Assistive Technology & Devices

Text-to-speech (TTS) is a type of accessibility tool that reads digital text out loud. Students approved for this accommodation through the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office are provided a Kurzweil 3000 account. Students with a Kurzweil account can access Kurzweil in several ways as outlined below:

Kurzweil Online 

• Go to https://www.kurzweiledu.com/default.html  
• Click on the Login in the top right corner and use the login information sent by SAS staff.

Kurzweil Read The Web 

• This is an App/Plugin available for Chrome and Firefox that utilizes Kurzweil to read online content that it identifies as text. Log in using your Kurzweil login username and password. Simply open your browser and install it via the links below: 

• Chrome:  https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/read-the-web/hdgegmlancchhhlkkddoiedlklgocffm  
• Firefox: https://www.kurzweiledu.com/news-resources/software-updates/misc-updates_v15.html  

Kurzweil Software 

• The Kurzweil 3000 software may be downloaded and installed from one of these locations: 

• Macintosh — https://www.kurzweiledu.com/k3mac  
• Windows — https://www.kurzweiledu.com/k3win  

Dragon Software

The Student Accessibility Services office provides access to Dragon speech-to-text software for students approved for this type of accommodation. This software can be utilized within most word processing programs, web browsers, and Microsoft 365 products, which are provided to all Iowa State students.

Microsoft Word Dictation

All ISU students also have access to dictation within Microsoft Word. All Iowa State students have access to Microsoft 365, which includes Microsoft Word. More information on dictating using word can be found on the Microsoft support page "Dictate your documents in Word."

There is a variety of magnification software and equipment available to students with low vision within our Exam Accommodations Center and for classroom use. The software and equipment available through our office is listed below:

• Zoomtext
• CCTV
• JAWS

Note: All exams using any of the assistive technology above must take place in the Exam Accommodations Center.

Students may also choose to use software already available such as Microsoft screen magnifier or zooming on Apple products. ZoomText, JAWS, and Fusion are also available to all ISU students for download onto their own computer. Use your valid Iowa State email on Freedom Scientific's page to dowload a free license for one of these options. 

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) has several types of assistive listening devices available for students with auditory processing disorders or hearing loss. Our two most commonly used devices are Roger Pens and Quattro Pros.

Roger Microphones with MyLink Receivers

These devices connect to headphones or T-Coil enabled hearing aids. It can be utilized during lectures, class discussions, and even hall meetings. To check your hearing aid's compatibility with our receivers, follow the directions below:

1. Go to Roger Configurator
2. Input your hearing aids’ brand, product family, and model. 
3. Under microphone, select Roger Pen (if it is shown) 
4. Under receiver, select Roger MyLink (if it is shown) 
5. This helps us determine whether our current devices are compatible with your hearing aids! If you do not see one or both of these devices when completing this form, please email us with your hearing aids’ brand, product family, and model. 

Quattro Pros

Quattro Pros connect via Bluetooth to a student's computer for live captioning or transcription services.

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides required textbooks in digital or other alternative formats for accessibility purposes to those students who qualify.

This process may take up to a week or more depending on the number of requests we receive, so be sure to submit your requests as soon as you have your textbook information if you are eligible. If you are unsure of your eligibility for this service, email our office at accessibility@iastate.edu or call us at 515-294-7220. 

Requests must be submitted through our Digital Course Materials Request Form each semester.