Assistive software for special education is any software that provides a teaching or learning aid to those with special education needs. This software can be designed with regard to specific areas of study, or it can be broad, covering many school subjects. It can also be made to focus on overcoming individual learning difficulties or specific medical diagnoses presented by the learner. Which of these programs are best? In an effort to shine some more light on the subject, let’s take a look at five of the most popular assistive software programs for special education.

Proloquo2Go

Academic edition software discounts for students, teachers and schools. Educational pricing available to college students, k12 students, homeschool students, faculty, universities, educational institutions. 7-Zip, Free archiving program for building and extracting archive files in the ZIP. This application is ONLY for computers with Adobe applications previously. LabVIEW for Students, Development environment for problem solving.

Autistic learners often have difficulties in English, speech, and communications skills in general. Proloquo2Go is a mobile app that helps to break through these barriers in autistic learning. The app is designed specifically for this area of the special education world.

Resource: 50 Most Affordable Private Non-Profit Schools for a Master’s in Special Education Program 2015

Users of the program can follow through a self-paced program to help understand and master skills in communication and English. Ease of use is a theme found throughout the app as well as vocabulary expansion. In addition, the app is made by AssistiveWare, a company solely concentrated on the development of programs of the assistive nature.

iComm

Yet another offering in assistive software for special education purposes comes to us in the form of the mobile app. This time it is courtesy of mobile developer, Bappz. iComm is a completely customizable communication program that can be used to communicate with those suffering from even the most difficult learning disabilities or impairments.

Users can essentially design any teaching approach they want with the app. This is done through user input of recordings, pictures, and other media for playback and practice. The learner can then go on to interact with and learn from the input that was setup beforehand. This all allows for maximum versatility through precisely targeted avenues of learning.

Access to Math

Access to Math is an excellent option in math-based, assistive software for special education. It is a comprehensive program, covering all aspects of elementary-level math via a system of virtual, talking worksheets. From the basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, all the way through pre-algebra concepts, elementary math is well represented here.

Used by many special education teachers and parents, Access to Math provides entertaining rewards for persistence and custom-paced learning sessions. Spoken math and constructive feedback also contribute to this successful learning tool. All attributes considered, Access to Math is possibly the most all-inclusive, best designed, math-teaching system for children with or without special needs.

LiveScribe

LiveScribe is a combination of some very unique software and hardware combined into a very special smartpen. This smartpen is specifically designed for students with learning disabilities. While it works to assist in math and science work, reading and writing are the real areas of benefit when it comes to using this innovative product.

The pen works by essentially reading aloud any text it is physically passed over. A student can then go on to write words or sentences and have the pen remember them and even read them back on command. Playback speed is also controlled for maximum comprehension. Big results have been seen through the use of the LiveScribe.

Big Calc

We finish off our list of assistive software for special education purposes with Big Calc. In the program, Big Calc is the name of the big, quirky, and very entertaining calculator that the learners use to do math work. Rather than always typing though, students can choose to speak their math into the fun program.

Another great benefit of the program is its customizable layout. From screen and calculator layout, to learning style and speed, the entire program curtails itself to the needs of each individual learner that uses it. In addition, external, play-and-learn toys can be connected to the system, bringing learning through physical interaction to the forefront of the game.

Learning disabilities come in countless shapes and sizes. Accordingly, the responsive educational approach might include any number of diverse tools and plans. These five, assistive programs are just a few examples of the many helpful tools designed for and used by this important niche in modern education. For more authoritative information on assistive software for special education, we highly recommend you visit Reading Rockets.

Free Software for Students

Fee Based Software

If you don't see the software you need, please ask ITS Software

ArcGIS by ESRI

ArcGIS Desktop & Pro are integrated collections GIS & Mapping software products available free for UCSC students. ArcGIS installs on Windows OS only.
For software media and support information, click here to [show]

• ArcGIS installs on Windows OS only.
• A Free ArcGIS 10.x + Pro Software Download is available for all students.
• Request Here for new or renewal of existing license. Link opens IT Request ticket that when completed will provide you a direct link to ESRI.com and the authorization code to register for the software download.
• Installation & activation support: http://esri.com/evalhelp
• Try to run ArcGIS on a Mac? Please see this page
• ArcGIS Training is free
  • Visit https://www.esri.com/training/ create an account using your @ucsc.edu address
  • Contact ITS Software (opens ticket) to request access, provide your ESRI account info.

AutoDesk

AUTODESK provides free software access for enrolled students. Get AUTOCAD, 3DS MAX, INVENTOR, REVIT, MAYA, TINKERCAD and more to use the same creativity tools in use by industry leaders worldwide.

For software media and support information, click here to [show]

• AutoDesk installs on Windows or Mac.
• Visit https://www.autodesk.com/education/home to set up an account to access software
• Visit the Autodesk Knowledge base: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support

Avast Antivirus - Free Anti Virus Software

Avast Antivirus is free Mac OS anti-virus software available for personally owned computers. Anti-virus software is required when connecting to the campus ResNet. Click for ResNet Safe Connect info.
For download and support information, click here to [show]

• Download Avast:
  http://www.avast.com/
• Avast Support:
  http://www.avast.com/support

Avira Antivirus - Free Anti Virus Software

Avira Antivirus is free Mac OS anti-virus software available for personally owned computers. Anti-virus software is required when connecting to the campus ResNet. Click for ResNet Safe Connect info.
For download and support information, click here to [show]

• Download Avira for Mac:
  http://www.avira.com/en/free-antivirus-mac
• Download Avira for PC:
  http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus
• Avira Support:
  http://www.avira.com/en/support

ClamAV - Free Anti Virus Software

ClamAV is free Mac OS anti-virus software available for personally owned computers. Anti-virus software is required when connecting to the campus ResNet. Click for ResNet Safe Connect info.
For download and support information, click here to [show]

• Download CalmAV for Mac:
  http://www.clamav.net/index.html
• ClamAV help:
  http://www.clamav.net/doc/troubleshoot.html

JMP

JMP dynamically links statistics with graphics. JMP is provided free to UCSC students
For download & support information for JMP software, click here to [show]

• Access current Student Download here: JMP for Windows & Mac
• JMP software is installed on most campus lab computers
• Download and installation support: Contact ITS Software
• JMP is under UCOP purchasing agreement

MATLAB

MathWorks MATLAB

Now available free to all students as a site license, all Mathworks products, toolboxes and training modules are available. Visit: MATLAB support page for links and information on access.

A leading developer of mathematical computing software. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on its products to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and development. [show]

Microsoft Azure Dev Tools for Teaching

Formally Imagine.. Azure Dev Tools for Teaching is a Microsoft Program that supports technical education by providing access to Microsoft software for learning, teaching and research purposes. For access info, click here to [show]

• Students, faculty and staff can access Azure Dev Tools for Teaching Standard software free to teach, develop, support, conduct, or take courses, labs, or programs offered at UCSC. Use must be non-commercial.
• Go to Azure Dev Tools for Teaching to register and validate your UCSC affiliation.
• Baskin School of Engineering Students can register for Azure Dev Tools for Teaching Premium here

Microsoft Software, Office 365

Free Office 365 is available for UCSC students. Log in and download and install the current versions of Office and Office for Mac on up to 5 computers, 5 phones & 5 tablets.
For information, click here to [show]

• To access your Microsoft Office 365 account, go to this site: https://portal.office.com/
  • Enter your youremail@ucsc.edu
  • Sign in with your UCSC CruzID and Gold password
  • Accounts activate in late September for incoming Fall Quarter students.
  • Not all Office 365 products and services have been enabled
  • Visit the Office 365 Service Page
• On The Hub has free Windows 10 operating system software for students
• If you need help, please open an IT Request ticket

R - Statistics

R is a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics
For download information, click here to [show]

• Download R FREE from the R Project Site
• Manuals and Support information on the R Project site

SAS

SAS tools provide traditional statistical analysis of variance and predictive modeling to exact methods and statistical visualization techniques
For free student access and support information, click here to [show]

• SAS runs on Windows 10, 8.1, Windows 7 (not Home Basic) Supported OS and requirements
• Students: For access to SAS, request the Home Use Rights Compliance Form from ITS Software
• Prompted to renew your SID license file? Contact ITS Software for the current file
• Software installation support available. Contact ITS Software
• Free E-Learning Courses for Instructors and Students, request E-Learning Code

SFTP - Secure File Transfer

SFTP clients are free and used to provide network file access, file transfer, and file management functionality over any reliable data stream
For download and support information, click here to [show]

• Windows and Mac FileZilla client: Download direct from FileZilla
• Mac Fugu client: Download direct from Fugu
• Software installation support is provided. Contact ITS Software

Sophos Home - Free Anti Virus Software

Sophos Home is free PC & Mac OS anti-virus software available for personally owned computers. Anti-virus software is required when connecting to the campus ResNet. Click for ResNet Safe Connect info.
To download, click here to [show]

• Download Sophos Home:
  https://www.sophos.com/en-us/lp/sophos-home.aspx

SPSS Software

SPSS is a statistical analysis software program. SPSS is used to generate tabulated reports, charts, and plots of distributions and trends, descriptive statistics, and complex statistical analysis. UCSC has a site license for SPSS and it is available to all. Students access information here
For more information, click here to [show]

• Student SPSS information and download page
• Limited support, request help though IT Request

SSH Telnet

Telnet is a network protocol used on the UCSC area networks to provide a terminal connection
For download and support information, click here to [show]

• Download free Windows PuTTY client
• Mac use Terminal Server found in your Utilities folder
• Software installation support is provided. Contact ITS Software

Virtual Box VM

Oracle VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for enterprise as well as home use. It is a professional solution that is freely available as Open Source Software under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version. For Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris
For download and support information, click here to [show]

• Welcome to Virtual Box: Virtual Box .ORG
• Download free: Virtual Box Downloads

Adobe

Adobe software includes Acrobat, Contribute, Creative Cloud, Dreamweaver, InDesign, Photoshop, and Premiere
Forpurchaseinformation, click here to [show]

• Personal Computer: Purchase @ student discount: Adobe.com/downloads
• Adobe Creative Cloud is discounted education software lease program
• Adobe software is installed on most campus lab computers

Apple

Apple computers arrive with built-in apps including iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, Keynote.
For purchase information, click here to [show]

• Student & Personal computers: Buy from the Bay Tree Bookstore.

EndNote

EndNote is bibliography management software that integrates with word processors.
For purchase information, click here to [show]

• Purchase EndNote at the Bay Tree Bookstore.

FileMaker

FileMaker is easy database development for Mac and Windows.
For purchase information, click here to [show]

• Purchase for student & personal computers: Buy from the Bay Tree Bookstore.

LabVIEW

NI LabVIEW Student Edition has the same functionality as the LabVIEW full development system. LabVIEW is used to develop sophisticated measurement, test, and control systems using intuitive graphical icons and wires that resemble a flowchart. For purchase information, click here to [show]

• Purchase for student owned personal computers: $19.99, order: LabVIEW Student Edition.

Maple

Maple is general-purpose commercial computer algebra software
For purchase information, click here to [show]

• Students: purchase the Student Edition from Maple

Mathematica

Mathematica is a computational software program used in scientific, engineering, and mathematical fields and other areas of technical computing.
For purchase information, click here to [show]

• Mathematica is installed in campus computer labs
• Students: Order direct from vendor Mathematica for Students. Request a 15% discount code from ITS Software
• Wolfram Alpha computational knowledge engine.

On The Hub

On The Hub is an online re-seller of software for your personal computer. Popular titles including Microsoft, Adobe, Endnote and Parallels are available at an educational discount. Windows 10 is free for students. For purchase information for On The Hub sales, click here to [show]

• Click the Student tab and register with your @ucsc.edu to order from On The Hub
• Powered by Kivuto

Parallels Desktop for Mac

Software providing hardware virtualization for Mac computers with Intel processors
For purchase information, click here to [show]

• 14 day evaluation is available, download direct from Parallels.
• Student & personal computers: Buy from the Bay Tree Bookstore

Red Hat Linux

Red Hat is a Linux Operating System with upgrade and patch support
For purchase information, click here to [show]

• Academic Desktop and Server Editions are available under annual support subscriptions.
• Order direct or Contact Red Hat Sales: 1-866-273-3428 x 45014

VMware

Run multiple operating systems at the same time on a single computer using virtualization. Fusion for Mac or Workstation for Windows
For purchase information, click here to [show]

Please use the instead. When in doubt, follow the. Follow the at all times. Ship world file starbound novakid creator.

• Fusion for Mac: Download the software with a 30 day Fusion trial from VMware
• Workstation for Windows: download the software with a 30 day Workstation trial from VMware
• Student & personal computers: Buy from the Bay Tree Bookstore