Assistive Technology

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Assistive Technology

• November 14, 2007

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Screen Reader

• Who uses screen readers?
• People with little to no vision
• What is it?
• A form of Assistive Technology
• Interprets what is on the screen
• Uses text or Braille to communicate

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Screen Reader Cont.

• JAWS
• Job Access With Speech
• Screen Reader Program
• Helps people who are visually impaired or blind
  to use Microsoft Windows

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Screen Magnification

• Who uses screen magnification?
• Anyone who is visually impaired but has some
  functional vision
• What is it?
• It is hardware on the computer
• Magnifies certain parts of the screen
• Usually, the magnification follows the mouse
  around the screen

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Screen Magnifiers Cont.

• Windows XP comes equipped with a low-functional
  screen magnifier
• Many come with a Screen Reader for extra help

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Braille Input/Output

• Input
• Braille Keyboard
• Has six keys (one for each dot in the six-dot
  matrix)
• One space bar
• A speaker
• Allows people who use Braille to be able to type
  on the computer.
• There are also keyboards like the one we use that
  is equipped with Braille letters on each key

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Braille Input/Output Cont.

• Output
• Braille Embosser
• Prints in Braille (with the raised bumps, not
  just the dots on the page)
• This can be difficult as the words have to be
  translated into Braille before it can be printed.
• Braille Translators
• Allows people who do not use Braille to be able
  to edit and translate regular text into Braille

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Alternative Input/Output Devices

• Mouse
• Some only have one button, or have a touch screen
  for those who cannot move their hands/fingers
• Keyboard
• Braille Keyboard, keyboards with bigger keys so
  that people who are visually impaired have an
  easier time seeing them

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Alternative Input/Output Devices Cont

• Touch Screens
• People who do not have the ability to use a
  mouse, or who prefer not to, can touch the screen
  to activate controls instead of using the mouse
• Remote Controls
• A remote control that includes both the mouse and
  the keyboard that can be used with one hand for
  people who have paralysis or are unable to move
  their arms

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Software Speech (Speech Software)

• Who uses it?
• People who are visually impaired, or anyone else
• What does it do?
• Also known as text-to-speech
• Reads what is on the screen
• Mostly reads what is on documents or WebPages,
  depending on the software
• You can type, and it will read to you what has
  been typed

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Voice Recognition

• Who uses it?
• Anyone who has a physical disability and is
  unable to input information via keyboard
• Anyone who does not have a physical disability
• What is it?
• Allows users to use their voice as an input device

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Voice Recognition Cont.

• You can use it to input text or to input commands
• Older versions require spaces between words
• Better programs can pick up speech as fast as you
  can type
• One version of Voice Recognition comes with
  Microsoft XP