Free) |
✓ |
✓ (Limited) |
|
Spoken Content on MacOS Text-to-speech built in on MacOS (Free) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Natural Reader (Windows and Mac) An online tool that allows you to upload text and documents and convert them to mp3. ($ - free with limited functions) |
✓ |
✓ (Limited - instructor initiated) |
|
Text-to-Speech Software using human-like voices ($ - with free trial) |
✓ |
TBD |
Writing Support
- Grammarly - a free extension for your browser that corrects spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.
- MerciApp - looks, feels, and functions very much like Grammarly, but for French.
- Microsoft Word and pages both offer an Outline View that helps you jot down keywords, organize them into a structure and reorganize them into a coherent document.
- Activate more grammar checking features within Microsoft Word.
- Word365 offers the “ideas” tab that can help refine your writing by highlighting issues of clarity, conciseness, and conventions.
- A free 30-day demo version of WordQ is available for download. This software allows a text-to-speech readout of the work you have written. It can help you hear certain syntax errors and identify unclear or wordy sentences. The Word Prediction feature helps you minimize spelling errors and may increase typing output by reducing the number of keystrokes necessary to type words.
- Cordial - French grammar corrector.
- BonPatron - Helps you correct your French texts.
Free versions of software I use at Student Accessibility and Achievement
The following vendors are providing extended free trials of licenses based software:
Reminders and Focus
- MacOS - talking alerts, calculator, clock, reminders app
- Windows 10 – built-in focus assist reduces pop-up notifications
- Windows 10 – visual notifications instead of sound
- Apps
- Site Blockers
- Freedom ($) - Windows, Mac, iOS and Android
- Self-Control (Mac) - Leechblock (Firefox & Chrome)
- Leechblock (Firefox & Chrome)
- StayFocusd (Chrome)
- FocusMe ($)
- BlockSite (Chrome)
Dictation Support
- Mac: Enable the dictation feature (the shortcut is Fn-Fn).
- You can also enable Voice Control for dictation
- Word365: a microphone icon within the toolbar allows you to dictate using your computer’s microphone. Try using earbuds with a built-in microphone for better results. Learn more about Word365's Dictation feature.
- Speech Notes (Chrome)
- Dragon Dictation - also available for iPhone/iPad and on GooglePlay.
Scanning
Keeping Files Organized
- MacOS: Color tagging your important files
- Windows: Everything
- Bear
- Evernote
- Microsoft OneNote
Annotating PDF Documents
- Drawboard
- PDF Annotator
- MacOS : Annotate within Preview
- PDF Expert ($)
Calculators
- Myscript calculator
- Windows 10 built-in scientific, programming and date calculator
- iPhone built-in scientific calculator
- EquatIO - easily add equations to documents
McGill Libraries
Some libraries feature adapted workstations equipped with scanners, screen readers, large print software, and other assistive software. Consult the list of adapted workstations and available software.
HathiTrust Digital Library
Find digital versions of thousands of books currently only available as hard copies in our libraries. To access the HathiTrust, login with your McGill email and password.