Reading Aids
Reading is an essential skill for personal independence, education, and employment. Losing your vision can be a major obstacle to reading, but fortunately, there are many techniques and assistive devices available to help persons with visual impairments to be able to read again. These aids include reading glasses, large print books, magnifiers, various types of computer software, braille books, and audio books. It is important to properly assess those persons with visual impairments to determine the appropriate assistive devices and learning materials that will suit their needs. Classroom teachers can also make modifications such as using books on tape, tape recorders, and computers with voice synthesizers to assist students. Various Companies and Organizations such as Edit Microsystems and Sensory Solutions offer different types of reading aids and can provide advice on what equipment would be best suited for your needs.
Please read the article below to find out more about these Reading Aids and the companies and organisations that provide them, alternatively visit our Glasses & Eye Protection section to find out more about these types of products that are available to assist you to read.
What Are You Looking For?
Companies and Organisations That Can Assist
Reading Aids
1. Audio Books and Players
a. Audio Book Players
2. Glasses and Magnifiers
a. Glasses b. Magnifiers
i. Desktop Magnifiers ii. Portable Magnifiers iii. Wearable Magnifiers iv. Handheld Magnifiers v. Optical Magnifiers
3. Braille Books, Readers & Accessories
i. Braille & Braille Books ii. Braille Reading Techniques
Braille Accessories
Computer and Electronic Reading Aids
i. Braille Readers ii. Refreshable Braille Displays
iii. Braille Notetakers iv. Braille Translation Software
v. Reading and Writing Software
Companies and Organisations That Can Assist
There are a variety of these Reading Aids sold in South Africa, which range from simple adaptions such as reading glasses, large print books, magnifiers to various types of computer software, braille books, and audio books. It is important to properly assess those persons with visual impairments.
DiSA does not supply these Assistive Devices but do introduce relevant suppliers listed below and provide direct links to these products on their website, while also providing an overview of the different products available in South Africa.
Reading Aids
Our Reading section below is organised into three distinct categories:
1. Audio Books and Players
2. Glasses and Magnifiers
3. Braille Books, Readers & Accessories
Please view the sections below to find out more about products available under each section and the companies that sell each product.
1. Audio Books & Players
Beyond accessibility, audiobooks and audio players offer significant cognitive, emotional, and social benefits. They support lifelong learning, literacy development, and professional growth while reducing eye strain and mental fatigue.
Audiobooks also provide companionship, entertainment, and relaxation, helping to combat isolation and enhance overall well-being. For people with visual impairments, these tools are not just alternatives to print—they are powerful enablers of inclusion, independence, and equal participation in society:
a. Audio Book Players
Audio book players are designed specifically for playing audiobooks and have features such as bookmarking, variable playback speed, and the ability to navigate between chapters or sections. Some audio book players also have built-in speakers, while others require headphones. Audio book players can be standalone devices, such as the products listed below, or integrated into other devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Audio book players can support various file formats including MP3, AAC, and WMA, and can be purchased in various sizes and price ranges from companies and Organizations in South Africa such as Edit Microsystems and Sensory Solutions, who sell the following Audio Book Players:

2. Glasses & Magnifiers
From prescription spectacles and high-power reading glasses to handheld, stand, and electronic magnifiers, these tools make everyday tasks such as reading, writing, recognising faces, managing medication, and viewing screens far more accessible.
By enhancing functional vision, glasses and magnifiers promote independence, confidence, and safety in daily life while reducing eye strain and fatigue. They enable continued participation in education, employment, and social activities, allowing individuals to remain engaged and productive. When properly assessed and matched to a person’s specific visual needs, these aids play a critical role in improving quality of life and supporting inclusion for people with low vision.
a. Glasses
Glasses can assist persons with visual impairments by improving their vision to enable them to be able to read easier, reduce eye strain and improve contrast sensitivity, which makes it easier to distinguish between objects and colours. In addition to traditional glasses, there are also specialized glasses designed for people with low vision, such as magnifying glasses and bioptic telescopes.
These glasses can help persons with severe visual impairments to read, watch TV, and perform other daily activities like watching sporting events, while other Smart or Electronic Glasses can enhance the vision of a Person with Visual Impairments. Overall, glasses are an effective and accessible tool for improving the quality of life for persons with visual impairments.


Many of these products are available in South Africa and are sold by Organizations and Companies such as Sensory Solutions, the South African National Council for the Blind and Edit Microsystems. Contact them to find out more, or
Please visit our Glasses & Eye Protection section to find out more about these types of products that are available to assist you to read: Glasses and Eye Protection
b. Magnifiers
A Video Magnifier is a low-vision aid that uses a camera and a screen to magnify text and images, which allows persons with low vision to read, write, and perform other tasks that would be difficult or impossible without magnification. Benefits of using a video magnifier include increased reading speed and comprehension; improved ability to see details and reduce eye strain, which leads to increased independence and productivity.
Most Video Magnifiers have a variety of features that can be customized to the user’s needs and are available to be purchased in South Africa from companies and organisations such as Sensory Solutions, the South African National Council for the Blind and Edit Microsystems.
Video magnifiers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are categorised under the following types of Magnifiers:
i. Desktop Magnifiers
Desktop Magnifiers use advanced optical technology and user-friendly features to provide effective magnification and contrast settings which can be adjusted to suit the users’ needs. These magnifiers have large, high-resolution screens that display text, images, and objects with exceptional clarity, while some models include features like lighting, colour filters, and autofocus for an enhanced experience.
Desktop magnifiers are designed to be intuitive and ergonomic, with adjustable stands or mounts for comfortable viewing and are available to be purchased in South Africa from companies and organisations such as Sensory Solutions and Edit Microsystems, who supply products such as:
ii. Portable Magnifiers
Portable magnifiers offer portability, allowing users to easily carry them and use them in various settings. They typically come with a built-in camera and display screen, providing live magnification of text, images, or objects. Portable magnifiers may offer features such as adjustable magnification levels, high contrast viewing modes, freeze frame functionality, LED lighting, and the ability to capture and save images.
Portable magnifiers are a valuable tool for enhancing visual accessibility on the go and are available to be purchased from companies and organisations such as Sensory Solutions and Edit Microsystems and include products such as:
iii. Wearable Magnifiers
Wearable Magnifiers are designed to be worn on the head or attached to eyeglasses, and can be helpful for tasks such as reading, writing, or performing other visually demanding tasks and can provide a wider field of view than clip-on magnifiers, but may be bulkier and be more cumbersome to wear.
Some wearable magnifiers are also equipped with additional features, such as LED lights to provide additional illumination for the user in low-light environments, or for individuals with limited vision who require additional illumination.
Wearable magnifiers can provide additional magnification and help to make everyday tasks easier and more manageable and are sold by Companies such as Sensory Solutions, they include products such as the:
iv. Handheld Magnifiers
Handheld magnifiers are portable and compact devices that are designed to be held in the hand and offer a convenient solution for on-the-go magnification needs. They come in various sizes and magnification levels and feature a lens or a set of lenses that enlarge the text, images, or objects being viewed. They are lightweight and easy to use and can also come with built-in LED lights to provide additional illumination, especially in low-light environments.
These magnifiers are particularly useful for tasks such as reading small print, examining labels, or viewing details in photographs. They can be employed in various settings, including at home, in school, or while traveling. Handheld magnifiers empower individuals with visual impairments to maintain independence, access information, and engage with the surrounding world, they are available to be purchased from companies and organisations such as Sensory Solutions and Edit Microsystems and include products such as:
v. Optical Magnifiers
Optical magnifiers are devices that use lenses to enlarge and enhance the visibility of text, images, or objects. They come in different forms, including handheld magnifiers, stand magnifiers, and magnifying glasses. They utilize convex lenses to increase the size of the viewed object and are available in different magnification levels, allowing users to choose the appropriate level based on their specific needs, with some including additional features like built-in lighting or filters to enhance visibility, especially in low-light conditions or to improve contrast.
Optical magnifiers are widely used in various applications, including reading books, newspapers, or documents, examining fine print, conducting detailed inspections, and engaging in hobbies or crafts and are available to be purchased from companies and organisations such as Sensory Solutions and Edit Microsystems and include products such as:
3. Braille Books, Readers and Accessories
Braille is a tactile writing system used by persons who are blind or visually impaired and traditionally found in books written on embossed paper. Braille characters are small rectangular blocks called cells that contain raised dots, which distinguish one character from another. Braille is used on a variety of objects, including books, Computer Keyboards, screens, Watches, Money, and signs in public places.
Braille education remains important for developing reading skills among children who are blind and visually impaired, and Braille literacy correlates with higher employment rates. Braille cells are not the only thing to appear in braille text. There may be embossed illustrations and graphs, with the lines either solid or made of series of dots, arrows, bullets that are larger than Braille dots, etc.
b. Braille & Braille Books
Braille is a tactile writing system used by persons who are blind or visually impaired and traditionally found in books written on embossed paper. Braille characters are small rectangular blocks called cells that contain raised dots, which distinguish one character from another. Braille is used on a variety of objects, including books, Computer Keyboards, screens, Watches, Money, and signs in public places.
Braille education remains important for developing reading skills among children who are blind and visually impaired, and Braille literacy correlates with higher employment rates. Braille cells are not the only thing to appear in braille text. There may be embossed illustrations and graphs, with the lines either solid or made of series of dots, arrows, bullets that are larger than Braille dots, etc.
b. Braille Reading Techniques
Since braille is one of the few writing systems where tactile perception is used, as opposed to visual perception, a braille reader must develop new skills. There are many different styles and techniques used for the understanding and reading of braille, including:
– The ability to create smooth and even pressures when running one’s fingers along the words.
– Using the index fingers of both hands.
– Finish reading the end of a line with the right hand and to find the beginning of the next line with the left hand simultaneously.
c. Braille Accessories
There are various types of Braille Accessories that are available to assist persons who are Blind, this includes various types of Braille Paper which is available to be purchased by companies such as Edit Microsystems and Sensory Solutions:
c. Braille Paper
Braille Paper is unlike traditional copy/printing paper, braille paper in that it is a thick stock paper used specifically with braille embossers to print reading material for the blind and visually impaired.
Braille paper holds the shape of the braille dot better than traditional paper and lasts longer – ultimately making the reading process easier and more enjoyable for a blind individual.
Braille paper should also generate less paper dust and minimise static electricity, which are generated during the braille printing process, both of which can damage the internal components of a braille printer.
Various types of Braille paper are available in South Africa and are supplied by companies such as Sensory Solutions, who supply the following formats:

c. Computer and Electronic Reading Aids
Computer and Electronic Reading Aids includes software such as Screen Readers, Screen Magnifiers and Optical character recognition (OCR) technology found on Computers, Tablets, E-Readers, Cell phones, which enable persons who are Blind or have a Visual Impairments to be able to read the information on the device, but also input information, thus making a Computers and other Electronic equipment, extremely powerful tools for persons who are Blind, or Visually Impaired.
c. Computer and Electronic Reading Aids
c. Reading and Writing Software
Computer and Electronic Reading Aids includes software such as Screen Readers, Screen Magnifiers and Optical character recognition (OCR) technology found on Computers, Tablets, E-Readers, Cell phones, which enable persons who are Blind or have a Visual Impairments to be able to read the information on the device, but also input information, thus making a Computers and other Electronic equipment, extremely powerful tools for persons who are Blind, or Visually Impaired.













