With the school year still young, now is a good time to discuss assistive technology with your children and their teachers/IEP team. Here are some recommendations for apps to use in schoolwork, project organization, or post-graduation planning.
Recommended Apps
- Genio: For notetaking/recording and on-the-go studying. Visual-minded students can use the Scribble feature to add their own drawings. For those with verbal-comprehension challenges, Genio can create quick transcripts and summaries.
- Goblin Tools: Designed for neurodivergent users, this app can help break assignments into smaller tasks; organize piles of information; or interpret texts and transcripts.
- Goodnotes: One of the earliest note-taking apps, and still going strong. Current features include audio recording and digital notebooks for organizing material. Students who prefer taking notes by hand may need a physical stylus to use with the app. (Styluses cost anywhere from under $20 for basic models, to over $100 for top-quality brand names. Many have assistive features such as pressure sensitivity.)
- Helperbird: Allows users to customize browser-screen views (or audio) to a variety of disabilities, including dyslexia, low vision, and ADHD. Premium features include study tools and digital “sticky notes.”
- Knowt: Popular digital-flashcards study tool: can create cards from notes or videos. Features include AP-exam study guides.
- MagicSchool AI: Top AI platform for educators. Includes features for creating and editing IEPs.
- Microsoft Edge: The default Microsoft Windows browser. Latest features include a .pdf editor and split-screen viewing.
Recommended Apps Lists
- Assistive Technology Apps for Diverse Learning Needs (Five-star apps: Bookshare Reader, Google Calendar, Learning Ally Audiobooks, Morphic, Notability, Otter Transcribe, Read&Write, Speechify Text to Speech, Time Timer.)
- BridgingApps Expansion Project: Caregiving Apps (Five-star apps: Apple Health, Google Keep, If I Need Help, Notes, Pathways.org, Pill Reminder MyTherapy, Simply Sayin’ Medical Jargon, Vroom, Yoga Studio.)
- BridgingApps Expansion Project: Early Childhood Apps (Five-star apps: Baa Baa Black Sheep, Choiceworks, Choiceworks Calendar, Doodle Buddy, Endless Alphabet, Endless Reader, Endless Spanish, Heat Pad HD, Khan Academy Kids, Learn to Read, Monkey Preschool Lunchbox, My PlayHome, My PlayHome Hospital, My PlayHome Stores, Peekaboo Barn, Time Timer.)
- BridgingApps Expansion Project: Education, Productivity, & Organization Apps (Five-star apps: ABC Kids, Calendar, Dollars & Cents Lite, Goodnotes, Google Calendar, Google Keep, Helperbird, Money Up!, Notability, Notes, Reminders, SnapType, Time Timer, Visual Countdown Timer.)
- BridgingApps Expansion Project: Task Analysis Apps (Five-star apps: CanPlan, Choiceworks, Choiceworks Calendar, First Then Visual Schedule, Lil Planner, MagnusCards, Smart Steps Mobile, Visual Schedule Planner, Visual Working For.)
- BridgingApps Expansion Project: Transition Apps (Five-star apps: ChatGPT, Google, Hoopla, Libby the library app, Otter Transcribe, Speechify.)
Thanks to our BridgingApps team members who contributed to the above recommendations:
- Cristen Reat, Co-Founder and Program Director
- Amy Fuchs, Program Manager
- Amy Barry, Digital Marketing Lead
- Tara Rocha, Digital Learning Specialist
And a shout-out to our fellow Easterseals affiliates in the 2026 Expansion Pilot program, for their feedback on the “Expansion Project” lists.