Transcript Universal Access & Assistive Technologies Poudre River

Universal Access &
Assistive Technologies
Poudre River Public Library District
December 11, 2012
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Marla Roll
Director, Assistive Technology Resource Center, CSU
Shannon Lavey
Service Coordinator, Assistive Technology Resource Center, CSU
PRPLD and CSU:
 Spring of 2012 – Students in OT 680 class consulted with the
PRPLD and made recommendations for AT
 Purchases were made – thanks to Irene Romsa
 AT was installed – thanks to Lingzhen Zhao
 Exciting news for the Fort Collins Community – one of the
few locations where the public can access AT!
 Overview of AT at PRPLD
Demographics of Disability
 There are an estimated 54 million people with disabilities living
in the U.S.
– U.S. Census Bureau
 There are nearly 7 million school-aged children with disabilities
in the U.S.
– Congressional Research Service
 Nearly 70 percent of working-age adults with disabilities are
unemployed.
– U.S. Census Bureau
 Fewer than 25 percent of people with disabilities who could be
helped by assistive technology are using it.
– Alliance for Technology Access
What is Assistive Technology?
 According to the United States Assistive Technology Act of
1998, assistive technology (also called adaptive technology )
refers to any "product, device, or equipment, whether
acquired commercially, modified or customized, that is used
to maintain, increase, or improve the functional capabilities of
individuals with disabilities.“
 Common computer-related assistive technology
products include screen magnifiers, large-key keyboards,
alternative input devices such as over-sized trackballs,
speech recognition programs, and text readers.
Why Assistive Technology?
 Ethical and legal responsibility to provide access to
information
 Fort Collins is lacking in AT resources for the community
 Access to AT can mean access to information for leisure,
work and school related purposes.
 Think of AT as “electronic curb cuts”
Low tech kits
 Magnifying sheets – can be placed over book pages
 Amber 3X
 Clear 2X
 Handheld magnifier – magnifies text and provides backlighting
 Writing guide kit – allows for guidance with reading and writing
 Book stand – can ease viewing and encourages neutral
postures
 Pencil/pen grip – can easy process for those with abnormal
tone, arthritis, ergonomic considerations
Dragon Naturally Speaking
 Voice recognition software – user interacts with computer by
voice
 Loaded on laptop – allows for access in a quiet room
 Who benefits?
 People with mobility impairments ( SCI, Arthritis, MS, CTD)
 People with cognitive considerations (LD, TBI)
 For what purpose?
 Users can dictate into word processors, spreadsheets, email, the
web, etc.
 Users can navigate the computer using commands
Zoomtext
 Screen magnification and reader software
 Magnifies, enhances, and reads aloud all visual events on the
computer screen
 Who benefits?
 People with low vision, aging population
 People who have sensitivities viewing the computer screen
 For what purpose?
 User can see, hear, and use the computer with more ease
 Hot keys available to eliminate the use of the mouse
Zoomtext Camera
 Uses a high definition web camera to view and magnify
printed and 3D objects
 Considered a portable and affordable CCTV alternative
 Image is enlarged and read with the Zoomtext software
 Who benefits?
 People with low vision
 Aging population
 For what purpose?
 View any printed and 3D object – checks, letters, pill bottles, etc.
Read and Write Gold
 Literacy support software
 Helps with reading, writing, studying, research
 Who benefits?
 Everybody
 People with cognitive considerations (LD, ADHD,TBI)
 For what purpose?
 Reads text aloud while highlighting
 Assists with spelling/grammar, sentence construction, diction,
and organizing ideas
 User can research and study using features like highlighter, fact
finder, and vocab list builder
Adjustable Height Table
 Who benefits?
 People who are very tall or very short in stature
 People in wheelchairs, scooters
 People with back pain
 For what purpose?
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Universal Design
Electronic access means users do not have to ask for help!
Allows for improved posture for all users
Allows user in W/C to get positioned well
Allows users to work in standing
Alternative keyboard
 Gold touch keyboard –
 Who uses it?
 everybody
 For what purpose?
 Encourages better typing posture
 Adjustable for different user sizes and preferences
 Elimination of num key pad allows mouse to be placed closer to the body
 Zoomcaps keyboard labels
 Who benefits?
 People with low vision, aging population
 For what purpose?
 Viewing the keyboard
 More spacing between letters
 No serifs
 Heavier and wider font
Alternative mouse
 Kensington Expert Trackball Mouse
 Wrist rest for added comfort
 Scroll wheel and programmable buttons
 Who uses it?
 Everybody
 People with mobility impairments ( SCI, Arthritis, MS, CTD)
 For what purpose?
 Encourages a neutral postures of wrist and hand
 Allows for more control and accuracy
 Removes work load from shoulder and decreases grip
Flatbed scanner
 Allows users to scan hard copy print
 Who Benefits?
 Anybody who needs print content digitized
 People with print disabilities ( dyslexia, blindness, low vision)
 For what purpose?
 Scanning documents for electronic conversion
 Scanned image can be OCR’d (Optical Character Recognition)
 Converted to text
 With Adobe Acrobat or Read and Write Gold
NVDA – Nonvisual Desktop
Access
 Screen reader for Windows OS
 Free and open source - http://www.nvda-project.org/
 Great for people who do NOT have the resources to buy
Jaws
 Who uses it?
People with blindness or significant low vision
 For what purpose?
 Means of access to all information on the computer – reads all
text, menus, dialogue boxes
 Computer is essentially inaccessible without it for people who are
blind
Next steps:
 Considerations for marketing
 PRPLS web site
 Training of staff:
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AT specialists
ATRC web site
Train the trainer
OT 680
 Considerations in procurement
Thanks! http://atrc.colostate.edu
 Marla C. Roll, MS, OTR
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Director – Assistive Technology Resource Center
Faculty – Department of Occupational Therapy
491-2016
[email protected]
 Shannon Lavey, MS, OTR
 Service Coordinator – Assistive Technology Resource Center
 491-4241
 [email protected]