AT Tools for Writing

AT for the Mechanics of Writing

Listed below are some general accommodations for writing mechanics that may be considered as potential assistive technology solutions by a team. In many cases, links are included to provide examples of a product or device that incorporates the feature. This information is provided for reference only. Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) does not endorse any particular product, program, or curriculum.

• Abbreviation expansion: replaces abbreviations with full words/phrases and can replace misspellings automatically

  • Google Docs Spell-Check and Autocorrect 

  • Microsoft Office Autocorrect Options 

• Adapted or alternative pencils/pens: offers a variety of sizes, colors, grips, line weights (darkness), etc. to produce written work

• Alternative pencils: provide access to the 26 letters of the alphabet in a manner other than a traditional writing tool or keyboard
  • ​Alternative Pencils 

• Math notation: provides an alternative to paper-and-pencil for producing math work

  • Equatio

  • Math Paper 

  • MathTalk 

• Pre-written words/phrases: serve as a model for spelling and vocabulary – may be used as an alternate pencil

• Word walls: serve as a model for spelling and vocabulary

  • Reading Rockets Word Walls 

• Dictionary/thesaurus: support spelling, grammar, and vocabulary use

• Speech recognition software: offers students the ability to dictate text into a word processor

  • Dragon NaturallySpeaking 

  • Microsoft Speech Recognition 

  • Voice Typing in Google Docs 

• Spelling/grammar checker: support spelling, grammar, and vocabulary use

  • Ginger 

  • Ghotit 

• Talking/printing calculator: announces key labels and functions as they are pressed, reads calculations, and/or outputs calculations to a document or paper tape

  • Independent Living Aids Calculators 

  • MaxiAids Talking Calculators 

• Talking word processor: states letters, words, sentences, and/or paragraphs when they are typed and/or selected

  • Kurzweil 3000 

  • NaturalReader 

  • Read&Write 

  • Write:Outloud 

• Word prediction: provides suggestions for spelling, grammar, and/or vocabulary as letters are typed

  • Co:Writer 

  • Sooth Sayer 

  • WordQ 

AT for the Organization of Writing

Listed below are some general accommodations for written organization and executive function that may be considered as potential assistive technology solutions by a team. In many cases, links are included to provide examples of a product or device that incorporates the feature. This information is provided for reference only. Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) does not endorse any particular product, program, or curriculum.

• Graphic organizers: provide cues for the structure or purpose of a specific writing task

  • Differentiated Visual Tools 

• Multi-featured graphic word processors: provide structure to a writing task by presenting customized keyboards, word lists, phrases, and/or pictures to the student

  • Clicker 

  • First Author 

• Writing templates: organize the physical space on a page and/or the basic elements of a specific kind of document

  • EdTech4Beginners Free Downloadable Writing Templates 

  • Microsoft Office Templates & Themes 

• Handheld scanners: allow a user to look up definitions of a typed word and/or capture the word/phrase for use in a word processing file

  • C-Pen 

• Proofreading tools: suggest corrections to spelling, grammar, and style – often include other features such as text-to-speech or word prediction

  • Ginger 

  • Ghotit 

  • Grammarly