Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Accessability & Assistive Technologies
Competencies 3, 7, & 13
One of the main goals of all libraries is to offer information accessibility to as many users as possible, including those with disabilities. This calls for the use of assistive technologies that can aide persons with visual, auditory, mobility, and learning impairments. To provide these resources funding for specialized software programs, devices, and staff training to operate these tools must be provided. Many of these software applications can be installed on any or all library computers making them all fully accessible. Assistive devices can either be checked out or assigned to designated computer workstations where they are always available to users who need them. Having assistive technologies that are appropriate for all age groups is also something that needs to taken into consideration
Blindness & Visual Impairments
Visual limitations can be addressed with tools that offer enlarged text, braille readers, and screen readers that read text aloud.
Learning Difficulties
Literacy support software that help with fluency, text reading can greatly help users with learning disabilities.
Mobility Limitations
Users with physical limitations can be aided with computers placed at lower/ wider work stations with tools that offer modified touch-pads, joysticks, and camera trackers that allow for mouse control with head movement.
DisabilityResources.org
Delatte, Monique Tip Sheet 11 Library Accessibility and Assistive Technology:What You Need to Know
One of the main goals of all libraries is to offer information accessibility to as many users as possible, including those with disabilities. This calls for the use of assistive technologies that can aide persons with visual, auditory, mobility, and learning impairments. To provide these resources funding for specialized software programs, devices, and staff training to operate these tools must be provided. Many of these software applications can be installed on any or all library computers making them all fully accessible. Assistive devices can either be checked out or assigned to designated computer workstations where they are always available to users who need them. Having assistive technologies that are appropriate for all age groups is also something that needs to taken into consideration
Blindness & Visual Impairments
Visual limitations can be addressed with tools that offer enlarged text, braille readers, and screen readers that read text aloud.
Learning Difficulties
Literacy support software that help with fluency, text reading can greatly help users with learning disabilities.
Mobility Limitations
Users with physical limitations can be aided with computers placed at lower/ wider work stations with tools that offer modified touch-pads, joysticks, and camera trackers that allow for mouse control with head movement.
DisabilityResources.org
Delatte, Monique Tip Sheet 11 Library Accessibility and Assistive Technology:What You Need to Know
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Adaptive Technology
Adaptive Technology (a.k.a. "Assistive Technology") was a whole new field for me. I was vaguely aware of its existence, for example, I knew there were special really big computers downstairs in the Technology Lab that were set aside for disabled students, and that you had to get off them if a disabled student needed one. But that was pretty much it.
Even now, I am far from an expert about this. (For expertise, Judy really looked into this, and actually knows alot more about it than I do.) Loved your blog on this topic, Judy...
Anyway. When we decided/took what was left over from the other groups who decided first:) on this topic for our display case, I had the opportunity to learn a little more about it. One thing I learned was that there are special virtual reality-type gloves for people w/disabilities that looked like sci-fi, but were actually Braille reading devices! Also, DRAWING PROGRAMS!!! Very cool. My personal favorite is the voice activated technology that permits one who is, say, paralyzed, to talk into a microphone and then it types what the person says. (Kind-of like dictation in the old days) One of my friends who is not disabled thought this was so awesome he bought one of these just because he doesn't like to type!
Even now, I am far from an expert about this. (For expertise, Judy really looked into this, and actually knows alot more about it than I do.) Loved your blog on this topic, Judy...
Anyway. When we decided/took what was left over from the other groups who decided first:) on this topic for our display case, I had the opportunity to learn a little more about it. One thing I learned was that there are special virtual reality-type gloves for people w/disabilities that looked like sci-fi, but were actually Braille reading devices! Also, DRAWING PROGRAMS!!! Very cool. My personal favorite is the voice activated technology that permits one who is, say, paralyzed, to talk into a microphone and then it types what the person says. (Kind-of like dictation in the old days) One of my friends who is not disabled thought this was so awesome he bought one of these just because he doesn't like to type!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Assistive Technologies
http://www.loc.gov/ THAT ALL MAY READ
The above is a link to the homepage of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). They are a network of cooperating libraries that administer a free library program of braille & audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the U.S. by postage free mail. There is a link to NLS Kids Zone which is a Kids Catalog of audio, braille, and print/braille books for preschool through grade 8. I like the page that has a list of FAQ's which I think is very helpful for someone trying to find out if this service will work for them.
Who is eligible for this program? Any resident of the United States or American citizen living abroad who is unable to read or use standard print materials as a result of a temporary or permanent visual or physical limitation may receive service.
http://dub.washington.edu:2007/projects/voicedraw/
Check out the above link to a program called VoiceDraw: A Hands-Free Voice-Driven Drawing Program designed by Susumu Harada, Jacob O. Wobbrock, and James A. Landay. It is a drawing program designed to be controlled using only one's voice. I thought the sample artwork was amazing.
The above is a link to the homepage of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). They are a network of cooperating libraries that administer a free library program of braille & audio materials circulated to eligible borrowers in the U.S. by postage free mail. There is a link to NLS Kids Zone which is a Kids Catalog of audio, braille, and print/braille books for preschool through grade 8. I like the page that has a list of FAQ's which I think is very helpful for someone trying to find out if this service will work for them.
Who is eligible for this program? Any resident of the United States or American citizen living abroad who is unable to read or use standard print materials as a result of a temporary or permanent visual or physical limitation may receive service.
http://dub.washington.edu:2007/projects/voicedraw/
Check out the above link to a program called VoiceDraw: A Hands-Free Voice-Driven Drawing Program designed by Susumu Harada, Jacob O. Wobbrock, and James A. Landay. It is a drawing program designed to be controlled using only one's voice. I thought the sample artwork was amazing.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
e-books & adapted technology
Competency 1 -Emerging Library Technologies
e-books/e-readers in libraries & Adaptive Technology
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