Over the last decade, technology has changed the way we do many things. It has made information quickly and easily accessible. It has made communication more efficient and less expensive.
For many, especially individuals with disabilities, technology has made acquiring information and effective communication possible. The type of adaptive technology an individual uses will vary depending on the disability and the individual's personal lifestyle, preferences, and environment.
Some examples of adaptive technology include:
Speech-to-text programs (We use Dragon Naturally Speaking)
What does it do?
Allows individual to control computer using speech instead of keyboard
To whom would it be useful?
Individuals with limited use of their hands or those with writing disorders.
Screen Reading & Navigation Program (We use JAWS)
What does it do?
Turns the visual components of a computer to audio.
To whom would it be useful?
The blind and visually impaired
Text-to-speech program-limited (We use Kurzweil)
What does it do?
Reads text that is typed or pasted into its window.
To whom would it be useful?
- Individuals with reading disabilities
- Anyone wanting to use audio as a second input modality
Screen enlarging program (We use Zoomtext)
What does it do?
- Enlarges icons, windows, and text using various formats
- Also has a text to speech component
To whom would it be useful?
- The visually impaired
- Those with eye fatigue
Curser and I-beam enhancer
What does it do?
Enlarges and/or changes the visual appearance of cursers & I-beams
To whom would it be useful?
The visually impaired.
Anyone!
Braille translation software (We use Duxbury)
What does it do?
Translates text into braille, which can then be sent to a braille printer
Text conversion software (We use Text-to-Audio)
What does it do?
Converts text documents into MP3 or audio files, which can then be burned to CD or e-mailed to students.
To whom would it be useful?
The audio files are given to students who learn best using multiple modes of input: visual and audio. We often use these for students who need access to audio, but may not have access to a computer.
Scanning and OCR software (We use ABBYY Finereader Pro)
What does it do?
Uses an interface to scan physical documents (textbooks, exams, and handouts) into desired accessible formats.
This is a limited selection of popular forms of adaptive technology. For more information about the technology we have available for students please contact us.