Assistive or adaptive technology includes devices, tools, hardware or software that enable people with disabilities to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible. Each student’s needs are different and should be individually evaluated.
Whilst this technology has improved enormously in recent years using it can be difficult, slow and tiring, even for an experienced user. Students may require rest breaks and extra time to complete assessment tasks and additional space and access to power points will be required.
Assistive technology used by students with disability includes:
Text to speech
Screen readers can only read text, so images need to be transcribed into a text description (alt text).
Users of screen readers generally rely on the keyboard for navigation and cannot use mouse-dependent commands with no keyboard equivalents. Confusing layouts, such as pop-up windows or complex tables without row and column labels, can be problematic.
Speech to text
Voice or speech recognition software allows the user to speak into a microphone to control (by varying degrees) the computer by voice. The software enables voice-controlled editing, formatting, document navigation, spelling, training and correction. Most will operate directly from the user's word processor, email client spreadsheet etc.
Screen magnification
Screen magnification software increases the size of text and graphics on a screen for users with low vision. Microsoft and Macintosh systems offer a limited facility that enlarges the onscreen display, but other, more powerful software is available. Screen magnification software can magnify the screen from 2x to 32x depending on the product, and may also offer functions such as edge smoothing, cursor enhancements, cursor tracking, speech output, and colour filtering and screen changes. Possible difficulties include:
- Stylised fonts that are difficult to read
- Inadequate contrast, especially if text is over graphics
- Information missed because it is in the far right or bottom of the screen
- Small text or images that require increased magnification
- Mouse-dependent commands {while some people do use the mouse, others find that, combined with screen magnification, it creates too much movement on the screen).
Closed circuit televisions
Closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) enlarge text from documents and books. There are three main types of CCTVs: that which a fixed camera moves over a table holding the document; that which uses a movable camera to roll over the document; and mobile units that can be used in libraries, shops, in the workplace etc. Considerations and potential difficulties include:
- Reading with CCTV can be difficult, slow and tiring, even for an experienced user. Students may require rest breaks and extra time to complete assessment tasks.
- Additional space and access to power points will be required; cords across floors may pose a safety hazard.
- Seating arrangements may need to be adjusted to accommodate the equipment.
- You will need to providing course materials (notes, handouts, charts, diagrams) to the student prior to class.
- Print quality of written materials is crucial, as many CCTV systems cannot legibly magnify pencil and light computer printouts.
- Some students will only be able to use a CCTV system in a darkened room.
Tactile graphics systems generate tactile versions of graphs and diagrams
OCR systems use optical character recognition (OCR) software to transpose printed text into electronic text
Hearing Augmentation
Assistive listening devices, also called FM systems, are used usually by people with hearing aids and, sometimes, by Deaf people with cochlear implants. Assistive listening devices reduce background noise so that the user can better focus on the sound of a person’s voice. The speaker wears a microphone, which transmits sound via FM waves to a receiver, which is connected to the hearing aid or cochlear implant.
Hearing aids, worn in many different shapes, sizes and positions around the ear, are mechanical devices that amplify all sound for a person with hearing loss. Depending upon the type of hearing loss, sound may sometimes be distorted or too loud.
Used to amplify sound and reduce background noise, a hearing loop is a wire that coils around a room or part of a room, allowing hearing-aid users to set their aids to receive the transmission. Hearing loops can be permanently installed or portable.
First used in 1979, closed captioning is the dialogue transcription that appears at the bottom of a television screen. Today, most television programs are captioned; to find out, look for a small box containing the letters CC or a cartoon balloon dialogue marker. The Australian Captioning Centre provides a captioning service for educational institutions.
Cochlear implants are inserted into the cochlea to bypass the natural ear mechanism and connect to the auditory nerve. They are usually used by people with severe to profound hearing loss, and who experience little or no improvement with hearing aids. Cochlear implants are controversial among the Deaf community, especially when used for young children.
Text Telephones (TTYs)
TTYs are used by Deaf people to communicate with the person at the other end of line, who must also have a TTY. It looks like a small typewriter with an LCD screen and a cradle for the receiver – this allows users to receive sound as they type. The national relay system allows a user of a TTY to call someone without one: the user calls the service and supplies the phone number to the operator, who then dials the number and relays messages between the two parties.
Visual alert signalers are devices that use flashing lights to alert a Deaf person to the ringing of a phone or fire alarm. Mobile phones and pagers also allow the Deaf person to send e-mails, faxes and pages, and to call people through TTY or the national relay system.
Reading & Writing software combine a number of features to improve access to print material through reading displayed text aloud, word prediction and grammar checking. These programs may be of particular assistance to people with a learning disabilities (LD)
Visual alert signalers are devices that use flashing lights to alert a Deaf person to the ringing of a phone or fire alarm. Mobile phones and pagers also allow the Deaf person to send e-mails, faxes and pages, and to call people through TTY or the national relay system.
Input Devices
There is a range of software and hardware alternatives available for students who have a physical disability (such as cerebral palsy, paralysis, arthritis or overuse injury) and find it difficult to use a regular keyboard or mouse.
- Microsoft Windows has a number of accessibility features such as sticky keys. Refer to Windows Help section under accessibility or Microsoft’s accessibility site
- keyboards for single-handed users such as Maltron
- keyless keyboards such as orbiTouch
- large key or alphabetical layout (instead of the standard "qwerty") keyboards
- virtual keyboards that display a keyboard onscreen to allow text input with a mouse, a touch screen, or a single external button called a switch
- alternative pointing devices such as Trackball, Mouse Pen, Joystick, operated using the keyboard, foot, mouth or head
- Alternatively speech recognition packages such as Dragon Naturally Speaking or Via Voice may be useful
There are also keyboard learning programs available for students with disability
The Adaptech Research Network has developed a very useful database of free or inexpensive assistive technology hardware and software alternatives.
Other Assistive Technology
- Talking calculators speak aloud as keys are pressed.
- Music transcription software such as Toccata transcribes music into Braille
- Ergonomic chairs and height-adjustable desks
- Ergonomic aids such as copy-holders and wrist supports
- Keyboard & mouse alternatives