Apps for Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities
The following is an extensive and meticulously organized list of apps that may be helpful to individuals with dyslexia, parents of dyslexics, or the professionals who work with dyslexics (teachers, tutors, reading specialists, etc.). We carefully consider each app before we add it, ensuring that it claims to help dyslexics in ways that are in line with the evidence on how to help dyslexics. In other words, we add apps that aid with the cognitive processes used in speaking, reading, spelling, and writing, but we do not add apps that are visual aids for reading, because evidence shows that dyslexia is not a visual disability. If you are looking for a specific app, please type its name in the search bar above. If you have questions about our apps list or would like to suggest we add or remove an app, please email us at dyslexiahelp@umich.edu.
Apps Sortable List
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Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Recently featured by Apple, the app Reading Machine takes reading for beginners to a new level. With the overall goal of reducing frustration amongst readers, this app assists in the reading process by modeling how the letters and sounds in a word go together. How it works is that when a child comes to a word he is unfamiliar with and unable to read, he simply types it into the Reading Machine. The app, with a dictionary of over 5,000 words, sounds out the word so that the child can try figuring it out by blending the sounds together to make the word. He can then “ask” for additional help, and the whole word is stated. This strategy helps children become better readers because they are forced to decipher the word instead of guessing or memorizing words that they see. Creators of the app say this is the type of letter-sound skill that the brain needs in order to develop quality reading skills. In addition, this app empowers the reader because it transforms them into a self-teacher of new words. Whether a new reader or a dyslexic, this app allows the reader to enjoy the reading experience without feeling embarrassed by what he doesn’t know. With the Reading Machine in hand, it keeps reading fun and children on track to become advanced readers.
You can download the Reading Machine app for free from the iTunes store. Also, visit the Reading Machine website to learn more about how the app works.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reading-machine-full-install/id368974482?mt=8 -
The Root Words dictionary app helps you in learning English root words to improve your vocabulary. Root Words has all the important Latin and Greek root words along with explanations and examples. The app also lets you quiz your knowledge of root words using multiple choice tests.
This English Root Words dictionary app offers the following features:
- Offline application
- Add important root word to favorite list
- Search using intuitive search functionality
- Flashcards
- Multiple choice tests
- Off line pronunciation
- Add root word to mastered list if you are familiar with that
- After each test, a summary is displayed indicating your marks and percentage
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.praveenj.root&hl=en -
Action Words is an application for iPhone and iPad that teaches beginner readers over 100 action words using real photographs to increase their early vocabulary and improve their writing skills.
Users can select which category of action words they want to work on (emotions, movements, etc) and, within a category, turn action words “on” or “off” so they can monitor how many new words are presented in each round. When the user selects which category he or she wants to work on, an action word appears on the screen accompanied by four photographs. The user must select which photograph best depicts the given action word. There are no hints or penalty for selecting the wrong photograph, the user just keeps guessing until he or she chooses the correct photograph. This application is made to be engaging for its user, so the existing 500 photographs, concepts, and accompanying audio are all customizable. Users can also add their own categories, action words, and photographs.
You can learn more about Action Words at the AppStore.https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/action-words/id511783094?mt=8 -
Build spelling confidence with a mystery
News Bulletin: The Huevos Rancheros Gang stole the gold and they are hiding out amongst the good citizens of Word Town.
Your Mission: Help the sheriff, a friendly and curious little ghost, recover the missing gold and catch the outlaws.
Find the letters you need to solve the word puzzles
- Spelling practice integrated with a rich, immersive game experience
- Record your own words and make your own custom word lists
- Unlimited user accounts - create your own avatar and save your game progress
- 3 skill levels and 2 game modes provide a highly customizable and flexible learning experience for a range of ages
- Optional audio hints speak the words from the selected word list
- Visual hints provide scaffolding for difficult words
- Quirky characters and backstory are revealed as you recover the missing gold and capture the outlaws
- Promotes strategic and critical thinking
https://artgigapps.com/apps/mystery-word-town -
Easy Spelling Aid is a tool to help you spell problematic words. Simply touch the microphone button, say the word or phrase, and receive the correct spelling, displayed in your chosen writing style. The software is designed to recognize a variety of accents and is fine-tuned to pick up on children’s voices. Easy Spelling Aid is suitable for students of all ages.
Easy Spelling Aid Benefits:
- Improves literacy performance and spelling
- Helps with comprehension and vocabulary
- Gives children and adults alike a quick and easy way to find out the spelling of a word without relying on a parent or teacher. As a result, creative thought processes are interrupted less often, allowing for greater creative flow
- Helps children learn homophones and understand word usage by using context to determine the correct spelling of a word
- Assists children and students to become independent writers
- Develops recognition and correct spelling of words in their appropriate context (for example, they’re, their, there)
- Features a History Log with saved spelling results, including translations
http://www.easyspellingaid.com/ -
SightWords free and printable materials are designed to promote learning in the classroom and also at home. They have recently introduced a great new curriculum for teaching Phonemic Awareness (also called Pre-Phonics) to children.
The site's features include:
- A Curriculum covering the full range of Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
- Classroom-tested Lessons based on the latest research, complete with “how-to” videos
- Printable picture cards, word lists, and game boards
- Teaching Tips for tailoring games to the specific needs of your students
http://www.sightwords.com/phonemic-awareness/ -
Ghotit Real Writer assists people with dyslexia and dysgraphia in their English writing and text correction.
The application corrects badly spelled words, confused words, homophones, grammar, and punctuation like no other writing assistance tool and offers advanced word prediction with grammar and phonetics awareness capabilities.
The main features:
- Phonetic and context-sensitive spell checker;
- Word-Prediction with grammar and phonetics awareness;
- Quick-Spell Word-Prediction with instant correction for creative/phonetic writers;
- Advanced grammar and punctuation corrector;
- Effective proofreader;
- Speak as you write (speech feedback);
- Reading assistance with dual highlighting;
- Independent text editor;
- Importing and sharing of text with other iPad applications;
- Integrated dictionaries;
- US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and South African English dictionaries;
- AirPrint compatible.https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ghotit-real-writer/id956782250 -
Write in Style is every writer’s best friend. Smart text prediction helps you write in selectable styles, fast and without typos. Writers and bloggers can write in the style of their favorite authors. How would Jane Austen finish this sentence? How would the president phrase the next few words? Write in Style has the answers!
Write in Style combines the gray text suggestions known from search engines with the simplicity of a free text area. As you write, the next few words are always predicted and laid out in front of you. Arrow keys help you find fitting alternatives and when you’re done, you can export the text directly to your email or wherever you need it.
The best thing is that you can select from a variety of topics, styles and languages to get suggestions fitting your needs:
Available styles: W. Shakespeare, J. Austen, F. Nietzsche, F. Kafka, A. Dumas
Available languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Catalan, Danish
Available topics: Political Speech, Basic.
http://www.gerlingo.com -
Promptoo...The Actor's Toolkit. Bringing the actor's script into the 21st century.
The app help actors to read and learn a script in a more time effective way, specialising in the needs of actors with reading disabilities to help neutralize their difficulties with reading, learning, and rehearsing text.
Promptoo is a valuable aid for any actor, it allows you to customise the entire script; from changing each characters font to adding notes, Promptoo can even read out your script, making learning and rehearsing on your own an easier task.https://appadvice.com/app/promptoo/1140405234 -
Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 7.0 or later.
Created by a doctor to help his son learn to read, this multi-book adventure starts with a few simple words on each page. Gradually the simplistic cartoon façade falls away to reveal a thought-provoking plot that champions loyalty and determination. You can also download books 2 and 3.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spy-sam-reading-book-1-big/id644904139 -
Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.
This app teaches advanced reading and spelling skills to children and adults who struggle in those areas.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/learn-to-read-write-and-spell/id658169485?ls=1&mt=8 -
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Requires iOS 5.1 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
This app introduces letter/sound relationships to help kids with reading.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reading-intro-by-oz-phonics/id564753775?mt=8 -
Requirements vary.
Hemingway is an advanced text editor. It edits documents such as essays, reports, letters, and email messages for grammar mistakes, hard-to-read sentences, uses of passive voice, and much more.
http://www.hemingwayapp.com/ -
Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 6.1 or later.
This app is a powerful, easy-to-use, and fully customizable digital teaching platform for multisensory reading and spelling instruction.
https://www.whizzimo.com/ -
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Requires iOS 3.0 or later.
LockBox lets you store and protect sensitive information such as credit card numbers, bank accounts, passwords, PINs, and more.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lockbox/id285681310?mt=8 -
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Requires iOS 6.0 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
This personal organizer enables teachers to organize classes and track attendance, grades, and behavior of students.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/teacherpal/id389584618?mt=8http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/storykit/i -
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Requires iOS 7.0 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
Groupboard turns your device into a collaborative whiteboard, allowing you to draw and chat in real time with other people anywhere on the Internet, even with users using a web browser. Use it for online tutoring, collaborative design, or just for fun.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/groupboard/id364049817?mt=8 -
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Requires iOS 6.0 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
This app helps teach the proper use of irregular verbs using illustrated flash cards. You can track correct and incorrect responses, receive feedback for these responses, and even print/email/share results.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/irregular-verbs-fun-deck/id468156647?mt=8 -
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Requires iOS 5.0 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
This app contains an American English dictionary and thesaurus with 70,000 audio pronunciations.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/audio-dictionary-wordweb-american/id308587200?mt=8 -
Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Requires iOS 5.0 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
The Idioms app can help users successfully utilize native level expressions.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/idioms/id323375078?mt=8