Skip to Main Content

Assistive Technology: Research Tools

Guide for assistive technology in the libraries, software available to students, and free or low cost tools

Research Tools

Assistive Technology can be used in or out of school to help you complete tasks more quickly, easily, or independently. The tools recommended on this page are available for free or at a low cost and support academic research.

Zotero

Zotero is a reference management software that helps students collect, organize, and cite sources for research papers and projects. With Zotero, students can easily save references, generate citations and bibliographies, collaborate with others, attach notes and PDFs, search their library, and sync their library across multiple devices.


Cost: Free

Compatibility: Windows; Mac; Linux; iOS

More information: Zotero

Pocket

Pocket is a digital bookmarking tool that allows users to save articles, videos, and other web content for later viewing. With Pocket, students can easily save web pages and online resources to read or watch later, without the need for an internet connection. Pocket integrates with many popular apps and browsers, including Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, and can be accessed from any device, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.


Cost: Free or $4.99/month for Premium

Compatibility: Online Resource; iOS; Android

More information: Get Pocket

ZoteroBib

ZoteroBib is a free, online citation generator that allows users to quickly create bibliographies in a variety of styles without needing to install any software or browser extension.

Users can enter ISBNs, URLs, DOIs, or even search for a reference directly by title, author, or other details. Once the sources are added, ZoteroBib generates a formatted bibliography that can be copied and pasted into a document. ZoteroBib also allows users to switch between citation styles and edit the generated bibliography manually.


Cost: Free

Compatibility: Online resource

More information: ZoteroBib

Diigo

Diigo is a social bookmarking tool that enables students to save, tag, highlight, and share web pages and online resources. It can be used for research, collaboration, note-taking, and self-directed learning. Students can easily annotate pages with notes, comments, and highlights, making it easier to reference important information later on. Additionally, Diigo allows for collaboration on group projects and research.


Cost: Free or $40/year for upgraded version

Compatibility: Chrome Extension; iOS; Android

More information: Diigo

Evernote Web Clipper

The Evernote web clipper is a browser extension that lets students save web content to their Evernote account. It can be used for research, note-taking, organization, and collaboration. The tool allows students to organize their clips into notebooks, add tags, annotate, and share with others.


Cost: Free

Compatibility: Chrome Extension

More information: Evernote Web Clipper

LiquidText

LiquidText is a PDF reader and annotation tool that enables students to annotate, highlight, and organize their PDF documents. It is a useful tool for research, note-taking, collaboration, and exam preparation. Students can take handwritten notes, create bookmarks, and share their annotated documents with others for group projects or research.


Cost: Free for Lite version or one time $30 purchase for Pro version

Compatibility: iOS, Mac, Windows

More information: LiquidText

Have a recommendation?

If you would like to recommend assistive technology for the libraries, please contact Jessica Chrisman-DeNegri at jchrismandenegri@waubonsee.edu.