Assistive Software
The Assistive Technology Lab (ATL) has a number of software applications available to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities. An assistive device or software originally created for a person who has one type of disability can often provide assistance to someone with a dramatically different disability. For instance, voice output systems were originally intended for persons with visual impairments; this type of system is now being used to assist those with cognitive disabilities. In addition to assistive software programs, the ATL also offers access to the Internet, UGA's email services, online registration, and other popular word processing and graphics utilities.
The Assistive Technology Lab currently has the following assistive software available:
- Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred
- Dragon Naturally Speaking is a no-hands-required voice-recognition program that types as you speak. It is a great tool for students with limited manual dexterity, specifically those who are unable to use a standard keyboard. It is also useful for those with reading and writing difficulties and for students with visual impairments, since Dragon also contains a playback feature that reads back the text that's been written on the screen.
- Inspiration K-12
- Inspiration K-12 is a wonderful program that not only facilitates the writing process, but can be used as an effective study tool as well. Based on the visual learning technique known as concept mapping, Inspiration helps clarify thinking, deepen understanding, increase retention, and develop organizational skills.
- JAWS-Job Access With Speech
- JAWS is an invaluable tool for students with visual impairments. It is a top of the line screen reader with internet capabilities, email access, and full compatibility with Microsoft products such as Office 2000.
- outSPOKEN for Apple
- This program's talking interface announces virtually everything on the screen. Combined with a powerful, yet easy-to-learn navigation tool, which eliminates the use of a mouse, outSPOKEN allows access to even the most complex applications.
- Kurzweil 1000
- Is an advanced scanning and reading program for the blind and visually impaired. It is simple to use, and all it takes is a basic knowledge of scanning.
- Kurzweil 3000
- Kurzweil 3000 provides an auditory and visual presentation of scanned text and images on the computer screen. It is simple to use (all it takes is a basic knowledge of scanning) and a great tool for people with learning disorders, or anyone with reading difficulties.
- TextHelp! Read & Write
- This assistive program was designed specifically for students with varying degrees of reading and writing difficulties, including ADHD and specific learning disabilities. It contains a number of helpful features, including word prediction, screen reading, homonym support, and a 180,000 word dictionary for use with spell check.
- ZoomText Magnifier/Screenreader
- ZoomText Magnifier/Screenreader is a screen magnification and screenreading program that includes support for all Windows platforms and allows for magnification up to 16x with advanced edge-smoothing. This is valuable for any student with low-vision and extremely easy to use.
- inLARGE for Apple
- This is a full featured screen magnification program for the Apple pc which offers 1 to 16 times magnification of all or part of the screen, the ability to invert the screen to white on black with "smart color inversion," an adjustable cross hair option for easy cursor location, three different glass motions, and much, much more.
- TGD Pro
- This is an advanced tactile graphic designer program that is for use by sighted people for the creation of tactile print and embossed images.
- Duxbury
- This is a multi-platform, multi-language braille translator. DBT provides translation and formatting facilities to automate the process of conversion from regular print to braille (and vice versa), and also provides word-processing facilities for working directly in the braille as well as print. "Fonts" are used for displaying the braille.
- Scientific Notebook
- It is based on an easy-to-use word processor that completely integrates writing mathematics in natural notation.