5. Study hacks

Note: The comparison below is between this text and the current version of the text from which it was adapted.

additions / deletions

 	
Productivity = flexibility
 	
Tools for all
 	
Text-to-speech
 	
Speech-to-text
 	
Extract text from an image

Productivity = flexibility
Several tools created to enhance online content accessibility have gained widespread adoption among various user groups. Companies market these tools as versatile productivity aids. Using these tools can be a great way to hack your studies.

 Disability-led innovations for the masses (YouTube, 18m 35s) demonstrates how accessible technologies have been at the forefront of digital innovation for decades, and how current assistive technologies can help us predict the future of computers.

https://youtu.be/D-hPct3oIow

When you search 'productivity tools' on a search engine, you'll discover various apps and programs tailored to assist in different aspects of life. Technologies originally designed to be assistive can have major benefits for everyone. These tools can assist us with everyday tasks, such as reading and taking notes, providing a flexible approach to how we work and study. Why not try out some of these tools to see if they improve your productivity?
Tools for all
Many operating systems, both for computers and mobile devices, come with inbuilt features designed for accessibility which can also be used as productivity tools. For more about these in-built features see the Apple accessibility and Windows accessibility pages.

Most browsers also have a number of accessibility options that users can change to suit their needs. There are also lots many browser extensions available to improve web accessibility. ATbar is an example of this kind of extension which has a host of accessibility features. It enables you to magnify text, alter the color contrast of a webpage, and even have passages read aloud, eliminating the need to adjust settings for each web page individually.
Text-to-speech
Some people find it easier to absorb information when it's read aloud, prompting the inclusion of text-to-speech tools in various programs. Unlike screen readers, these tools specifically read designated text rather than the entire screen, making them more user-friendly and accessible. They vary in features such as the amount of text read at once and the sources they can read from, including documents.



Tool
Platform
Charles Sturt specific information
Features


 

 

NaturalReader

 

 
Browser based
The Accessibility & Inclusion Team loan this software to eligible students.


 	
Online tool with option to download software version to Windows or Mac
 	
Allows for import of different document formats




SelectionReader
Google Chrome



 	
Browser extension for Chrome which reads highlighted text aloud
 	
Will read out large amounts of text




Select to Speech




 	
Accessibility feature on Android devices that speaks text selected by highlighting
 	
Reads aloud text scanned to OCR using the device's camera





Speech-to-text
Many smart assistants such as the Google Home and Amazon Echo use voice recognition functions to identify users and personalise their experiences. It's also one of the key ways that certain groups of people interact with their digital devices.



Tool
Platform
Charles Sturt specific information
Features


Dictation
Mac (also available for IOS)



 	
In-built tool in Apple products that translates speech to written text
 	
Works for text messages and documents




Dictation
Windows



 	
In-built tool in Windows PCs that translates speech to written text
 	
Works for documents and Windows program




Voice Typing
Google Docs



 	
Uses speech recognition to type into a Google document
 	
Great for collaborative work and when on the go




Dragon

 
Windows, Mac, iOS and Andriod
The Accessibility & Inclusion Team loan this software to eligible students.


 	
Expensive tool with lots of premium features
 	
Allows for workflows completely controlled by voice





Extract text from an image
Sometimes text is contained in an image. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software can extract the text from an image and convert it into editable text that you can copy or read aloud.



Tool
Platform
How to use it


Copyfish
Brower extension:

 	
Chrome
 	
Firefox




 	
Open the image or page in Chrome or Firefox
 	
Click the Copyfish button next to the URL address bar
 	
Select any region of the image in the browser screen and extract the text.




Google Drive
Works in the online version


 	
Upload the image file to Google Drive
 	
Right-click on the image file (or hold down SHIFT and press F10)
 	
Select pen With then Google Docs
 	
The text from the image will appear in the document.




OneNote
Requires the desktop version and OneNote


 	
Save the image
 	
Open a OneNote page (in the desktop version)
 	
Click Insert then Picture to insert the image
 	
Select the image file
 	
Right-click (or use a keyboard shortcut) to select Copy Text from Picture
 	
Paste the text onto the page or wherever you want it.





Find more study tools in the Choose the right tool module.