Accessible reading materials
Having text and books read on the iPad
Reading iBooks and the Internet - Speak selection accessibility feature on the iPad.There are several free iBooks available or schools may wish to purchase some for students who use devices to read.
Reading longer documents/Books - Voice Dream - There is a free version to try or there is a cost for the full version. This app will read/play various formats including MP3, PDF, rtf, doc, as well asepub books from ibooks, the free Gutenburg library and google drive through this app. Free books can be loaded to a google drive folder from AERO (alternativeresrouces.ca) for students who qualify and played in this app and opened in Voice Dream.
Scan Paper article to read - Paperport Notes with speak selection (free) or Prizmo (there is a cost to purchase Prizmo). If using an iPad 2 the camera will not take a high quality image and text recognition will be poor in any of the scanning apps. On iPad 2s, the best way of getting text to the iPad continues to be the photocopier and opening it from first class or a google drive folder as we often do with the computers.
Making PDFs Readable - what is OCR? Some PDF files including files from the photocopier are not readable with speak selection in ibooks or in voice dream or a PDF reading/writing app such as Claro PDF. They require an “Optical Character Recognition” layer. Opening the PDF in Prizmo first and then sending the document to your app of choice (e.g. iBooks, voice dream, Claro will make a readable file. There is a cost for Prizmo.
Audio Books - Overdrive (free) allows users to load free audio books using a local public library card. Audio files can also be loaded free from AERO and played in voice dream. Audio books can also be loaded free or purchased through itunes and read on the device.
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Word Processing with Supports and Writing on PDFs
Word Processing with voice to text - Pages (free with newer iPads and ios7 update) and keyboard mic (iPad 3, air and mini) and speak selection for editing. Other great free options, especially for iPad 2 users, include paperport notes or Dragon that will allow the students to do voice to text.
Word prediction and talking word processor - iWord Q (there is a cost to purchase this app). Students can write using word prediction. The words or sentences are read as the student writes. Voice to text can be used as well with the keyboard mic (ipad 3, air and mini) or pasted from dragon.
Alternatives to written work - Audio recordings can be taken in paperport notes for free. Explain Everything is also a great alternative to written work as it allows audio recordings along with text, picture, and drawing options. Explain Everything, as all apps with the keyboard, will also allow the user to do voice to text with the keyboard mic (ipad 3, air and mini).
Writing on a PDF - PDF files can be opened from the internet to Paperport notes (free) or sent to paperport notes from a first class attachment or a google drive. Paperport notes will allow the student to type, draw and insert pictures on the PDF. The file can be saved or printed. The sent PDF will not be readable in paperport notes even if it is scanned in an OCR scanning app such as Prizmo.
Reading and Writing on a PDF - Caro PDF is a paid app that will allow a student to read and write on a PDF. Many PDFs will need to be sent to Prizmo first for the “OCR” layer before claro can read them.
Graphic Organizers/Mind Maps- Popplet or simple mind
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From Paper to the iPad
Scan Paper article to read - Paperport Notes with speak selection (free) or Prizmo (there is a cost to purchase Prizmo). If using an iPad 2 the camera will not take a high quality image and text recognition will be poor in any of the scanning apps. On iPad 2s, the best way of getting text to the iPad continues to be the photocopier and opening it from first class or a google drive folder as we often do with the computers.
Scan directly to the iPad or open an electronic PDF and Write on the PDF only (no reading support)
Directly from a free PDF scanning app such as Faster Scan HD and then sent to Paperport notes from the pdf scanning app. On iPad 2s the worksheet may need to be scanned into a photocopier and then opened from first class or google drive into Paperport Notes.
Scan directly to the iPad or open an electronic PDF to read a PDF and write on a PDF
Scanning can be done directly from Prizmo (paid app) with an iPad 3, air or mini. On an iPad 2 or if scanning to the iPad is difficult for staff and students use a PDF from the photocopier and open it from first class or google drive into Prizmo. After the electronic document is sent to Prizmo send it to Claro PDF to be read and written on. *Note: A free PDF annotation app such as Paperport notes will not read the file, even if it has been scanned in Prizmo first.
*A note about other “OCR” scanners. Many of the paid scanning tools will use optical character recognition but the file will lose it’s formatting. Paperport notes will do what many of the paid apps do for free. To maintain formatting for an OCR scan Prizmo and Read Iris are the only ones I have found.
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Making the Tech tool Connection - From the computer to the iPad
This chart connects commonly used computer programs including Premier, kurzweil, and Dragon with similar iPad apps and features.
Computer Program / iPad Apps/FeaturePremier Talking Word Processor / iWordQ
Dragon / Keyboard Mic, Dragon, or Paperport Notes
Premier Talking Pointer or e-reader / Speak Selection
eText Reader/PDF Equalizer/Media player / Voice Dream
Premier Tools Worksheet Wizard / Prizmo + Claro or Claro only if the PDF has the OCR layer (i.e. PDFs from EQAO website)
Multi Media and word processing Programs such as Smart Notebook, Talking Word Processor, Word Perfect, and open office. / Pages with speak selection or Explain Everything, paperport notes
Smart Ideas / Popplet or Simple Mind
Shared Drive and H Drive / Google Drive Private and shared folders
Overdrive - Library Audio Books / Overdrive - Library Audio Books
For further information visit edublog.amdsb.ca/STAR
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