MindGenius is an organisational tool that allows you to create mind maps. It's helpful for essay planning and preparation. You can use MindGenius for many other study tasks. These can include exam revision, to-do lists, notetaking, and group work.

Mind maps can be exported to a variety of applications, including Word and PowerPoint. The effort you put into MindGenius gives you a starting point for your essay or presentation.

You can use MindGenius for free on your own device, as the university has a take-home licence for all staff and students

MindGenius can be downloaded from PEGASUS. 

To access:

1. log in to PEGASUS 
2. go to the ‘Additional Services’ tab
3. look for the ‘Other Services’ section
4. click the link to ‘Available Licensed Software’. The download link is ‘Mindgenius (Student Use)’

For staff, you'll find ‘Available Licensed Software’ under the 'Information Services' tab on PEGASUS.

For more information on MindGenius features, there is the MindGenius Education Resource Guide.

Read&Write for Google Chrome extension offers a range of powerful tools designed to support all students in their reading and writing tasks.

Read&Write for Chrome is freely available when you sign-in to the extension with your university email address and password.

Here are some key benefits:

• Text-to-Speech: allows you to listen to your written work.
• Word Prediction: suggests words as you type, helping with spelling and speeding up writing.
• Text and Picture Dictionaries: provides definitions and visual aids to understand unfamiliar words.
• Speech-to-Text: allows you to dictate your work.
• Highlighting and Summarizing: helps in organising and summarising information.
• Voice Notes: allows you to add voice comments.

Changing the voice: You can install voices to be used with Read&Write: Scottish voices - Stuart and Heather (free to HE/FE Education)

The Microsoft Learning Tools set is natively built into Office 365 and Microsoft Edge applications. It helps improve reading, writing, and comprehension.

Immersive Reader

With Immersive Reader, you can change page colour, set text spacing, and read aloud text. Immersive Reader can be a productivity tool when managing a heavy reading load.

The following short videos are helpful in getting started with the Immersive Reader:

• You Can Improve Reading Skills With Microsoft Learning Tools
• Immersive Reader with Word (desktop) and Word Online

The following videos are part of a blog from Craig Mill of CallScotland. They look at supporting students with visual impairments. But, they are helpful for all:

• Using Immersive Reading tools in Microsoft Word to customise the font / text and listen to it spoken aloud
• Using Learning Tools in Microsoft Edge Browser to customise font/text, layout and hear it read aloud

You can also access Read Aloud in the Edge browser from the right-click menu. This is useful for reading PDFs.

JAWS is a screen reader.

A screen reader is an access technology that enables individuals who are visually impaired or blind to use a computer. This technology facilitates non-visual access, allowing users to control the computer solely through the keyboard. Commands are executed via keystrokes and keyboard shortcuts, which the screen reader then converts into synthesized speech.

Our JAWS license is managed via a user group. JAWS will be available at login on centrally-managed university computers for members of this user group.

If you need access to the JAWS screen reader, please contact us.

JAWS is a FreedomScientific product. More information is available via JAWS Headquarters.

ZoomText provides magnification of text and screen reading to allow visually impaired students full access to Windows applications.

Our ZoomText license is managed via a user group. ZoomText will be available at login on centrally-managed university computers for members of this user group.

If you need access to ZoomText please contact us.

ZoomText is an ai squared product. Link to ZoomText features on ai squared's website.

Read&Write is a text-to-speech tool. You can use it when reading text on your computer. For example, when writing an essay in Word, reading your email, or researching on the internet.

Read&Write's toolbar and features are the same as Read&Write for Chrome.

Read&Write is available on computers within the university's centrally-managed labs. It can be made available on any university-owned computer. 

Read&Write has a built-in dictionary to allow you to check on definitions as you read. If you get confused with same-sounding words, the homophone checker could be useful to you.

Get started with:

• Read&Write for Windows: instructional videos of individual tools
• Read&Write at University: video training guides for Higher Education students
• Texthelp Academy: training page for University students using Read&Write. Includes Read&Write at University series of videos

You can also install voices to be used with Read&Write: Scottish voices - Stuart and Heather (free to HE/FE Education)

Braille embossers transfer computer-generated text into a printed Braille output. The Braille Embosser can be used to create Braille copies of your work, handouts, or research.

CCTVs allow you to magnify the object or book you wish to look at on a larger screen.

Place a book or object on the movable XY table. Adjust the magnification level and display colours to the settings that are best for your eyesight. Your document will be magnified and displayed on the screen.

You can find out about the specific CCTVs available by looking at the Assistive Technologies Room.

There is a selection of different keyboards and mice available for you to use. For example, large print, high-contrast keyboards, and trackball mice.