We’ve looked at a few OCR/scanning apps in the past, and for the most part, when we’re asked about OCR and scanning apps, we typically recommend Microsoft Lens or Adobe Scan. But, because we’ve found that different users have vastly different experiences and preferences when it comes to this technology, we thought that it would be worth looking at another top-rated OCR app.

iScanner is a highly downloaded OCR app that is currently charting at number 19 in the “business” category in Apple’s App Store, with Adobe Scan being the only OCR app rated higher. So, why is it that this app in particular is currently the second highest rated scanning app on the market?

• Read More

Now that we are over a month into the 2023 school year, most parents probably have a pretty decent idea which subjects their children are struggling with. And as we’ve stated in previous e-bulletins, the earlier that you can identify and work on the subjects that your child struggles with, the more likely they are to overcome that subject matter without impacting their grades, or perhaps even more importantly, their self-esteem.

Today we are going to look at an app that is designed for students who struggle with (or simply need to review) math. DoodleMaths is a cross platform math app designed for students aged four to 14, and it also provides users with a variety of accessibility options such as audio dictation and colored overlays.

• Read More

These are the universal experiences that invigorate the mind and soul.

The endless joy in hearing your children laugh, noticing the first songbird mark the morning sunrise, or listening to your favourite piece of music.

But what if the freedom afforded by proper hearing was suddenly gone?

• Read More

We covered plenty of learning apps in the past, but here we are again! The truth is there are SO MANY learning apps out there, and what works best for one student may not work for the other. The learning app that we are looking at today has been around for over a decade, and it’s currently topping a lot of “must have” lists around the internet.

SplashLearn is an education app that was designed for students from pre-K to grade 5. With over 4,000 learning games that cover math, reading, and writing, your child will have lots of unique learning opportunities. But, you won’t be finding yourself struggling to figure out what’s next, because SplashLearn offers daily learning plans. The app also has users set up a “profile” for their child during the initial set up, so you’ll be properly guided through this experience from the very start.

• Read More

Today we are going to look at a brand-new app that takes the traditional productivity/to-do list model to the next level. First, what do we mean by a productivity/ to-do list app? The examples are many, and we’ve talked about a few at length. If you haven’t already done so, go ahead and check out Todoist or Microsoft To Do to see an example of what those apps look like. Simply put, these apps are designed to digitize and organize your daily tasks by creating prompts, sending reminders, and connecting your tasks to your calendar.

• Read More

Joined once again by Nakia Singh, we discuss Apple’s new accessibility features, using AI as AT, advances in wearable technology, and more.

• Read More

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used more and more every day to power all sorts of technology, including assistive technology (AT). And while this technology already serves as the backbone of a variety of apps and features that you already use, such as text-to-speech, speech recognition, AI assistants such as Siri, etc., there is another way of using AI that you may not be aware of. Today we are going to talk about AI chat bots, and we’re going to discuss some of the ways in which these open-ended tools could be used as assistive technology.

• Read More

September 30^th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Today we honour the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

• Read More

For many students, essay writing is the most difficult and demanding type of writing they will ever do. This is due to a number of factors, but most students would agree that it’s the rigid structure of the document as well as the requirements for accurately cited references that proves to be especially difficult. For students with learning disabilities, this process can be particularly daunting, since there are so many steps and processes to follow, and for students with mobility challenges who rely heavily on speech to text, having to worry about properly formatted citations could mean hours and hours of extra work.

Essayist is an essay-writing app that is designed to allow students to focus on content rather than format. The app is available for iOS only, but there are Android-based alternatives available.

• Read More