Assistive software on the University network

Everway Read & Write is an easy-to-use toolbar containing support tools to make reading, writing and research easier for you. Features include:

• Text-to-Speech: Have text read back to you from Word and PDF documents, emails, and websites.
• Text-to-Audio File: Convert text into an MP3 audio file.
• Phonetic Spell Checking: Easily check your documents for spelling errors.
• Dictionary: Provides definitions and alternative words. Basic, Advanced and Online Dictionaries.
• Screen Masking: Mask out all or part of the screen with a tint colour of your choice.

There are short feature demo videos available on Everway's website to help you familiarise yourself with the software.

Accessing Read&Write on your Personal Device

You can install and activate Read&Write on your own Windows or Mac device under our site licence agreement using your Heriot-Watt email and password.

For Windows

• Download Read&Write for Windows and follow the installation instructions to install the software.
• Follow the steps listed on Everway's website to get to the sign-in page for the software.
• Select 'Sign in with Microsoft' from the listed options, and use your Heriot-Watt email (ending in @hw.ac.uk) and password (the same details used to sign into the myHWU Portal and Canvas) to sign in.
• After a moment, the sign in page should disappear and the software should be activated.

For MacOS

• Download Read&Write for Mac and follow the installation instructions to install the software.
• Follow the steps listed on Everway's website to get to the sign-in page for the software.
• Select 'Sign in with Microsoft' from the listed options, and use your Heriot-Watt email (ending in @hw.ac.uk) and password (the same details used to sign into the myHWU Portal and Canvas) to sign in.
• A new window may pop up at this point asking you to justify why you want access to the software. Please put in a basic reason why you would like access to the software (e.g. 'to support me in my studies').
• Once this is approved by the Information Services Team, your Read&Write licence should be activated. If the software is not activated within 48 hours, please send an email to ISHelp@hw.ac.uk to ask them to activate the software for you, including the justification for you accessing the software in your email.