ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY
FOR STUDENTS IN TRANSITION
Ian Shadrick M.A., M.A., CVRT, CRC
Missouri State University
Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Special
Education

Purpose:
 The purpose of this presentation is to address recent advancements in technology for transition age students. The presentation will focus on mobile technologies that can be used in academic, employment, and leisure environments, including iPad, iPhone, and iPod applications, as well as basic navigational applications.

Background:
 The ability to access information is among the largest challenges for persons with blindness or low vision. This is especially true in situations that require access to information in situations such as classrooms, meetings, employment, social environments; and particularly scenarios that require productivity and mobility or require the individual to be away from standard computer environments simultaneously.

Advancement:


Ability for persons with disabilities to have access to that same technology is often a challenge that coincides with overall access to information (in a timely and proper manner, ideally at the same time as peers).
Recent significant advancements that allow persons with blindness or low vision the ability to have this capability, beginning to level the playing field in education, employment, and social settings.

Focus:
 The focus of this presentation is on these mobile applications across these three arenas
(education, employment, and social, leisure).

Categories:










-Productivity
-Note Taking & Audio Recording
-Book and Text Options
-Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
-Independent Living/Lifestyle
-GPS Options
-News and Information Sharing
-Social Networking
-Education
-Resources

Note Taking









Notes
Pages
Paperport Notes
Notability
Speak It 2.0
Write 2
Access Note
Dragon
Fleksy

Audio Recording




Clear Record
Voice Memos
Recorder HD*
Recorder Plus*

Text to Speech



Text Aloud
Voice Dream
Talker

Productivity








Email
Calendar
Clock
Safari
Keynote
Numbers
Calculator
Reminders

Productivity Continued









Assistant
Adobe Reader iAnnotate PDF*
Dropbox
Signature Apps*
Secure Notes
Dragon Search
Evernote
Drafts





Optical Character

Recognition (OCR)
Text Grabber
ImageToText
DocScanner
Prizmo
Genius Scan*

Books and Newspapers







 iBooks
Read2Go
Learning Ally
Audible
NFB Newsline
Nook
Blio
EARL

News and Information Sharing







Breaking News
Downcast
Feeddler RSS Reader
Podcasts
Nightly News
Reuters
Local Options

News & Information Continued




NPR News (iphone)
University Apps
Weather
Forecast Now

Independent Living &
Lifestyle
 TapTapSee
 CamFind
 Talking Goggles
 Color Id 2
 IntoNow
 Banking Apps (vary)
 Shopping (varies)
 Grocery Pal*

Independent Living Continued









ZoomReader
Zoom Contacts
MoneyReader
TV Guides (Uverse& DirectTv)
Mint
Recipes
Ambiance
Guide Talking Menus
QR Code & Barcode Readers

Independent Living Continued





Epicurious
Yelp
Gate Guru*
MagLight+ nest

Social Networking






Facebook
Voice Book
LinkedIn
Twitter
Twitterrific
Skype

Blindness Resources









Blind Bargains
AFB Access World iBlink Radio
VizWiz
ViA
VO Starter
Braille Touch
BraillePad
Big Browser

GPS & Navigation











Maps
Mapquest (list view) iMove
Ariadne
Compass
Where to?
Blind Square
Around Me
Sendero LookAround
Google Earth*
Transit Options

Technology






DVICE
CNET
Cali
TED iCatcher
Camera

Education Specific






Blackboard Mobile iTunes U
University Apps
Khan Academy
Learn Spanish Quick
Talking Scientific Calculator

Resources








Apple Vis www.applevis.com
AFB Access World www.afb.org
Missouri State University Access Technology
Center Blog www.missouristate/edu/atc/
Dr. Luis Perez www.luisperezonline.com
www.appitic.com
Braille Monitor
Braille Forum
Future Reflections

Continued


App Advice www.appadvice.com
Disabled World www.disabled-world.com
(Android)
 Bridging Apps Weekly www.bridgingapps.org