Top 10 Assistive Technologies for Dyslexic Professionals

Ever re-read an email five times just to make sure it sounded “professional enough”?

If you’re dyslexic, that’s probably just another Tuesday.

Not because you didn’t know what you wanted to say, but because you wanted to be sure it sounded right. That it couldn’t be misunderstood. That it looked “professional enough.”

You’ve probably sat through meetings, nodding along, making mental notes, only to walk away thinking, “Wait… what did I just agree to?”

I’ve been there too.

For years, I thought I just needed to work harder. Stay later. Check everything twice. Eventually, I realised I wasn’t the problem; the systems I was trying to work within were.

Once I found tools that worked with how I think, everything changed.

These are the top 10 assistive technologies I use and recommend to dyslexic professionals. Most are free, all are powerful, and every single one makes work easier, smoother, and more sustainable.

🔍 Tools that help you communicate clearly

1. Grammarly

Use it for: Writing clearly and confidently across apps, browsers, and phones.

Cost: Free / Premium from £10/month

I use Grammarly for everything, from social media captions to emails related to multi-million-pound deals. It helps me feel confident that what I’m saying sounds like me, but tidier and more professional.

✅ Why it helps: Removes second-guessing and lets your message shine.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Clearer communication = fewer revisions, faster results.

2. ChatGPT

Use it for: Rewording tricky sentences, planning structure, or simplifying complex points.

Cost: Free / Plus from £20/month

ChatGPT is like having a really smart colleague who’s always available, ready to help me phrase something better, think something through, or explain something more clearly.

✅ Why it helps: Turns fuzzy ideas into clear, usable communication.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Saves time, boosts clarity, and builds trust.

3. Google Docs Voice Typing

Use it for: Getting ideas down by speaking instead of typing.

Cost: Free with any Google account

I don’t use this one personally, but I recommend it to clients all the time as a brilliant free alternative to Dragon. If you process your thoughts better verbally or struggle with spelling, it’s a game-changer.

✅ Why it helps: Supports natural verbal thinkers and removes spelling blocks.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Speeds up documentation and idea capture.

🎧 Tools that help you absorb information your way

4. Speechify

Use it for: Listening to documents, articles, and emails like an audiobook.

Cost: Free version / Premium from ~£10/month

For people who find reading dense text exhausting or time-consuming, Speechify is like turning your workload into a playlist. You can listen while walking, cooking, or taking a break from the screen and still get through important content.

✅ Why it helps: Reduces fatigue, boosts understanding.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Makes absorbing long texts more accessible.

5. Texthelp Read&Write

Use it for: Reading, writing, and comprehension support, all in one place.

Cost: Free trial / Paid from ~£80/year

It’s an all-in-one toolbar I recommend regularly, offering text-to-speech, highlighting, vocabulary tools, and screen masking. Especially helpful when dealing with long reports, technical documents, or policy-heavy work.

✅ Why it helps: Breaks big tasks into manageable chunks.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Improves retention, accuracy, and output quality.

6. Otter.ai

Use it for: Recording and transcribing meetings or voice notes.

Cost: Free 300 mins/month / Paid from ~£8/month

One of the hardest things used to be writing notes while trying to stay present in meetings. Otter removes that completely. It captures everything said and turns it into searchable text, so I can focus on listening without losing anything important.

✅ Why it helps: Frees up mental space and supports working memory.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Keeps communication consistent and traceable.

🗂️ Tools that help you plan and stay on track

7. Trello

Use it for: Visually managing your workload and projects.

Cost: Free / Paid upgrades

Trello was a revelation. It wasn’t recommended as a dyslexia tool; it was introduced as a way to improve productivity. And it’s brilliant. I use it to track everything from content planning to client projects. I’ve recommended it to dozens of people since.

✅ Why it helps: Turns overwhelm into calm, visual clarity.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Offers real-time visibility into projects and priorities.

8. Google Calendar

Use it for: Structuring time and routines in a visual way.

Cost: Free

Colour-coding tasks, blocking time for focused work, and setting up reminders all help me stay on track. It even helps me remember people’s birthdays, something I’ve always been awful at.

✅ Why it helps: Makes invisible time visible and easier to manage.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Supports balance, focus, and better planning.

🎨 Tools that help you communicate with clarity

9. Canva

Use it for: Presentations, reports, CVs, and any kind of visual communication.

Cost: Free / Pro from ~£10/month

Canva is brilliant. It helps me bring ideas to life visually, whether I’m building a pitch deck, a social media post, or a workshop slide. It’s not about avoiding words, it’s about supporting my thinking style and helping me communicate with clarity.

✅ Why it helps: Let's visual thinkers express themselves professionally.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Content is clearer, faster to digest, and more engaging.

10. Google Keep

Use it for: Capturing quick thoughts, reminders, and checklists.

Cost: Free

Google Keep is what I now use instead of a notebook. It’s searchable, colour-coded, and always accessible. You never lose the page you wrote something on, because there isn’t a page. It’s all there, instantly and professionally organised.

✅ Why it helps: Lightens the mental load and keeps your ideas organised.

✅ Why workplaces benefit: Makes follow-through faster and smarter.

🚀 Final Thought: You don’t need to overwork just to keep up.

You don’t need to hide your process or constantly second-guess yourself. You just need tools that help you show up at your best, and workplaces that understand the mutual value of that.

At Pro Dyslexic, we don’t believe in masking or pushing through. We believe in working smarter, working differently, and building careers that are actually sustainable.

Our Support Hub gives you step-by-step guidance on how to use these tools in the real world. Our Walk a Mile Workshops help employers build a genuine understanding of dyslexia, so they can see the real value of making support and reasonable adjustments part of the culture.

Because you’re not asking for special treatment. You’re asking for the tools to do your job well. And that benefits everyone.