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Assistive Technology Resources and Services
The SDRC offers a wide range of Assistive Technology Resources and Services, listed below. Students must be registered with the SDRC before contacting staff concerning these services.
Assistive Learning Technology Center (ALTeC)
Alternative Format Production Facility (AFPF)
Assistive Technology Equipment and Software Loan Library (EaSLL)
Assessment and Evaluation
Training on Assistive Technology Equipment and Software
Consultation on Technology-related Disability and Accessibility
Issues
Arranging for an appointment
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Assistive Learning Technology Center (ALTeC)
The Assistive Learning Technology Center is the technology arm of the Student Disability Resource Center. It offers a wide range of resources to make information technology and education more accessible for those with disabilities. Here is a summary of those resources:
- An accessible computer cluster (located on the second floor of Meyer Library) with both Macs and PCs that are equipped with
specialized hardware and software to be more accessible to persons with
disabilities. Among these are:
- Speech recognition software enablimng the user to input text and navigate the computer using only their voice. The cluster PCs currently run Nuance Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Other speech recognition software (IBM ViaVoice for both Macs and PCs and MacSpeech's iListen for Macs) is available as appropriate through our Equipment and Software Loan Library. For more information about speech recognition in general, click here for article in "Speaking of Computers".
- Text-to-speech screen reading software which reads aloud what is on the screen. Screen readers are useful for individuals with visual impairments and with certain learning disabilities. Two of our screen readers, Kurzweil 3000 and WYNN (What You Need Now), have additional features which aid in studying and organizing.
- Alternative keyboards and mice;
- Software to aid writing and composition such as Inspiration, a graphical outlining tool which allows users to compose and organize their thoughts visually in addition to textually.
- Special workstation for individuals with visual impairments. This workstation is equipped with JAWS for Windows screen reading software, ZoomText screen magnification and screen reader software, a scanner, and a refreshable Braille display.
- Most of these software programs are also available on the general Student Computing clusters in Meyer Library (1st and 2nd floors), Tresidder, student residences, and the SSRC and Lane Reading Rooms in Green Library. For more information, please see this article in "Speaking of Computers".
- CCTV video magnifiers to enlarge text and pictures for those with low vision;
- Specialized tape recorders for reading "books-on-tape";
- FM listening devices for students with hearing impairments or attentional difficulties;
- Ergonomic workstations with independently adjustable keyboard and monitor positions;
- Numerous other technology-based accommodations such as portable word processors, handheld organizers, digital voice recorders, and whiteboard capture systems.
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Alternative Format
Production Facility (AFPF)
The AFPF, operated by SDRC staff, converts textbooks and other printed material
to screen-readable text (e-text), Braille, audio text (MP3) or other formats depending on the student’s needs.
Diagrams and line drawings can be embossed or otherwise rendered as tactile images, allowing a person with visual impairments to "feel" the drawing.
The AFPF utilizes a combination of various hardware and software to convert virtually any type of course material into the desired accessible format. AFPF tools include:
- Panasonic and Canon High-speed Scanners
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Software
- Duxbury Braille Translator
- Index and Tiger Braille Embossers
Students with verifiable disabilities who need material in alternative formats can apply and make requests through Shelley Hou, the SDRC Accommodation Coordinator. For more information on the AFPF itself, contact Alice Wong, the AFPF Production Manager.
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Assistive Technology Equipment and Software Loan Library
The Equipment and Software Loan Library, or EaSLL, offers students, faculty, and staff with disabilities who are working with the OAE the opportunity to borrow certain assistive technology for extended assessment and, in some cases, long-term loan.
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Upon referral from the SDRC (for a student) or the Diversity and Access Office (for faculty and staff members), ALTeC staff will assess an individual’s abilities, evaluate their specific needs, then recommend appropriate assistive technology to help them function better. Assessment will often involve trying various accommodations and identifying what about these helps and what doesn’t. In some cases, the individual may need to use a device or software for a week or so to determine if it will benefit them; if available, such items can be borrowed for a short time from our Equipment and Software Loan Library. All assessments and evaluations are confidential and conducted in a private enclosed room.
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We provide one-on-one training for various devices and software. Training sessions for speech recognition software, our most frequently requested, take approximately one to one-and-a-half hours. This provides sufficient time to create an initial voice profile, run through the tutorial which explains operation of the software, experiment with using it, and provide suggestions on how to improve recognition accuracy.
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The ALTeC’s expert staff is available for consulting on issues concerning technology as it relates to disabilities and accessibility. If you have questions or wish to explore possibilities about how to use technology to make education and resources more accessible to those with disabilities, please give us a call. We are happy to offer assistance and/or direct you to helpful resources both within and outside of the university.
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To set up an appointment for any of the above services, call Carol Sutherland, the SDRC’s Office Manager, at (650) 723-0946 or e-mail her at csutherland@stanford.edu.
