These Livescribe Echo Smartpens can record the audio of a lecture while you use the pen to write notes in a special yet normal-looking notebook. The audio recorded will have automatic timestamps synched up with your writing allowing you to easily revisit that point in the audio file simply by tapping on the words you were writing at the time! Smartpens can help all students such as those who need assistance with note taking, for instance students with ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, and visual impairments.

In addition to all the well-known benefits of iPad use, iPads host a wealth of built in accessibility like screen reading, assisted touch, and other customizable interface options! Such use of iPads can help students with visual impairments and mobility challenges.

The Closed Captioned TV (CCTV) in the Library’s Assistive Technology Lab serves as a huge video magnifier. Using the CCTV, one can see printed materials zoomed in really clearly on a TV screen. This can be helpful for those with visual impairments.

Reading Comprehension Support: Access to all major digital file formats, online text and printed materials. Spelling support: spell checker and integrated dictionary.

Writing Support: Talking word processor, auditory spell checker, and word prediction with grammar controlled vocabulary lists.

Study Skills: Multiple highlighter options, sticky notes, read-the-web.

Reading support: special font to assist with visual tracking and test-taking accommodations. A single user interface with all the tools necessary for academic success.

Note: Kurzweil is available on USB drives, available to loan out free of charge from AccessAbility. Like with any hardware, the only charge what will incur is if a device is lost or otherwise not returned.

Offers a suite of supports including reading, writing, and overlay support! Read&Write Gold uses a hover toolbar that sits on top of all your normal windows making it super accessible and easy to use! This program is available on all computer lab computers and is available to download for all WCSU students at: Read & Write Download

Videos:

Read&Write Download Instructions for Windows

Read&Write Download Instructions for Mac

How to download a Word Doc from Blackboard to Read&Write

How to download a PDF from Blackboard to Read&Write

How to customize Read&Write settings

Livescribe software and Smartpens work as a pair! After a Smartpen records audio and the written notes, this digital data can be uploaded and synched on the Livescribe software. Once uploaded and synched, it is also possible to play specific portions of recorded audio by clicking on the uploaded digital notes from a computer! The software also organizes all notes by date and has a search function so you’ll never lose that perfect line of notes again. Notes stored on Livescribe can be saved, shared, and downloaded, just like any multimedia content. This makes accessing your notes as easy as possible; this could also help lighten one’s backpack! This can prove helpful for students with ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, visual impairments, and mobility challenges.

Training Videos

Echo Smartpen Training (please note, these videos were not developed by AccessAbility Services. Some parts of the video reference people who made the videos and their locations):

Using an Echo Smartpen
Taking Notes
Using Echo Desktop

Smartpen3 Training (please note, this video refers to items not included/done in AccessAbility Services. This video is to show you an overview of the pen):

Using a Smartpen3

A simple and easy to use text reader. Read:OutLoud makes it easy to access to any book file and the Internet so that students can improve reading comprehension.

In addition to all the well-known benefits of iPad use, iPads host a wealth of built in accessibility like screen reading, assisted touch, and other customizable interface options! Such use of iPads can help students with visual impairments and mobility challenges.

The Closed Captioned TV (CCTV) in the Library’s Assistive Technology Lab serves as a huge video magnifier. Using the CCTV, one can see printed materials zoomed in really clearly on a TV screen. This can be helpful for those with visual impairments.

Reads the text on screen in a natural sounding voice. This easy to use software can convert any written text such as MS Word, Webpage, PDF files, and emails into spoken words. NaturalReader can also convert any written text into audio files such as MP3 or WAV for mobile devices.

The user can speak and when the speaker pauses, this program transcribes the words into the active window at the location of the cursor, like on a Word document. The software has three primary areas of functionality: dictation, text-to-speech and command input. The user is able to dictate and have speech transcribed as written text, have a document synthesized as an audio stream, or issue commands that are recognized as such by the program.

Being one of the most powerful screen readers on the market, JAWS gives the user a unique set of intelligent tools for navigating and accessing Web pages, and all screen content.

With a refreshable Braille display like Freedom Scientific’s Focus, JAWS also provides Braille output in addition to, or instead of, speech. An array of versatile features and customizable options lets you tailor JAWS for your individual needs and preferences.

A powerful OCR software designed to convert all your paper documents, images or PDF into editable and searchable digital text (Word, Excel, PDF, Txt, etc.) in just a click. It recognizes more than 130 languages including Asian languages and Arabic. Also works in conjunction with the IRIScan, a portable scanner!

OpenBook is an OCR software that utilizes both Nuance OmniPage and ABBYY FineReader OCR engines to bring you the most accurate text recognition available. You also can choose between two leading text-to-speech software synthesizers: RealSpeak Solo (natural, human-sounding voices) or Eloquence (efficient synthesized speech that often is preferred for editing and document skimming).

MAGic’s high-definition text delivers smooth, crisp letters for all fonts, even at the highest magnification. MAGic features 46 magnification levels from 1x to 36x. Built-in training tools, text and audio training, talking installation, online help, and context-sensitive help work together to make MAGic extremely easy to learn and use.

Very similar to MAGic and it just as easy to learn about and use. Magnifies everything on the computer screen up to 36 times to enhance readability. Also reads text on the screen.

This software allows users to tint their screen to a color of their choosing. This can prove helpful for students with visual impairments and/or those who experience eye strain from prolonged computer use.

Predicts unfinished typed words and will also read the word back to you, all based on customized settings matched to your goal vocabulary level and vocabulary lists. Word Q works with email, word processors, the internet, etc. WordQ enables auditory proofreading so a user can hear how they have written a sentence or passage. Reading & writing out loud is a proven way to improve your proofreading skills.