Technology for Neurodiversity
Tools and features to support different ways of thinking, processing, organising and working
Neurodiversity recognises that people think, process information, communicate and learn in different ways. The term includes neurological differences such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia, although everyone’s experience and preferences will be different.
Technology can provide useful options for things like reading and processing information, planning, managing time, maintaining focus, communicating, taking notes and managing sensory distractions. Many of these tools are useful well beyond neurodivergence too — you don’t need a diagnosis to explore them.
💭 What Would You Like Help With?
- Reading & Processing: Try tools that read text aloud, change how information appears on screen, summarise information or let you work with content in another format.
- Focus & Attention: Reduce notifications and distractions, structure periods of focused work or use timers and reminders.
- Planning & getting started: Break larger or unclear tasks into smaller steps, organise deadlines and make it easier to see what to do next.
- Organising ideas: Use mind maps, digital notebooks and visual planning tools to capture information and make connections.
- Sensory environment: Adjust screen settings, reduce visual clutter, use background sounds or manage notifications and other digital distractions.
But the flip side? Neurodiverse people often excel in creativity, problem-solving, and unique thinking — and assistive technology (AT) can help unlock that potential.
Tools That Support Neurodivergent Learners
📝Note-Taking and Organisation
- Microsoft OneNote: Free with your Student Office 365 Account! Helps with planning, visual thinking, and keeping everything in one place to reduce mental overload. Check out our handy user guide here
- Notion: Customisable all-in-one workspace. Notion offers a free “Education Plus Plan” for individual students who sign up with a valid .ac.uk email address, providing access to the paid Plus plan features for personal use.
- NotebookLM: AI-powered notetaking from Google (great for research) 👉 Read our post on NotebookLM
- Apple Notes: Free on Apple IPad and great for handwritten or typed notes. Apple Notes is simple, searchable, and syncs across devices . You can import lecture slides, record and summarise audio, add videos, pictures and so much more.
✅ Tasks & Executive Function
- Microsoft To Do – Microsoft To Do can be a real game‑changer for keeping your student life organised — it’s like having a personal assistant in your pocket that never forgets a deadline. (Free with your student Microsoft 365 account!)
- Goblin Tools AI tools for breaking down tasks, checking tone, time estimates 👉 Explore our Goblin Tools Guide
- Todoist – Great for breaking projects into steps
🧠 Mind Mapping and Idea Organisation
- Mindview: Full-featured tool is available for QUB students 👉 Explore our Mindview Guide
- Coggle: Simple, collaborative mind maps
- MindMup: Easy browser-based mind mapping
⏱️ Focus and Time Management
- Microsoft Focus Mode – It silences notifications, sets a customisable timer for deep work.
- Focus Keeper: Pomodoro timer to avoid burnout.
- Forest: Stay off your phone and grow virtual trees 🌳
- Clockify: A time tracker that helps manage multiple projects.
📚 Reading and Writing
- Microsoft Co-pilot – Microsoft Copilot empowers students to work smarter by streamlining reading, writing, and organisation. It can summarise dense articles or textbooks into clear, digestible points, help draft and refine essays with polished grammar and structure, and even suggest ideas to strengthen arguments.
- 👉 Check out this guide on Using AI Safely and Smartly at QUB and how to access Copilot
- NaturalReader Online: Converts text to speech
- Grammarly: Spelling, grammar, clarity (free version available)
- Google Docs Voice Typing: Built-in speech-to-text
- Everway Read&Write: Supports reading, writing, and learning, access is free to QUB students 👉 Explore our Read&Write Guide
🧘 Sensory and Break Support
- Breathe2Relax (Apple and Google): Guided breathing to calm your system
- Calm: Mindfulness and meditation app
- White Noise Lite (Google and Apple): Background sound to aid focus
🧰 Not Sure Where To Start?
You don’t need to find the perfect app or completely change the way you work.:
- Start with the task – What are you trying to make easier: reading, focusing, planning, writing or something else?
- Explore your options – There may be several different tools or features that can help with the same task.
- Start small – Try one tool or feature before adding more.
- Check what you already have – Your phone, computer and QUB Microsoft 365 account already include lots of useful accessibility and productivity features.
- Keep what works – Different tools will be useful for different people and situations. You don’t need to use everything.
🎯 Try this: AHEAD’s “Discover your AT” tool helps match tools to your needs.
💬 Final Thoughts
There isn’t one set of tools that works for every neurodivergent person. Assistive technology is about having more options and finding practical approaches that work for you, the task and the situation.
Explore, experiment and start small. Sometimes one useful feature can make a surprisingly big difference.
Need More Support?
Staff & Students – https://blogs.qub.ac.uk/studentatguide/support-at-queens-staff-and-students/
Funded Support for students – https://blogs.qub.ac.uk/studentatguide/funded-support-explained-get-the-tech-help-you-need/
