Transcript A Collaborative Paradigm


Materials
 (http://accessibility.gmu.edu, ATI News & Information section)

Overview of ATI at George Mason Univ.

Overview of Premier Accessibility Suite
 Software Demo

Premier @ GMU

Questions & Answers
Our mission is to help provide individuals with
disabilities an accessible university environment by
supporting access to all technological, architectural,
and educational resources available at George
Mason University through the incorporation of
assistive technologies, the provision of technical
support, and the development of university-wide
strategies for universal access.
Korey Singleton
Korey Singleton
•ATI Manager
 Manager
Zirkle
Kara Kara
Zirkle
Accessibility
Coordinator
 IT•IT
Accessibility
Coordinator
Elizabeth
Miller
Elizabeth
Miller
 Accessible Text Coordinator
•Accessible Text Coordinator
Nancy Borck
Nancy Borck
 Program
Support Specialist
•Program Support Specialist
Informal Assistive Technology Assessments
2. Provision of Accessible Text Services
3. Assistive Technology Labs
4. Technical Assistance for ITU and Library personnel
Technical
on
AT-related
issues Assistive
Informal
Provision
Section
Assistance
for
Assistive
of
Technology
508/Web
ITU
and
5.Technology
Section 508/Web
Training
andAccessibility
Accessible Accessibility
Labs
Library
Assessments
Text
Training and
personnel
on
Support Services
Support
AT-related
1.
issues
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Mason community (with or without
documentation)
 Informal assessments
 Overview of AT available for personal use
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Faculty, staff and students with
documented disabilities
 Faculty/Staff - registered with the Office of Equity and Diversity
Services (OEDS)
 Students – registered with the Office of Disability
Services (ODS)
ATI Partnerships 
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Office of
Disability
Services
Equity
Office
Office of Disability Services
Equity Office
Information Technology Unit
University Libraries
ATI
Kellar Institute
Environmental Health & Safety
Distance
Learning
Services
Education
Council
OLLI
Learning
Services
University
Information
Human
Resources
ITU
Provost’s
Office
University
Libraries
Regional Campus
Management
Teams
Kellar
Institute
EHS
Local Public
Schools
Office of Disability Services
•Accessible Text Services for Students
•AT Assessments/Training for Students
•Community Outreach with local public schools
Equity Office
•Accessible Text Services for Staff/Faculty
•AT Assessments/Training for Staff/Faculty
•University-Wide Training Initiatives
University Libraries
•AT Labs
•Training & Consultation
Learning Services
•Sharing of adaptive technology
•AT Assessments/Training for students (registered/unregistered)
•Training for LS staff
Screen Enlarging Software
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Screen Reading Software
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JAWS for Windows
Optical Character Recognition
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ZoomText Xtra
Scan & Read Pro
WYNN
CCTV (Desktop & portable)
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TTY/TDD – Text Telephone Device for the Deaf
 NexTalk Workplace
 http://www.nextalk.com/products/workplace
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Assistive Listening Devices
 Personal FM, IR, Large Area FM
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DocSoft (captioning)
iCommunicator – Voice recognition software with signing
capabilities
 http://www.myicommunicator.com/
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Document Reading/Writing/Scanning
 WYNN Wizard/Reader
 Premier Accessibility Suite

Voice Recognition
 Dragon Naturally Speaking Pro
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Adapted/Alternative Keyboards & Mice
 Microsoft Natural Keyboard
 Type Matrix keyboard
 Trackball Mice
 Large Print keyboards
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Voice Recognition
 Dragon Naturally Speaking Pro
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Libraries
 Address physical access in each
library AT lab (i.e., adjustable
height workstations) –
completed by Sum ‘10
 Provide equivalent access at
Fenwick library on Fairfax
campus (i.e., workstations, CCTV)
– completed by Sum ‘10
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DocSoft GMU
 Solution for providing Departments, faculty, staff, students
with ability to provide captioned audio/video in classrooms
and on the web. Likely a small cost associated with this for
GMU community.
 Partnership with Kellar Institute (KIHd)
 e.g. http://www.nvcc.edu/tvcenter/vod/
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Nextalk Workplace
 Telecommunications solution for individuals who are deaf and hardof-hearing that adds text, video and voice capabilities to an existing
office phone system.
 http://www.nextalk.com
 Change in FCC rules changed scope of project. In c/o with Deaf
Services Coordinator, in the process of identifying individuals on
campus that would benefit from this solution. Ongoing…
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Virginia Higher Education
Assistive Technology (VA
HEAT)
 This site has been developed to act
as a resource for institutions of
higher education in Virginia. The
main purpose of this site is to share
information and resources related
to providing alternative text to
students with print related
disabilities enrolled in
postsecondary
institutions.
 http://ati.gmu.edu/va_heat.html
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Additional accessible text
resources
 Bookshare – University Partners
 www.bookshare.org
 Access Text Network
 http://www.accesstext.org/
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Transition Training
 Focusing on raising awareness of adaptive technology in
students transitioning from k-12 and community colleges
 Local public schools in Northern Virginia
 In-services/trainings available by request
 Meetings with transition coordinators/AT specialist
 Working to develop partnership with Northern Virginia
Community College
 Local Conferences/Fairs
 Prince William County Transition Fair (every Feb.)
 Future Quest conference (every other Nov.)
Access at Any Mason Workstation:
“Premier Accessibility Suite”
Collection of reading and writing tools for study
and electronic print access
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http://www.readingmadeez.com
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Universal Reader Plus
E-text reader
Talking Dictionary
Talking Word Processor
Scan & Read Pro
PDF Equalizer
Text-to-Audio
Among other tools…
Software Demo!!
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Why Premier?
 ~70% of students that we service have learning
disabilities
 Software also incorporates some tools for
individuals with low vision and blindness
 A good number of these students take advantage
of accessible text services
 Seen it improve over the years
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Why Premier? cont…
 Premier-In-School Program - Free education grant
 http://www.readingmadeez.com/education/premierinschool.html
 Minimal start-up costs
 Premier-AT-Home Program
 http://www.readingmadeez.com/education/premierathome.html
 Offers students ability to use same technology on personal
machine as in AT Labs
Our Partners?
 Kellar Institute for Human
disAbilities (KIHd)
 Learning Services (CAPS)
 Writing Center
 University Libraries
 Patriot Computers
 Information Technology
Unit
 Office of Disability Services
 ATI Advisory Committee**
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Where do we stand today?
 “Pilot program” provides up to 2000 licenses that can be
used on any workstation in the library, KIHd, and LS
computer labs
 Premier is installed in all of library AT labs (main and
regional campuses), the KIHd lab, and in the LS lab
 Implemented Premier-AT-Home program
 Software (PC or Mac) sold through Patriot
Computers for $5.00
Web: http://www.premierathome.com
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Where do we stand? cont…
 We have implemented training Initiatives
 BYTE Week - Provide AT training (university wide) at
beginning of each semester for BYTE week
 Premier AT Training videos listed on ATI website
(http://ati.gmu.edu/atilab.html)
 Library staff training beginning of each fall semester
 One-to-one and group training offered as needed
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What have we learned?
 Premier has a lot of crossover appeal
 English as Second Language
 Information processing
 Company is still figuring it out
 Product is very good, but can be buggy
 Decentralization = making friends
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Next Steps
 Negotiating with vendor to have license cover classroom
and general labs
 ATI Advisory Committee
 With aid of Classroom Technologies, coordinating process for
having software included as a part of software images used in all
general and classroom computing labs
 Working with University Information to market solution more
effectively throughout the university
 Telecom Coordinators - developing AT liaisons for each
department
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Next Steps cont…
 Evaluating other AT for campus-wide access at
any workstation
 Converting some ZT licenses to USB?
 Converting some JAWS licenses to USB?
 Encouraging use of different screen-reader for general
access?
 NVDA (free/open-source)
 System Access Mobile
 Premier vs. Read & Write GOLD
 Why??
Assistive Technology Initiative (ATI)
George Mason University
Thompson Hall, Room 114
Hours: M-F, 8:30am-5:00pm
Office Phone: 703-993-4329
TTY: (703) 259-0179
Fax: (703) 993-4743
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://ati.gmu.edu