Executive Functioning and Assistive Technology
Executive functioning (EF) deficits, common in ADHD/ADD individuals, can cause havoc! Here is a variety of Assistive Technology (AT) to help manage EF disorder. These can be used in both the traditional school and homeschool environment.

Assistive Technology for Executive Functioning Disorder
- Learning Ally Link (Mac, PC, iOS, Chrome)
- Kindle Fire and Immersion Reading (see e-text highlighted while listening to narrated audio book)
- Audible app (Mac, PC, iOS, Android, Windows Phone)
- Overdrive Media Console (borrow digital audiobooks and e-books from local libraries)
Resources for Alternatives to Printed Text - Electronic Text (E-text) and Narrated Audiobooks
- Bookshare (e-text) – eligibility required and this can be done through the school and/or medical doctor
- Learning Ally (formerly Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic) (audiobooks, some with e-text) – eligibility required
- National Library Service (audio materials) – eligibility required
- Amazon Kindle (e-text) – also see Immersion Reading in “Listening to Recorded Audiobooks”, above
- Audible (audiobooks)
- Blio (primarily e-text in a proprietary reader)
- CourseSmart (e-text in a proprietary reader)
- Project Gutenberg (e-text)
- NIMAC (e-text) – materials must be secured by a school; not available to individuals
- Check local digital libraries (e.g., Northern California Digital Library) to borrow downloadable audiobooks via Overdrive Media App or other platforms
- Check individual publishers for accessible online or e-text versions of textbooks
Simple text-to-speech, E-readers with text-to-speech and other tools
- TextAloud MP3 (PC)
- GhostReader (Mac)
- NaturalReader (Mac & PC)
- VoiceOver and Speak Selected Text (included in Mac operating system)
- Speak Selection and Speak Screen (included in iOS)
- Speak command for Microsoft Word (PC)
- Read2Go (iOS app for Bookshare books)
- Voice Dream Reader (iOS and Android app for Bookshare books and other text)
- GoRead (Android app for Bookshare books)
- Darwin Reader (Android app for Bookshare books)
- iBooks (Mac, iOS) – use device’s built-in text-to-speech
Read, Write, and Study Software Suites
- Kurzweil 3000 (Mac; PC)
- Read and Write (formerly Read&Write Gold) (Mac & PC)
- Read and Write for Google (Chrome extension) – for use in Google Drive on Mac, PC, Chromebook
- WYNN (PC)
- ClaroRead (Mac & PC)
- SOLO Literacy Suite (Mac & PC) – comprises four interrelated applications: Read:OutLoud, Draft:Builder, Write:OutLoud, and Co:Writer
- Read:OutLoud-Bookshare Edition (Mac & PC)
- Premier Literacy Productivity Suite (Mac & PC)
Graphic Organizer and Mind Map Software
Outlining and mapping software can help students organize ideas for writing, take notes while reading, break a large project into smaller individual tasks, understand broad concepts or complex processes — any information that benefits from a structured framework and clarifying the relationship between the whole and its parts.
- XMind (Mac & PC)
- Free Mind (Mac & PC)
- MindMeister (iOS, Android, Chrome, online)
- Mindomo (Mac, PC, Linux, Chrome, online)
- MindMup (online)
- LucidChart (Chrome, online)
- MindNode (Mac, iOS)
- SmartArt Graphic organization layouts built into Microsoft Word (2007 and later)
- Graphic organizer tools also included in some literacy software such as SOLO (Draft:Builder), Kurzweil 3000, and Read&Write (Fact Mapper)
Speech recognition (speech-to-text)
Also see MathTalk and SpeakQ, below, for other software that employs speech recognition.
- Dragon Dictate (Mac)
- Windows Speech Recognition (included in Windows operating system)
- Dictation and Dictation Commands (utilities built into Mac OS)
- Dragon Anywhere (iOS, Android) – syncs custom words and macros with some Dragon desktop editions
- Voice Typing (Google Docs on Chrome browser)



PDF Annotation
Type on PDF version of the worksheet, quiz, or other handouts vs. writing by hand.
- Preview annotation toolbar – annotate PDF documents (included in Mac OS)
- Skim – free PDF reader with annotation tools (Mac)
- Acrobat Reader (Mac, PC) – PDF reader w/ annotation tools, markup
- FoxIt Reader – PDF reader with annotation tools (PC)
- PDF Reader tool in Read&Write for Google (Chrome extension) and Read&Write-WIndows (PC) – PDF reader with text-to-speech and annotation tools
- PDF-XChange Viewer – annotate PDF documents (PC)
- ClaroPDF-Accessible Pro and ClaroPDF Lite – PDF reader app w/ annotation tools; Pro has text-to-speech (iOS)
- PDF Expert – PDF reader with annotation tools, text-to-speech (iOS)
- Kami (formerly Notable PDF) – PDF reader with annotation tools (Chrome)
- SnapType for Occupational Therapy – simple app to snap photo and annotate (iOS)
Assorted Reading & Writing Supports
Supports for spelling, grammar, word choice, reading level, and visual readability.



- Visual Thesaurus – visual word map (online, Mac & PC)
- Ginger – contextual spellchecker (online, PC)
- Ghotit – contextual spelling/grammar checker with word prediction, other supports (Mac, PC, iOS, Chrome, Android, Linux)
- Grammarian Pro2X – grammar and spelling checker (Mac)
- Co:Writer – standalone word prediction with topic dictionaries (Mac, PC, iOS, Chrome)
- WordQ – word prediction, word lists, abbreviation/expansion (Mac & PC)
- Clicker 7 – custom onscreen keyboards, talking word processor, word prediction, more (Mac & PC)
- Clicker Apps: Sentences, Connect, Docs, Books – each app focuses on a key Clicker 7 feature (iOS)
- DocsPlus – word banks, talking word processor, word prediction, mind mapping (online, Mac & PC)
- BeeLine Reader – text color gradients aid visual tracking, improve reading speed, reduce the reading effort
- Mercury Reader – reduces webpage visual clutter for distraction-free reading (Chrome)
- Reading Focus Cards – virtual index card-like reading guide to aid visual focus (Mac, PC)
- Rewordify – automatically defines, or substitutes simpler words in place on webpages
- Snap&Read Universal – text-to-speech, convert the image to text, and text leveling (simplify difficult words) (Chrome)
Taking Notes & Organizing Notes
- Microsoft OneNote – digital notebook (PC, Mac, iOS, Android, Chrome, online)
- Growly Notes – digital notebook (Mac, iOS)
- Evernote – digital file cabinet (online, Mac, PC, iOS, Android)
- Livescribe smartpens – pens link recorded audio to handwritten notes (works with Mac, PC, iOS, Android depending on model: Echo, Sky Wifi (discontinued 2016), Livescribe 3)
- IRISPen – handheld scanning pen captures print text, transfers to a computer (Mac & PC)
- C-Pen – handheld scanning pen reads print text aloud, defines/translates words, captures print text for transfer to a computer (Mac & PC)
- Notebook Layout w/ Audio Notes – link recorded audio with typed notes in Word (included with Microsoft Word for Mac 2008 & 2011 only)
- Sonocent Audio Notetaker – software integrates audio recording, notes, slides, images, and annotations (Mac & PC)
- Sonocent Recorder – a companion app to Audio Notetaker; record and annotate audio (iOS, Android)
- AudioNote – multi-functional notetaker app (iOS, Android, Mac, PC)
- Notability – robust notetaker app (iOS, Mac)
Math & Science Notation, Graphing & Drawing
- MathType (Mac & PC)
- MathMagic (Mac & PC) and MathMagic Lite (Mac, PC, iOS, Android)
- EquatIO (Chrome)
- FX Equation (Mac & PC)
- FX Graph (Mac & PC)
- FX Draw (Mac & PC)
- FX Chem (Mac & PC) – type chemical equations
- McGraw-Hill Virtual Manipulatives workspace (online)
- Kidspiration-Math View (Mac & PC)
- FX ChemStruct (Mac & PC) – type chemical structure diagrams
- GeoGebra (Mac, PC, iOS, Chrome)
- Desmos Graphing Calculator (iOS, Android, Chrome, online)
- Desmos Test Mode (iOS) – restricted test-safe version of Desmos
- MathTalk (PC)
- Panther Math Paper (iOS)
- ModMath (iOS)
- InspireData (Mac & PC)
-
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (online, Mac, PC)
Math Problem Solving and Processes
- Algebra Touch (iOS)
- Long Division Touch (iOS)
- Math 42 (iOS)
- Esa Helttula Math Apps (iOS)
- Khan Academy (online)
Assorted Aids for Managing Digital Distractions
- Isolator – dims, blurs, or hides all but frontmost window to reduce visual distractions (Mac)
- HazeOver – dims or hides all but frontmost window to reduce visual distractions (Mac)
- Dropcloth – dims or hides all but frontmost window to reduce visual distractions (PC)
- ScreenRuler – dims entire webpage except for movable horizontal reading ruler to aid visual focus and tracking (Mac & PC)
- Screen Masking tool in Read&Write for Google – dims entire webpage except for movable horizontal reading ruler (Chrome)
- Screen Masking tool in Read&Write – dims entire webpage except for movable horizontal reading ruler (Mac & PC)
- Mercury Reader – reformat “main article” text on webpage, removes visual clutter (ads, images) (Chrome)
- Simplify Page tool in Read&Write for Google – reformats “main article” text on webpage, removes visual clutter (ads, images) (Chrome)
- AdBlock – browser extension prevents ads from loading to webpages (Safari, Chrome browsers)
.
- SelfControl – restricts access to selected websites for preset times (Mac)
- StayFocusd – restricts access to selected websites for preset times (Chrome)
- Cold Turkey – restricts access to selected apps, websites for preset times (Mac, PC)
- RescueTime – tracks time on apps, websites (Mac, PC)
- Text Mode – replaces webpage images and videos with gray rectangles for uncluttered, text-only reading (Chrome)
Assorted Aids for Attention and Executive Functioning
- VibraLite – watches with multiple customizable vibration alerts
- WatchMinder – watch with multiple customizable vibration alerts, messages
- Reminders – simple but capable to-do list with alerts included with Macs and iOS devices
- Octopus by Joy – icon-based task scheduler watch designed for young kids (iOS, Android
- DropTask – visual task manager app (online, Mac, PC, iOS, Android)
- Trello – visual taskboard for managing tasks and workflow (online, iOS, Android)
- Assignment Calculator – break down large projects into manageable chunks (online)
- Research Project Calculator – break down large projects into manageable chunks (online)
- CoPilot – breaks assignments into a sequence of tasks and schedules them on calendar according to learning style and study preferences (online)
- 30/30 – task timer app employs a modified very of the Pomodoro Technique (iOS)
- Brili Routines – “routine manager” with prompts to assist staying on task (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Pebble, online)
- Wunderlist – task manager app (online, Mac, PC, iOS, Android)
I hope this post has been helpful. I hope I supplied you with useful information on assistive technology and how it can help children with executive functioning issues. Please take the time to click on the links in the post as it contains the reference material used to write this post along with affiliate links to products that may be of interest to you. As always, you are welcome to join us for more discussion on assistive technology and/or executive functioning at our FB group, IEP/504 Assistance for parents of public school students from all over the United States.
Parent Alliance for Students with Exceptional Students (PASEN) is meant purely for educational or medical discussion. It contains information about legal or medical matters; however, it is not professional legal or medical advice and should not be treated as such.
Limitation of warranties: The legal and medical information on this website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied. PASEN makes no representations or warranties in relation to the legal or medical information on the website.
Professional assistance: You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal or medical advice from your attorney or medical provider. If you have any specific questions about any legal or medical matter, you should consult your attorney or medical service provider.