There are now many more spell checkers on offer, not just the ones found in word processing packages or those provided with specialist software. Browser and online spell checkers can be used in many web based writing situations.

• Forms, Blogs, wikis and the rest

  Most e-mail programs now offer a spell checker but some of the other social networking or Web 2.0 applications fail to allow us to check for errors. It may be worth downloading the Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox with a spellchecker and text highlighter for search words or using the browser specific spell checkers and other online spellcheckers.

• On-line Dictionaries

  Dictiontary.com and its thesaurus offer descriptions and similar words along with a toolbar for Internet Explorer. The Oxford University on-line dictionary offers search facilities and there are numerous on-line subject dictionaries and reference sites. WordWeb is a free download that works well with web pages and has ‘pronunciations and usage examples’.

• Spell checking with speech output

  If you do not have a program for text to speech or some assistive technology, it is possible to download some free alternatives. Reading in Word – WordTalk, Internet Explorer can be used with NaturalReader and Mozilla FireFox has Fire Vox. The free Opera browser has its own text to speech. Talklets Gadget (beta) adds text to speech features to Google searches. Thunder with WebbIE offers free screen reading if you are blind or visually impaired.

• Basic Magnification and text to speech

  These come together in a free program called iZoom.

• Grammar checking on-line

  There is a very simple cut and paste type spelling, grammar and thesaurus checker available on-line from SpellChecker.net There are also two online spell checkers, that will solve some grammar errors as well, called Ginger and Ghotit.

• Spelling Check Copied Text anywhere in Windows.

  Using Aaron Sprague’s Dyslexic Helper.