Assistive Software I Cannot Live Without
I put this list together to share what works for me. I couldn’t have found all the things that are so helpful to me if others hadn’t shared what had worked for them.
- SofType
- Google Messages for Web
- Kindle Assistive Reader
- EVA Facial Mouse Pro
- Android Accessibility Shortcuts
- Android Autoclick
SofType
https://www.orin.com/access/softype/
SofType is an onscreen keyboard that runs on Windows. It allows me to type by clicking on a virtual keyboard on the screen exactly as if I was pressing keys on a physical keyboard.
Like the HeadMouse, I have been using SofType since around 2002. Combined with the HeadMouse I have complete control over my computer the same as anyone using a standard mouse and keyboard. Some of my favorite features of SofType are listed below:
- Built-in Dragger toolbar for Autoclick and performing different types of mouse clicks
- Word prediction with customizable word list
- Available to use during Windows sign in
- Automatically start SofType on sign in
- Multiple keyboard layouts to choose from
- Customizable color scheme
- Below is my color scheme. In case you couldn’t already tell from this website’s design, I’m a big dark color scheme kind of guy.
Google Messages for Web
https://support.google.com/messages/answer/7611075?hl=en
Google Messages for Web is one of the biggest reasons I have never made the switch from Android to iPhone. It allows me to send and receive text messages from my computer which is a huge time saver for me. I almost always have it open in a browser tab and when I get a message it is so convenient to quickly click over to Messages for Web, reply to the message and then go right back to what I was doing. It is much less disruptive to my workflow than having to unlock my phone, open the message and then type a reply on my phone.
While the same functionality exists with iMessage, it requires the computer you are using to be an Apple computer. For better or worse, I have been a Windows PC user for most of my life and don’t have the desire to switch and commit to the Apple ecosystem at this time.
Kindle Assistive Reader
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=TqLHvK6eo6O7DJVQoZ
My favorite accessibility setting in the Kindle app is the Kindle Assistive Reader. With the Assistive Reader I can have my Kindle books read to me without the need to buy the audiobook on Audible. While my phone is attached to my chair in a position that is perfectly fine for shorter tasks like texting, trying to read for an extended period of time can quickly fatigue my neck and eyes. Being able to listen to the book means I can absorb and retain the material much more quickly and effectively.
The following steps are how I enable the Kindle Assistive Reader on my phone:
- Open the book to read and tap the middle of the screen to bring up the menu
- Tap the Reading Setting menu
- Select More
- Enable Assistive Reader
- Tap the Play button to begin listening
EVA Facial Mouse Pro
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crea_si.eva_facial_mouse
For years I wished I had a way to control my phone with head movements like I have been able to do with the HeadMouse on my computer. That was until I discovered EVA Facial Mouse Pro. It is an Android app that uses the selfie camera on the phone to turn facial movements into mouse movements on the screen. The app has a built-in autoclick / dwell feature so I can do mouse movements and clicks completely hands free. My favorite part of the app is the Action Menu. When the app is running it places a small box in the corner of the screen.
Clicking on it brings up the Action Menu where you can choose from a wide array of gestures and functions. You can also customize the Action Menu to include items you use more frequently and not the ones you don’t.
Because the app uses the phone’s camera, it doesn’t perform as well in poor lighting conditions but overall it has allowed me to operate my phone much more effectively and efficiently.
Android Accessibility Shortcuts
Android has many great accessibility features and my favorite way to access them is with Accessibility Shortcuts. Accessibility Shortcuts are small floating icons on your screen that allow you to quickly turn on / off accessibility features.
On my phone, I have the following Accessibility Shortcuts enabled: Accessibility Menu, Reading Mode, EVA Facial Mouse Pro and Camera Switches.
Android Autoclick
https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/7071579?hl=en
I’ve used the Autoclick feature in Android for as long as I can remember. Moving a mouse cursor on the screen with my wheelchair joystick and having it automatically click and not needing to physically press a button has been extremely helpful. However, the biggest limitation was that I couldn’t perform different types of clicks(e.g. long click, drag, right click etc.). This is one of the main reasons I sought out third-party apps like EVA Facial Mouse Pro. However, in December 2025 Google delivered a set of accessibility updates which included the ability to perform different click types[1].
Now when Autoclick is enabled you will see a small floating menu on your screen. If you click on it to expand it you will see six different click types to choose from: Long Click, Drag, Double Click, Right Click, Scroll, Left Click. Below is a screenshot of what that looks like.
This video from Google shows how to enable Autoclick and some of the settings you can change to configure how it behaves.