Mac
QuickLearner comes with card stacks for studying Spanish, US state capitals, and multiplication. To create a new set of cards, you type the question on one line and the answer on the next line in a text file. I would find this easy, but some may find it awkward because you must use two programs. This program is free.
You will need HyperCard Player to use FishCard, my favorite of the Mac programs reviewed. It is easy to make your own cards in FishCard. During review, the question is shown, and the user answers mentally or presses a button to reveal the answer. Mac text-to-speech can read both the questions and answer, and the font size and type can be changed for easier reading. This feature would be helpful for students with learning disabilities and/or visual impairments. For students with physical disabilities, not having to type the answer will save energy, while allowing students to review. This program is free.
Flashcard Maker allows you to review material with true/false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank questions. The program comes with pre-made stacks for multiplication, division, chemistry, and vocabulary. The computer will read your answer you choose through Mac's text-to-speech, but it does not read the question. The ability to have different question types is nice, but whether it is worth $28 (when other programs are free) is up to you.
Most of the programs allow cards to be printed for studying away from the computer.
We all know that the best learning experiences go far beyond rote memorization and recitation of facts. However, if students need to memorize items for long-term memory, or at least until the test is finished, these programs should help a great deal.
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