I.
Latest Computer Accessibility Options
A.
Monitors and Displays
B.
Screen Magnification Utilities and Programs
1.
Current Windows Options:
Free: Ease of Access Center (Vista/Windows 7) / Windows Magnifier
Windows 8 accessibility features / Magnifixer Magnifying Glass / Virtual
Magnifying Glass / Others
For a Fee: Zoomtext Magnifier / Zoomtext Express / MAGic
MAGic Pro / Guide / Supernova Magnifier / Supernova Access Suite
Lightning Express / Lightning / WinZoom / WinZoom Lite
iZoom Standard & USB / C-Desk / Others
2.
Current Mac Options: OS X Lion
Apple Universal Access (Zoom) / Mac-nifier / Screen loupe / others
3.
C.
Updates and Additions
Speech Output: Screen Readers / Text-to-Speech Options
1.
Current Windows Options:
JAWS / WindowEyes / SuperNova Screen Reader / OutSpoken
Windows Narrator / Windows 8 accessibility features / others
2.
Free Screen Reader Downloads:
Thunder:
Non Visual Desktop Access:
NaturalReader:
http://www.screenreader.net
http://www.nvda-project.org
http://www.naturalreaders.com/
3.
Mac Options: VoiceOver Utility / NaturalReader 2.0
4.
Converting Text-to-Speech: often requires selecting & copying text to
clipboard or into the program to have it read aloud (may be difficult for
visually impaired users) – many free*; many allow saving files as MP3,
WAV, and other sound formats; some highlight words being read:
TextAloud / DeskBot* / DSpeech* / Balabolka* / FeyRecorder
ClipSpeak / Kyrathasoft Text to Speech* / TTS Reader*
Text2Speech* / Ultra Hal* / Panopreter* / Sayz Me* / others
5.
Text-to-Speech tools for specific tasks (some free*):
PowerTalk*: speaks presentations running in PowerPoint
WordTalk*: Microsoft Word TTS plug in (reads and highlights words)
Odiogo: adds speech to news sites and blog posts
ReadClip*: reads and spell checks blog posts
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D.
E.
II.
Screen Magnification + Speech
1.
Current Options: ZoomText Magnifier/Reader / LunarPlus / WinZoom /
Supernova / MAGic + JAWS / Guide / iZoom USB / C-Desk / others
2.
Updates and Additions: MAGic 12, others
Speech Input + Output
1.
Guide Hands-Free / Magnitalk / J-Say Pro / Say-MAGic
2.
Updates and Additions
Internet Access: Options
A.
Standard browser options
B.
Standard browsers + accessibility software / add-ons (be aware that some
have not been updated for the latest browser versions)
FoxVox (Text to Speech add on for Firefox)
SpeakingFox (Text to Speech add on for Firefox on Mac OS X)
SpeakIt! (Text to Speech add on for Google Chrome – still available??)
C.
Free Web-based Screen Readers:
WebAnywhere:
http://webanywhere.cs.washington.edu/
Screen Access to Go (SAToGo): http://www.satogo.com/en/
D.
IV.
V.
Update: Readability - now for mobile devices: http://www.readability.com
Latest JPEG OCR for Text to Speech (computer-based and free standing units)
A.
Current units: K-NFB Reader Mobile / Intel Reader / Eye-Pal Solo / Eye-Pal
Solo LV / Zoom-Ex / Zoom-Twix / MobilEyes / Eye-Flex / Ultima / Pearl / Eye
Snap Reader / Eye Scan Reader / ClearReader+ / SARA CE (Camera Edition) /
Readit Wand / others
B.
Updates and Additions
Video Magnification Systems
A.
Desktop CCTVs: Recent models
1.
Swinging/rotating monitors
2.
Touch screen units
2
3.
CCTVs with speech output and larger monitors:
a.
b.
c.
Orabis
Vocatex Plus: 26”, 32” and 37” monitors – expensive!
Latest: Merlin Elite / DaVinci / Topaz XL HD
B.
Collapsible units: Transformer VGA/USB / Prisma HD / ClearNote Portable
C.
Handheld Cameras: Mouse type (inexpensive additions), Zoom cameras
D.
Portable Video Magnification Devices
1.
Portable Cameras and Flat Panel Displays
2.
Mounted cameras
3.
Portable Video Units with larger monitors
4.
Miniature LCD Magnifiers (4.3” screens)
- Minis with handles
- Minis that focus for distance
5.
More recent models:
Crystal / Crystal XL / Quicklook 2-GO / Explora / Explora-Plus
Maggie-Pro / Maggie-MD / Snow/ Capture / Eye-C / Smartview Versa+
i-loview / Candy / Candy Grip / Compact HD 5 & 7 / Smartlux Digital
E.
VI.
6.
Minis with small screens (2” / 3.5”): Pebble Mini
7.
Update
8.
Note Taker (Arizona State Student Project)
Headborne Video Displays: SightMate LV920. eSight ALIVIOS, Google Glass
Mobile Technology and Accessibility (Cell Phones / Tablets)
A.
Accessibility built into iOS5 / iOS6 (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
B.
VoiceOver (also in 4th gen and higher iPod Nanos and Shuffles)
Zoom
Large Text
Inverted Colors
Speak Selection
Speak Auto Text
Assistive Touch
Multi Tasking Gestures (iPad only)
Update
Accessibility built into Android: differs in Android 3.1 (Honeycomb) and
Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
1.
2.
Font options
TalkBack
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C.
C.
D.
iPhone / Android / Blackberry Accessibility Apps (many free*)
1.
Magnifiers: iMagnify, Brighter and Bigger*, Mag. Light*
2.
Color identifiers: Color ID Free*, others
3.
Currency Identifiers: Eye Note* (from Bureau of Engraving and
Printing: http://www.eyenote.gov); LookTel Money Reader
4.
Barcode readers: Shop Savvy*, oMoby*, Goggles*, Digit-Eyes
5.
Speech Recognition: Dragon Go! for iPhone*
6.
Speech to Text: Dragon Dictation; iPhone Language Translator
7.
Print to Speech: ZoomReader / Text Detective / TextGrabber / others
8.
Email / Facebook / Twitter access: Voice Brief
9.
MANY other utilities (most work with VoiceOver):
Google Search* / Accuweather* / Yellow Pages*
HeyTell* / Evernote*/ Shazam* / Talking Timer
VizWiz* / many games
10.
“Intelligent Assistants”:
Siri for iPhone / Added to iPad in iOS6
Assistant* / Jeannie* / many others (for Android – but not all are
good!)
11.
BrailleTouch; Braille app for tablets
12:
Free Mobile Accessibility Suite for Android Phones (Sprint)
13.
GPS utilities: Ariadne GPS; Urban Spoon* (finds nearby restaurants)
14.
NFB Newsline for i-Devices
15.
Scanbox (mobile scanning device)
Accessibility apps for iPad
1.
Many the same as on iPhone/iPod Touch
2.
Accessible address book for iPad: ZoomContacts
eBook readers and other tablets
1.
Amazon Kindles (Kindle, Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD
a.
Accessibility options
b.
Kindle vs. iPad: pros and cons
c.
Kindle Paperwhite / Kindle Fire HD 8.9”
2.
Barnes and Noble Nooks: Nook / Nook Simple Touch
Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight / Nook HD / Nook HD+
3.
Classmate / Other tablets
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VII.
Talking / Audio Books and Tools
A.
Digital recordings (MP3)
B.
Desktop and Portable Devices: Daisy / Victor Reader Stream / others
VIII.
Something different: the self driving car!
IX.
Low Vision Patient Management in the High Tech Future
A) How to fit technology into your practice
a.
b.
Deciding how far you can – and should - invest
Determining the time constraints involved
B) Can there be profit in devices we do not control?
C) Selecting the Patient
a.
b.
c.
d.
When to choose devices over optics
Can optics ever be ignored?
Type of vision loss related to the solution
Funding the tech – tech is not cheap
D) Selecting the Solution
a.
b.
c.
When is video / digital magnification needed
When and how to introduce speech
When a combination is indicated
E) Resources in Training
X.
References:
A.
MDSupport Website:
http://www.mdsupport.org/resources/techproducts.html
B.
Accessible Cell Phones reference websites:
1.
General info: http://www.accessiblephones.com/
http://www.etoengineering.com/
2.
Android info: http://accessibility-android.info/ and
http://eyes-free.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/android_access/index.html
3.
iPhone / iPad Apps for the Visually Impaired:
http://appadvice.com/applists/show/apps-for-the-visually-impaired
For course info: E-mail: seehuntny@hotmail.com
NOTE: Technology changes at a rapid pace. Every attempt will be made to present the
newest items; therefore, some items may not be included in this outline.
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