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Productivity, Accessibility & Free Enabling Technology Tools
Are the best things in life free?A summary of free enabling technologies to support
learning differences.
Margaret McKay – Advisor: Inclusion
04/12/23 1
Outline for Today
• Free enabling technologies that can be downloaded and run from a pen drive or accessed via the college network.
• Web based and other downloadable enabling technologies.
Alternative Interfaces
Recording Tools
Planning Tools
Communication Tools
Visualisation Tools
Writing Tools
TexthelpClaro readKursweil 3000PenfriendCoWriterAudio NotetakersDragon Naturally SpeakingZoomTextInspirationMindmanager
Reading/Writing Tools
Commercially available assistive technologies can offer support to all
(but are often only available to those with disabilities)
Traditional models of supporting students with barriers to learning
No, it’s not insured not for you to use
in the public library
No, it’s not insured not for you to use
in the public library
If you do not disclose that you have dyslexia
we cannot give you enabling technology – you are not eligible!
If you do not disclose that you have dyslexia
we cannot give you enabling technology – you are not eligible!
If you don’t have a disability you are not eligible to access any assistive technology, regardless if it would
make a difference or not.
If you don’t have a disability you are not eligible to access any assistive technology, regardless if it would
make a difference or not.
Assistive… Maybe Better Described as Enabling Technology Timeline
Creating an Accessible College
Inclusion for Everyone..because things are not always as they seem..because things are not always as they seem
Assistive technology solutionsAssistive technology solutionscan make a significant difference to a can make a significant difference to a
much wider range of people.much wider range of people.
Especially free technologiesEspecially free technologies that can help a widethat can help a wide
range of technology users.range of technology users.
A typical class of students on a mainstream course highlighted the
following barriers to learning• Blurred/fuzzy print.• Headaches/discomfort if text too close together.• Strong/bold print leaves a shadow.• Lose place on line - Small print.• If questions long/complicated – structure answer.• Vocabulary difficult/unfamiliar.• Not always know what is important/essential.• Forget if sentences long.• Missed/lost handouts.• Time to read/take notes in class.
9
Free and Portable Enabling Technologiesat www.eduapps.org
EduApps consists of four different collections of incredibly useful software: • AccessApps provides a range of solutions to support writing, reading and
planning, as well as sensory, cognitive and physical difficulties.• TeachApps is a collection of software specifically designed for teachers or
lecturers.• LearnApps, as its name implies, is specifically designed for learners. All learners
or students can benefit from LearnApps.• MyStudyBar provides a suite of apps to support disabled users, literacy and
support for those with English as a Second Language.• MyVisBar is a floating toolbar which delivers a range of open source and
freeware applications to support learners with visual difficulties.
Currently containing 90 open source and freeware software applications which can be entirely used from a USB stick on a Windows computer.
Created by JISC RSC Scotland N&E
A new way of doing things • Do less work but create more accessible resources.
• Create alternative formats without being an accessibility
specialist.
• Make audio/ podcasts for a learner (without speaking or installing
software).
• Make mobile learning (without buying software).
• Give poor readers reading help (without being there).
• Give poor spellers prompts (without being there).
• Define vocabulary (without being there).
MyStudyBar
• MyStudyBar puts a whole range of individual and essential tools at your fingertips. Together, these have been designed to support the study skills and other support needs.
• MyStudyBar has 6 sections; each has a drop down menu offering personal choice, flexibility and independent learning, particularly for those learners who require additional strategies to support their learning. With over 15 apps to choose from,
• MyStudyBar is a useful free study aid for a wide range of people.
• Planning - Xmind mind map, sunbird portable calendar and HottNotes
• Reading - T-Bar, RapidSet, ssOverlay (screen tints) Vu-Bar screen ruler,
Orato text reader.
• Writing - LetMe Type - word prediction, Lingoes talking dictionary, Balabolka text to speech/mp3, stamina touch typing.
• Vision - Magnifier, Sonar cursor ring, NVDA – screen reader.
Planning & Organisational ToolsXmind
• XMind is mind mapping program, similar to Inspiration, Mind Manager and Mind Genius.
Who would benefit? XMind can help individuals who think, plan and learn visually.
Planning & Organisational Tools
Sunbird Calendar
Hott Notes 4 – Sticky Notes
• Try xmind, Sunbird and HottNotes
DyslexiaMany dyslexic people experience visual stress if reading black
text on a white background
Issues for Dyslexic People?
Simultations of Different Disabilities
Reading SupportVu Bar – read text one line at a time
Reading and Writing Support TBar SS Overlay
Orato and Rapidset
RapidSet
RapidSet gives readers the chance to change the colour of font and background on any MS Office environment
Helpful for people with poor vision, dyslexic people and those who need help reading text.
• Try VU Bar, T Bar, SS Overlay and RapidSet
Orato
Orato is a straight forward text to speech application. Simply highlight some text, press speak and Orato will read back words highlighting them as you.
Helpful for people with poor vision, dyslexic people and those who need help reading text.
Writing Support
LetMe Type – Word Prediction
Writing SupportLingoes Talking Dictionary
Current version not working on MyStudyBar but can be downloaded from http://bit.ly/8wRowT
Writing SupportRapid Type Tutor
Watch the tutorial
Balabolka is a very good free Windows text-to-speech tool.
It includes magnification (2X to 16X) and spell checking.
It is also keyboard accessible.
This software will create audio files from text–MP3, WAV, OGG, WMA to be saved and listened to on an iPod or other mobile device.
Dspeech and Balabolka text to speech and save as MP3
Dspeech will Dspeech will hook into the speech hook into the speech
engine on any engine on any windows PC you windows PC you
use and will either use and will either read out text or read out text or convert to MP3convert to MP3
http://tinyurl.com/br8fsqq
Download Heather the Free Scottish Voice for your College
• The Scottish Government has funded CALL Scotland to provide a Scotland-wide schools licence for 'Heather' - a high quality Scottish computer voice.
• www.thescottishvoice.org.uk/Home/
• Try Orato and Balabolka
Visual Support
• Virtual Magnifier
Visual SupportSonar Mouse Ring
Listen to a lecturer talking about how he uses the sonar mouse ring
Case Studies• South Lanarkshire College offers MyStudyBar across the college -http://bit.ly/p2tBlh
• Free applications assist dyslexic media student at Stratford-upon- Avon College -
http://tinyurl.com/ycbv4hy
• Mind-mapping supports visual learners - http://tinyurl.com/39s7q2f
• Visually impaired student achieves fantastic results through the benefit of accessible
resources - http://tinyurl.com/vison
• Integrating interactivity to enrich study skills - http://tinyurl.com/24hchdo
• Coatbridge College students identify which resources meet their learning needs -
http://tinyurl.com/395xe9h
• A lecturer at Dumfries and Galloway College explains how he uses free tools to enhance
the deliver of his teaching - http://tinyurl.com/3ynk3ew
Downloadable and Web Based Enabling Technologies
Other web based text to speech converters
RoboBraillehttp://www.robobraille.org/Conversion
Watch a video about RoboBraille http://bit.ly/abkbz6 *
Learn now to convert pictures to words and text to sound using RoboBraille
http://bit.ly/p9nqZc
With RoboBraille you can save to MP3 or Digtial Talking Book/DAISY Format
Using RoboBraille to create information in alternative formats
Learn how Jennifer a blind student uses RoboBraille - www.rsc-scotland.org/?p=2707
