Sonocent, a UK based assistive technology company, recently released its Mac version of Audio Notetaker – a very simple, intuitive, and easy to use note taking software that can be quite beneficial for people with dyslexia and those who may have problems focussing for a longer period of time (for example, in a classroom).

I downloaded the trial version of the software and found it to be very easy to use. I actually created a small PowerPoint and added audio notes to it within 10 minutes. The software displays very few icons on the top “ribbon”.  I personally feel that not including too many icons/ options in the menu is a good thing for students (who may have learning disabilities) who don’t want to get intimidated by all the features of the software showcased in the menu. The buttons are minimal and very well spaced, thus making them easier to locate.

The software either allows direct recording of audio or import of an audio file. I must mention that I have used audio recording software in the past, but they were all a little cumbersome to use, and the recorded audio quality was above average at best. However, the audio that I recorded using Audio Notetaker was crystal clear! Also, the recording process literally involves the click of just one button, nothing else!

Note: I recorded audio on a Macbook Air. If you are using Windows with an external mic, you might want to enable the mic before recording audio.

The software also lets you color code different sections of your audio. For example, if you are attending a lecture in which the professor discusses different topics, you can add different colors to different sections of the audio that will let you know what is where. You can also go back to a certain location repeatedly to listen to audio notes again and again. Audio Notetaker also allows the user to control the playback speed, which means that one can easily increase or decrease the playback speed as per their requirements.

Audio Notetaker offers quite many features, but I did not explore each one of them primarily because I felt that recording/playing audio, adding colors to audio sections, highlighting etc. would be the features that would be extensively used by students with dyslexia or anyone with some kind of learning disability.

Watch the introductory video to see what Audio Notetaker can do.

A 30 day trial of the software can be downloaded from their website here. A one year license would cost you $74.99 and a full license is $149.99.

Visit Sonocent’s website for more information.

Click here to view the press release (takes you to minus.com).