Part A: Electronic DocumentsEric G. M. Woo

A Quick Teaser!

(1) Quick Access to Portable Documents• Portable Scanners (No, you don’t have to lug around an All-In-One)• Scanning Pens (Yes! These really exist!)• iPads, Galaxy Tabs and Android Phones, oh my!• Cloud Storage (Truly the wave of the future!)

(2) Converting Files to Kurzweil• KESI Virtual Printer (This will be one of the most popular tools)• OCR Conversion (Turning a scanned image into text)

1) Quick Access To Portable Documents• For a variety of reasons, students may need

access to all sorts of documents and files• Especially, they will need to be able to access

electronic files easily and efficiently

Before we start, students with which exceptionalities do you think would benefit the most from this sort of

technology?Communication Physical

Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Physical Disability

Language Impairment Low Vision

Learning Disability

A Brief History Of Image Scanners• 1920s: Early telephotography input devices are

invented, involving a photodetector sending analog AM signals through telephone lines

• 1957: US National Bureau of Standards invents a true image scanner, using a drum scanner using photomultiplier tubes

• 1976: Ray Kurzweil invents device that could scan text and convert it to speech; incorporates the first flatbed scanner

• 1985: Sheet-fed scanners introduced by Microtek, first to be mass-produced

• 1990s: Flatbed scanners become affordable and common

Sources• Name Withheld. (2009) History of the scanner. Retrieved from

http://www.helium.com/items/1360869-flatbed-scanner-history • The History of Computer Scanners. (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5011392_history-computer-scanners.html

Portable ScannersWhat Are They?• Portable scanners are

an effective way to turn a paper document into an electronic version

• Many companies offer convenient hand-held versions that can be used like a “magic wand”

• Other, slightly bulkier versions are up-right devices resembling mini-printers

(image from http://www.pcmag.com)

(image from http://www.inktechnologies.com)

Portable Scanners

Why Do We Care?• Portable scanners

can be used to quickly scan handwritten notes for students who have poor fine motor skills and cannot otherwise take notes easily in class

• Can be used to create electronic copies that can be resized for low-vision students (image from http://www.pcmag.com)

(image from http://www.inktechnologies.com)

Portable Scanners

Example: Hipstreet Handi-Scan Portable Scanner• Specifications• 300, 600 dpi• Windows/Mac OS X Compatible• USB 2.0 connectivity• MicroSD slot• Includes OCR software (More on that later!)• Dimensions: 25.5 cm x 3 cm x 2.5 cm

•Cost: $89.99 Source: BestBuy.ca

Scanning Pens

What Are They?• Scanning Pens are

similar to Portable Scanners, except these are smaller-scale devices meant to scan words and sentences

(image from http://www.inktechnologies.com)

(image from http://www.impress-group.co.uk)

Scanning PensWhy Do We Care?• Scanning Pens can be

used by students who have poor fine motor skills on a variety of note-taking activities, such as when doing research

• Can be used by students with learning disabilities affecting receptive language and language processing to take quick notes, look up words, etc.

(image from http://www.inktechnologies.com)

(image from http://www.impress-group.co.uk)

Scanning Pens

ExampleIRISPen Express 6 Pen Scanner• Specifications• Windows/Mac OS X

Compatible• USB connectivity• Built-in OCR functions

recognizing 128 languages• Dimensions: 5” x 1”

•Cost: $129.00Source: Walmart.ca

When You See These Devices In The Classroom…

… your first instinct may be to confiscate them!

But they can be an invaluable tool!

Source: SiliconRepublic.com Source: Phonegg.comSource: Apple.com

Phones and Tablets

What Are They?• These devices certainly

need no introduction in our classroom!

• Our students are bringing in cellphones and iPads with increasing regularity

• Many of these devices have cameras and can act as portable scanners!

(Image source: zdnet.com)

Phones and Tablets

ExampleTinyScan Pro• iOS App• Turns iPhones and

iPads into scanners• Automatically detects

document dimensions• PDF output• Colour, Grayscale, B/W

• Cost: $4.99

Source: iTunes App Store

Cloud Storage

The Cloud is what binds everything together, representing

the ultimate in portability!

Read this article on HowStuffWorks about Cloud Storage first!

Cloud Storage

• With common access to WiFi networks, using Cloud Storage provides a fantastic way to access all of the documents that you could ever need, eTexts, assignments, etc., without worrying about physical storage space on your end!• Popular (and FREE!) Cloud Storage services:• Google Drive• Dropbox• Microsoft SkyDrive• iCloud (requires an Apple device)

• Great for students AND teachers!

Discussion Interlude!

On the discussion board, discuss the pros and cons of incorporating either portable

scanners, portable pens, Smartphones or all three into your special education

department. How can such devices be used most

effectively in your classroom?Are the devices and solutions worth the

expense?Post in the “Scanning Devices” view.

2) Converting Files to Kurzweil 3000

What is Kurzweil 3000?• A suite of assistive technology programs for

people with learning disabilities, particularly focusing on reading and writing

• Notably, it is able to read aloud any electronic text sources, producing audible files

Communication Physical

Learning Disability Blind and Low Vision

Students with which exceptionalities would benefit the most from this sort

of technology?

2) Converting Files to Kurzweil 3000• However, files need to be converted before they

can be most effectively used by Kurzweil 3000• There are two situations you may encounter when

trying to convert files to Kurzweil 3000• You are using a print document, in which case you must

first scan the document and analyse it using Optical Character Recognition conversion• You are already working with an electronic document, in

which case you can use the KESI Virtual Printer

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)• Kurzweil 3000 is unable to detect and dictate text

that is part of an image file – for example, scanned image files of books

• In order to use Kurzweil to dictate text from a scanned image, it must first be analysed by an OCR program• Such software scans an image for anything that

resembles text, and converts it into text that is selectable

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)• Most portable scanners and pen scanners have

built-in OCR software!• However, there are a number of excellent and

FREE OCR software available for download• Microsoft OneNote and Microsoft Document Imaging• Free OCR (Online tool)

• Software for purchase is also available, which tends to be more reliable than free options• OmniPage ($149.99) (Source: BestBuy.ca)• Acrobat XI Standard (~$120 US, Student/Teacher Edition)

(Source: Adobe.com)

KESI Virtual Printer• KESI Virtual Printer is a printer driver that is

able to take any text file in any format and convert it to a file that Kurzweil 3000 is able to access, read and dictate• Click Here for a guide on KESI Virtual Printer• Click Here to download the KESI Virtual Printer inst

aller for Win7

Give It A Try!• Search for a simple image on Google Images that

includes mostly text – say, a book cover or a short passage

• Download and install one of the FREE OCR programs• Use the program (or OneNote if you have access to it) to

convert the file to a text-selectable file• Download and install the KESI Virtual Printer driver• Open the converted image file• Select Print, and select the KESI Virtual Printer to create a

Kurzweil 3000 file• Download and install a Free Trial of Kurzweil 3000• Access your newly converted file using Kurzweil 3000• Upload your converted files and results to the “KESI

Virtual Printer” view!

Resources and ReferencesAbout.com – Using A Pen ScannerApple In EducationCambium Learning Technologies (Owns Kurzweil)eHow – The History of Computer ScannersHelium – History of the scannerHow Stuff Works – Cloud StorageiTunes App StoreKESI Virtual Printer GuidePCMag.com – The Best Portable Document ScannersSamsung (Education)School District No. 71, Vancouver Island, Technology BlogTop 5 Free OCR Software Tools To Convert Images Into Text