Voice recordings can be beneficial for someone with attention, language, or memory needs. They can support learning for people with a range of disabilities, including vision impairment, dyslexia, language processing disorders, dysgraphia, and more. These can be used for work, school, or recreation. Repetition can help someone remember new information. Recordings can be listened to through headphones or ear buds, or even a hearing aid. Keep in mind that you need to get permission to record in many contexts.

What kinds of audio recorders are there?

Cassette Player

If you want to start with a simple solution, you can use an old-fashioned tape recorder and cassette. Battery-operated portable cassette players are still available for purchase. One thing to keep in mind is that it takes time to rewind and find the specific information you may be looking for. You can start from the beginning of a recording, listen for a second time, and flesh out your notes.

Digital Voice Recorder

A more high-tech option is to use a digital voice recorder. These have higher capacity, can fit in a pocket, and are easier to “rewind” to the time stamp you need.

Smart Pens

Digital note-taking solutions like the Livescribe pen let you pair handwritten notes with a time stamped audio recording.

Computer Software

Windows and Apple computers also include voice recording software. On a Mac, look in your Launchpad for the Voice Memo software. More robust solutions include products like Sonocent Audio Notetaker and Glean, which allow you to capture audio, notes, and lecture slides all at once.

Related Apps

• Voice Memos
• Voice Recorder and Audio Editor (iOS)
• Sonocent Link (Sonocent’s companion app)
• Glean Notes (Time stamp important information)
• SuperNotes Notes Recorder and Photo
• Audio Class Notes (Tag time stamps to help you find important information)
• AudioNote 2 Voice Recorder
• Notability (voice recording, photos, and notetaking/whiteboard