Information Technology partners with Accessibility Services to provide a wide range of assistive technologies. If you are a student who requires any assistive technology, first reach out to Accessibility Services. If you are an employee, a faculty or staff member, who requires any assistive technology, talk to your department head or supervisor and also reach out to the Office of Human Resources.
Jump to: Speech-to-text/Dictation ♦ Text-to-Speech ♦ Digital Books and Document Conversion ♦ Screen Readers ♦ Additional Resources
Speech-to-Text / Dictation
Google Docs Voice Typing
Google Docs has a built-in "Voice Typing" feature that allows typing and editing via voice commands. Note: this feature is only available when using the Chrome browsers. Learn how to type with your voice in Google Docs here.
Mac Dictation & Voice Control
Mac OS and iOS operating systems provide a built-in Dictation tool. This tool is available in the Keyboard settings on any Mac computer, and via the Microphone icon on the iOS keyboard. Learn more about Mac dictation here.
Mac OS Catalina and later contains an additional feature called Voice Control, which lets you control your computer with your voice. For example, you can open an application, dictate, and/or click buttons or menus all with your voice. Learn more about Voice Control here.
Windows Voice Recognition
Windows 10 and 11 have built-in speech recognition. Learn more about Windows voice recognition here.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Dragon provides speech recognition for voice control of computer and voice input. Students can request Dragon as an accommodation through Accessibility Services and employees can request the tool through their department or the Office of Human Resources.
Note: Dragon is currently a Windows-only application and not available for Mac computers.
Text-to-Speech
Kurzweil 3000 and Firefly
Kurzweil is a text-to-speech program with a large set of features that support study skills, reading, and writing. Amherst has a site license for Kurzweil which makes it available to every current employee and student to install on the device of their choice. Get started with Kurzweil.
Mac Speech
Current Mac and iOS operating systems provide a built-in text-to-speech tool, which can be found in the Accessibility settings. Learn more about Mac speech here.
Windows Narrator
Current Windows 10 and 11 operating systems provide a built-in text-to-speech tool called Narrator, which can be found in the Accessibility settings. Learn more about Windows speech here.
Digital Books and Document Conversion
Bookshare
Bookshare provides a large library of accessible books with a choice of digital formats such as audio books and PDF files. The college will enable individual Bookshare accounts for students who are registered with Accessibility Services and have an approved accommodation for alternate format or digital text. Students must also meet Bookshare's eligibility requirements.
HathiTrust
The HathiTrust provides a large library of digital books compatible with text-to-speech tools. Click Log In, select Amherst College as your partner institution, then login using your Amherst College username and password. Access books online through the website. To request files for download, students who are registered with Accessibility Services and have an approved accommodation for alternate format or digital text should email askit @amherst.edu requesting a HathiTrust file and provide the text title, author, and edition or publish date as applicable.
SensusAccess Document Conversion Service
SensusAccess is an e-mail and web-based service capable of automatically transforming documents into a variety of accessible formats, including converting text into an MP3 file. Learn more about SensusAccess here.
Screen Readers
JAWS
JAWS is a screen reader for Windows. Students can request Jaws as an accommodation through Accessibility Services, and employees can request the tool through their department or the Office of Human Resources.
NVDA
NVDA is a free, open-source screen reader for Windows. Individuals can download NVDA here.
VoiceOver for Mac
Current Mac and iOS operating systems provide a built-in screen-reader called VoiceOver, which can be found in the Accessibility settings. Learn more about Voice Over here.