No problem at all Tony! As Siri says, "I aim to please"!
I took them all from the Technology page on NCBI's Website at:
www.ncbi.ie/technology
-----Original Message-----
From: fb-exchange-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:fb-exchange-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Tony Sweeney
Sent: 10 July 2017 8:24 pm
To: fb-exchange@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [fb-exchange] Re: Types of Assistive Technology
Hi Dominique,
I'd like to pass this on to my group and along with acknowledging your good
self I'd too like to credit the source of that very informative article.
A number of our members are parents of visually impaired children and this
may well be new to them so good to let them know where to check for more
info on the topic if required.
Thanks for sharing those great minis.
#tony Sweeney.
On 10/07/2017 20:08, Dominique Farrell wrote:
If you have little or no vision, you may find it difficult orwhatever is easiest for you.
impossible to do things that so many people now take for granted.
These include using the internet, booking flights, reading printed
items such as books, magazines, newspapers or even mail that comes
through the door. Technology can help though. If the right technology
is used, you will enjoy the same freedom to read as everyone else.
CCTV
A closed circuit television, or CCTV, is a device that magnifies
things so they are easier to see. It has a built-in camera, which
takes a picture of a printed page and shows it enlarged on a screen.
There are many different types of CCTV and they come in different
sizes depending on the tasks for which they will be used. Portable
models help in situations where you need to move around a lot. They
have their own screen. Some models can display the picture on your TV
screen and allow you to change the colours of the text and background to
only a keyboard.
Scanners
A scanner is similar to a photocopier, but as well as taking a picture
of a page it can read the text. Some scanners can speak the text out
loud so they can read the daily newspaper to you, or your favourite
magazine. All you have to do is place a page on the scanner and press
a button. Most scanners need to be connected to a computer. The
computer stores the text and can read it out to you, or you can add
the text to an email or print it, even alter it using the computer.
With the huge growth in the use of mobile phones and tablets, many
people are now using software that lets your phone's camera act as a
scanner. You simply hold your phone over the page to be read and the
phone takes a picture and translates that picture into spoken or large
text. This is really useful in so many different scenarios but one
example might be reading a menu in a restaurant independently.
Computer Access
Many people with vision impairments all over the world use a computer
every day at home or at work. Thanks to assistive software, they are
able to do things on their computer which would previously not have
been possible. Even people who are totally blind can do everything using
time.
Screen Magnification
Even if you have low vision, you may still be able to use the computer
screen with the help of screen magnification software. This software
enables the computer to enlarge the text on its screen so that a
person with low vision can see it comfortably. It can also change the
colours used and the amount of the screen that is enlarged at any one
can use.
Some screen magnification software gives the option of having the text
on the screen spoken to you by the computer, as well as being
magnified. This can be very useful if you want to do a lot of computer
work but find that you can get eyestrain after a while.
Here is a list of popular screen magnification technologies currently
on the
market:
* ZoomText - www.aisquared.com
<http://www.freedomscientific.com/product-portal.asp>
* SuperNova - www.yourdolphin.com <http://www.yourdolphin.com/>
* MAGic - www.freedomscientific.com
<http://www.freedomscientific.com/>
Screen Reader
A screen reader is a piece of software that enables a person with no
sight to use all the functions of a computer, making it possible for
them to read and write documents, use the internet and send email,
using only a keyboard and without needing to look at a computer
screen. The screen reader uses synthetic speech to speak all the
information that would appear on the screen. It is able to describe
everything on the screen, including all the commands and buttons that you
Refreshable Braille display in conjunction with speech output.
Here are two popular screen reader technologies currently on the market:
* Jaws - www.freedomscientific.com/product-portal.asp
<http://www.freedomscientific.com/product-portal.asp>
* Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) - www.nvda-project.org
<http://www.nvda-project.org/>
Refreshable Braille
If you would rather read in Braille than have the text spoken to you,
a Refreshable Braille display may be what you need. This is like a
miniature screen sitting in front of the keyboard, capable of
displaying a line of Braille by raising and lowering small plastic
pins. You can easily move your hands between the keyboard and the
display and read the text which is displayed a line at a time.
Refreshable Braille displays come in several sizes, depending on the
amount of information that you need to see at any one time.
Refreshable Braille displays can also be used to connect to mobile
devices for on-the-move work and are frequently used in education and
employment. Many computer users who are blind or vision impaired use a
different speeds.
Braille printers
A Braille printer, also called an embosser, enables a person to print
documents, emails, web pages or other types of information in Braille
from a computer or mobile device. Several types of Braille printers
are available, capable of printing different levels of Braille and at
Braille translation software is used to prepare documents before theyfull functionality of a laptop computer.
are sent to the Braille printer.
Note Takers
If you are blind or vision impaired and would like to be able to take
notes in a classroom, lecture hall, or while you are on the move, a
note taker may be just the thing for you. These small, portable
devices enable you to type in and read back notes using a built in
refreshable Braille display or speech output. They may also include
other useful functions, like an address book, telephone dialler,
diary, calculator or alarm clock. There are a range of models
available with different keyboards. Some can be connected to a
computer to save notes you have made. The most advanced units have the
called Zoom.
Mobile Devices
Mobile devices are becoming a part of almost every aspect of what we
do today. There are a range of phones and tablets available and the
level of built-in accessibility varies depending on what you require.
It is very important that you evaluate the available devices for
yourself and work out which one best meets your needs. NCBI technology
staff can provide further assistance and information as required.
iOS
iOS is Apple's mobile operating system. The technology is installed on
their iPhone, iPad and iPod range of devices. It features a fully
functional screen reader called Voiceover and a magnification package
magnification options.
Android
Android is Google's operating system and runs on a huge number of
mobile phones and tablet devices, as well as some smart TVs. Android
features a screen reader called Talkback and a whole range of
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Windows Mobile
Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system runs on an increasing
number of Smartphones and tablet devices. It includes a screen reader
called Narrator and a built-in magnifier.
Software downloads
Our Software Downloads page <http://www.ncbi.ie/software-resources/>
is a good place to get more detailed information and demonstration
versions of some of our most popular Assistive Technology packages.
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