Finding the right tools to support a diverse student body, from those with ADHD and autism to students navigating situational mutism, is often a time consuming and overwhelming task.
As a Student Support professional, you know that every student’s journey is unique. Your priority is ensuring that individual needs are met with precision and empathy, but keeping up with the latest technology and tools can feel like a full-time job in itself.
To support your mission, we've narrowed down the field to 8 essential accessible learning tools, to promote inclusive student success. . Some of these tools are made exclusively for specific learning needs, others have accessibility at their heart but are used by many different students. By leaning into Universal Design for Learning (UDL), students can be provided with a toolkit that fosters independence and reduces the need for reactive interventions.
1. Genio Notes: Making lectures more accessible
For students with ADHD or auditory processing challenges, the cognitive load of listening while writing often leads to burnout, not to mention stress and anxiety from consistently 'feeling behind' in class. Genio Notes helps students access and engage with their lectures, creating a more holistic learning experience all in one platform.
Students can record the lecture while tagging key moments in their notes section. After class, they can generate structured outlines and quizzes to continue their learning. It’s an essential tool for accessible learning, helping all students to access their class content, while also encouraging independent mastery of the material.
2. Antistress: Sensory regulation
Fidgeting is often a prerequisite for focus, not a sign of distraction. Antistress offers a suite of silent, tactile digital fidget toys, from fluid simulations to satisfying textures.
It provides a discreet way for students to stim and regulate their nervous systems during long seminars without drawing attention. Allowing fidget tools allows students to remain engaged, focused and in control of their learning.
For students who are non-verbal or have speech impairments, Proloquo4Text provides a fast, straight forward way to participate in high-level academic debates using a predictive keyboard and ‘Quick Talk’ phrases.
While many AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) tools feel like they were designed for children, often with lots of graphics, Proloquo4Text is built for the literate adult. It’s a text-based app that looks like a standard productivity tool.
4. Genio Present: Conquering presentation anxiety
Public speaking is a major hurdle for many neurodivergent students or those with anxiety, yet it is a critical skill that we often don't prioritize teaching in the same way we do essay writing or research. Many students are left with the impression that presentation dread is simply something they are meant to struggle with.
Genio Present challenges this by acting as a private, supportive rehearsal space. It provides real time feedback on pace, tone, and filler words, allowing students to build confidence in a low-stakes environment. By turning a source of high-pressure anxiety into a repeatable, coached skill, the confidence gained doesn’t just help with one grade, it spills over into every area of their academic and professional life.
5. Tiimo: Digital planner
Tiimo replaces abstract to do lists with a visual timeline, helping neurodivergent or students with executive dysfunction to manage their schedules.
By using icons and visual countdowns, it helps students with ADHD or autism navigate the transition time between classes, which is often where productivity is lost. While built with neurodivergence in mind, it can help all students struggling to adjust to busy college schedules, such as first generation students or those with external commitments.
Emergency chat acts as a communication tool during a crisis for neurodivergent students. Sensory overload can lead to situational mutism or ‘shutdowns’, Emergency Chat is a digital lifeline.
It features a customizable splash screen that a student can show to a professor or bystander, explaining their situation and opening a simple text interface. The app allows students to display a prewritten message to explain what is happening to them, before initiating a chat function so they can still communicate. It ensures that even when a student loses their voice, they never lose their agency.
7. Seeing AI: Accessibility for visual impairments
For students with visual impairments or severe dyslexia, Seeing AI turns their smartphone into a narrator. It reads out physical handouts, identifies objects in a lab, and can even describe the diagrams on a lecture hall whiteboard in real time.
While many students with visual impairments have a keyworker or visual aid, this app helps provide a sense of autonomy and independence whether they’re in class or around campus.
8. Mindomo: Inclusive note mapping
Linear note taking can be a significant barrier for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, or executive function disorders, Mindomo serves as a robust neurodiversity "hub" that transforms how information is processed.
Beyond simple mind mapping, it integrates directly with professional-grade assistive software like JAWS and ZoomText for screen reading and magnification.
By supporting the UDL principle of multiple means of representation, it helps with converting complex lecture topics into visual, color coded hierarchies, reducing the cognitive load and helps students move from a visual ‘brain dump’ to a structured academic paper with ease.
The latest advancements in assistive technology aren't just about keeping up, they are about proactively removing barriers to ensure that every student has an equal opportunity to become a confident learner.
By integrating tools like Genio Notes and Genio Present, into your toolkit, you're providing the infrastructure that makes learning more accessible, intuitive, and inclusive for the next generation of scholars.
