Assistive Technology
Chris McKenzie
Crystal Drury
Assistive Technology Advisers
The CORRECT Assistive Technology
can enable students to :
• be involved learning activities which would
otherwise be inaccessible,
• demonstrate competence and achieve results
based on ability not limited by disability.
Students’ use of assistive technology should be
reviewed to ensure that the provisions effectively
meet the changing demands of their course.
DO-IT Technology Video
Hardware
Braille display
alternative keyboards, keyguards
magnification units: CCTVs
Software
Screenreader: JAWS
Magnification: ZoomText
Scan reader: Kurzweil3000
Prediction software
Voice recognition
Onscreen keyboard
Video available online at: www.washington.edu/doit/Video
Role of Technology Team
– needs assessment
– application for Disabled Students
Allowance (DSA)
– purchasing, setup and installation
– training in assistive software
– research and development
• laptop and equipment loan pool
• on-campus Assistive Technology (AT)
• advice to departments
- Disability Resource Development Fund (DRDF)
Development of AT Service
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1998 - Assistive Technology Adviser Appointed
1999 - Initial funding for AT Loan Pool
2002 - Assistant AT Adviser Appointed
2002 - SSIS notification system introduced (PEGASUS)
2002 - Assistive Technology Resource Room
2004 - Purchasing database introduced
2005 - Site Licensed software in labs
2005 - ATANET founded
2006 - ↑ AT Manager, 1 AT Adviser
2007 - Second AT Adviser Appointed
2007 - Central Scanning Service introduced
2008 - AT Support Assistant Appointed
Assistive Software
Available for all
On Campus at Strathclyde
University
MindGenius
Organisation and planning tool based on the concept of
Mind-mapping
TextHelp Read & Write GOLD
Text-to-speech software to assist with reading text on a
computer also with proofreading own work
Assistive Software
Available for User Groups
Kurzweil 3000
Scan and Read tool
Kurzweil 1000
Scan and Read tool for visually impaired users
ZoomText
Magnification and screen reading tool for VI users
JAWS
Dedicated screen reader for blind users
Assistive Hardware
Available for all
On Campus at Strathclyde
University
Braille Emboser
The Braille Embosser can be used to create Braille copies
of your work, handouts or research.
CCTV
CCTVs allow you to magnify the object or book you wish to
look at on a larger screen.
Scanners
A scanner will allow
you to convert printed
text into images that
can be edited and/or
read aloud.
Assistive Technology in use
• A student with the use of one-hand only for typing uses a compact
keyboard and voice recognition software when completing written
assignments.
• A social work student with dyslexia uses a scanner and text-to-speech
software to accurately read his course notes. The visually and auditory
feedback aids his comprehension of the content and reduces the need
to re-read several times.
• A student with Aspergers syndrome describes hyper-sensitivity to
noise. They use noise-cancelling headphones within noisy
environments to allow them to dull the background noise and focus on
a speaker.
Assistive Technology in use
A pharmacy student with a visual impairment has a
microscope fitted with a magnification camera
which is in turn connected to a TV screen on which
it displays the magnified view of the slide.
An architecture student with a visual
impairment uses a desktop magnification
system when drawing and accessing
images or text.
Current Research &
Developments
• Live Remote Captioning
• Teaching Room Technologies
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Visual Display Equipment
Audio Equipment
Automated Video Capture (‘web lectures’)
Video Streaming & Captioning
LRC
What is LRC
• Service for deaf and hard of hearing students
• Live speech converted into text
How it works
• Audio transmitted to captioning studio via mobile
• Captioner uses voice recognition software to re-speak
• Text returns to students laptop within seconds
Technology
Why was it introduced
• To explore an alternative to the current services i.e.
electronic notetaking, speedtext and manual notetakers
• Aim is to improve reliability, flexibility and scalability of
services for students
- Mobile technology
- Accessible for numerous students simultaneously
- No travel required
- Remote institutions
LRC video clips
Trial
Still ongoing
- Rolled out September 2009
- 2 students, 2 departments, 2 campuses
- Accuracy of transcription excellent
- Positive student feedback
- Initial technical issues overcome
- Ongoing improvements
Teaching Room Technologies
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Visual Display Equipment
Audio Equipment
Automated Video Capture (‘web lectures’)
Video Streaming & Captioning
Visual Display Equipment
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Initial Position
• No clear consensus among teaching staff
• Need to develop an agreed standard:
• Enhance Teaching & Learning experience
• Improved Technical Support
• Efficiency gains
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Disabled Students and Staff
Visual Display Equipment
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No clear consensus among teaching staff...
Visual Display Equipment
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Room Control Systems
 Touch Screen
 Wall Mounted Buttons
• Need for support in
infrastructure essential
Visual Display Equipment
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Conclusions
• Flexibility is important
• High quality electronic visual display is most
accessible
Data projector
Plasma/LCD screen
• Availability of electronic copy crucial
Audio Equipment
•Room Specification
•Based on room size
•Installed microphones
•Radio microphones
•Sound Reinforcement
•Loop systems
• Teaching Room Audio Survey
•Intended to compliment Visual Display Equipment
Assessment
Audio Equipment
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Student Survey
• Delivered online to all current students
• Option to remain anonymous
• ‘User-centric’ focus on user experience
Audio Equipment
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Strong agreement that speakers could be heard
during class
• However, results showed that almost 1/3 of student
had to sit in specific areas to hear clearly
• Over 70% felt that the teaching experience could be
improved by better use of audio technology
• 87.5% reported that speakers did not always use the
available systems
Automated Video Capture
(web lectures)
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Introduction
• Introduced in 2005/06
• Initially a pilot project within Faculty of Education
Background
• Managed by Learning Services
• Around 140 recordings per annum
• Fixed installations 2007
• Installed systems less obtrusive
• Faster turnaround of video onto server
Automated Video Capture
(web lectures)
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Technical specifications
• Installed system
• Portable systems
• Windows Media Format
• Process
• Integrated with Virtual Learning
Environment
• Transcriptions & Captions
Automated Video Capture
(web lectures)
• Feedback
• Initial concern about attendance
• No significant drop in attendance demonstrated
• Could students film classes themselves?
• Fixed systems only work perfectly if they are
installed everywhere.
Only as good as infrastructure that supports it.
Video Streaming & Captioning
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24/7 access to video resources
• Access on and off campus
• Flexible approach to learning
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Searchable Database (eStream)
• Large volume of data, with user control
• meta data (including deletion date)
• Intellectual Property/Ownership/Copyright
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Transcriptions & Captions
• Outsourced
• Expensive!
• On Demand/Track Disabled students?
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Moving past technology?
Conclusions
Accessible Teaching Room Technologies
Low Cost No Cost
• Accessibility of a standard PC
- Windows Ease of Access Centre
• MS Office
• Freeware
• Stylesheets
Windows Ease of Access Centre
Built-in features:
• Display settings i.e. high contrast
• Keyboard & mouse settings
• Textual & Visual Alternatives
• Narrator
• Magnifier
• Voice-recognition
• On-Screen keyboard
Display Options
The Display option within Windows Accessibility allows you
to switch to a high contrast scheme directly by using a
keyboard shortcut.
high contrast black and high contrast white
are amongst the available schemes.
This facility allows standard computers in open access labs
to be readily switched to high contrast scheme by users
who need or prefer such a display.
WORD
There are lots of ways that you can
make MS Word easier to use.
You can:
 change the background colours and font to suit your
own preferences
 make the spell check tool work harder for you.
Stylesheet
A style sheet will allow you to view most web pages
in the most accessible background colour and text
size for you.
To create a style sheet:
 Go to www.oneformat.com
 Select your preferred background colour and text size
 Download your style sheet
 Save to your computer then install
Freeware
EduApps
http://www.rsc-nescotland.ac.uk/eduapps/
Over 60 pieces of open
source software available to
support reading, writing,
planning as well as sensory,
cognitive and physical
difficulties
Importance of liaising with
Academic Departments
• Student Records System
• SSIS
• PEGASUS
Impact of Disability, Reasonable Adjustments & Exam Arrangements
• Awareness Training Sessions
• Assistive Technology
• MS Office
• Accessible Teaching materials
The Use of Assistive Technology in
promoting accessibility
The availability of
accessible course
materials is key to most
disabled student’s
success.
Students use of assistive
technology can make accessing
accessible materials possible –
but often the process continues
to demand more time than the
same activities for their nondisabled peers.
Non-Medical Personal Helpers and
Reasonable Adjustments are
also required.
Accessible
Resources
Academic
Support
Reasonable
Assistive
Adjustments
Technology
Importance of liaising with
other departments
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IT Training Team
Systems Developers
Teaching Room Support
Library Services
IT Helpdesk
Learning Technology Enhancement Team
Any Questions?
www.strath.ac.uk/disabilityservice