Free

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                            Free Low Cost   
                    AT Solutions For          
            Computer Access
 
2ISA 2009-10 Drømtorp vgs
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Overview

• 1. Built in Utilities
• 2. Freeware
• 3. Trial Versions
• 4. Low Cost Options

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Windows Utilities Visual Effects

• Font style, color, and size of items on the
  desktopusing the Display options, choose font
  color, size and style combinations.
• Icon sizemake icons larger for visibility, or
  smaller for increased screen space.
• Screen resolutionchange pixel count to enlarge
  objects on screen.
• High contrast schemesselect color combinations
  that are easier to see.
• Cursor width and blink ratemake the cursor
  easier to locate, or eliminate the distraction of
  its blinking.
• Microsoft Magnifierenlarge portion of screen

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Windows UtilitiesSounds and Speech 

• Sounds and Speech
• ShowSounddisplay captions for speech and sounds.
• SoundSentrydisplay visual warnings for system
  sounds.
• NotificationGet sound or visual cues when
  accessibility features are turned on or off.
• Text-to-SpeechHear window command options and
  text read aloud.

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Windows UtilitiesMouse

• Double-Click Speedchoose how fast to click the
  mouse button to make a selection.
• ClickLockhighlight or drag without holding down
  the mouse button.
• Pointer Speedset how fast the mouse pointer
  moves on screen.
• SnapTomove the pointer to the default button in
  a dialog box.
• Cursor Blink Ratechoose how fast the cursor
  blinksor, if it blinks at all.
• Pointer Trailsfollow the pointer motion on
  screen
• Reverse the function of the right and left mouse
  buttonsreverse actions controlled by the right
  and left mouse buttons.
• Pointer schemeschoose size and color options 

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Windows Utilities Keyboard

• Character Repeat Rateset how quickly a character
  repeats when a key is struck.
• Dvorak Keyboard Layoutchoose alternative
  keyboard layouts for people who type with one
  hand or finger.
• StickyKeysallow pressing one key at a time
  (rather than simultaneously) for key
  combinations.
• FilterKeysignore brief or repeated keystrokes
  and slow down the repeat rate.
• ToggleKeyshear tones when pressing certain keys.
• MouseKeysmove the mouse pointer using the
  numerical keypad.

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Windows UtilitiesAccessibility Wizard

• Magnifiera display utility that makes the
  computer screen more readable by creating a
  separate window that displays a magnified portion
  of the screen.
• Narratora text-to-speech utility that reads what
  is displayed on the screenthe contents of the
  active window, menu options, or text that has
  been typed.
• On-Screen Keyboarddisplays a virtual keyboard on
  the computer screen that allows people to type
  data by using a pointing device or joystick.
• Utility Managerenables administrator-level users
  to check an accessibility program's status and if
  required.

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Windows Vista Utilities

• Ease of Access Center A centralized location
  where you can adjust accessibility settings and
  manage accessibility programs. Get quick access
  to start common accessibility tools, get
  recommended settings based on answers to
  questions, or explore settings by category.
• Speech Recognition Enables you to interact with
  your computer using only your voice,
  significantly reducing the use of a mouse and
  keyboard while maintaining overall productivity.
  Dictate documents and e-mail, browse the Web, and
  command programs by saying what you see. An
  interactive training guides you through an easy
  setup process and will familiarize you with the
  voice commands.

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Mac UtilitiesIn Brief

• Mac contains all the same accessibility features
  as Windows based systems under the title
  Universal Access
• Except for the same quality of Speech Recognition
  Software.
• Many of the products we use regularly in our
  practice are PC based and about half make a mac
  version
• However, there are people devoted to Mac based
  accessibility and more about Mac compatible
  Assistive Technology  software can be found here 
• http//www.apple.com/accessibility/resources/macos
  x.html

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Mac Utilities Vision Reading

• VoiceOver-A full-featured screen reading
  technology for the visually impaired, VoiceOver
  provides full keyboard control of the computer
  along with spoken audio descriptions. 
• Text to Speech-If you dont use a screen reader
  but have trouble reading text on your computer
  screen, you can have your Mac speak the text
  you select. To turn Text to Speech on, open
  System Preferences, click Speech, then open the
  Text to Speech pane.

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Mac options (cont)

• Speech Recognition
• Speakable Items, built into Mac OS X and
  located in System Preferences, lets you control
  the computer using your voice instead of the
  keyboard. And you dont have to train your Mac to
  use it. You can use Speakable Items to navigate
  menus and enter keyboard shortcuts speak
  checkbox names, radio button names, list items,
  and buttons and open, close, control, and switch
  among open applications.
• If you want to perform speech dictation on your
  Mac, you can also purchase separately an
  application from MacSpeech called Dictate.
• Note In our office and elsewhere, Speech
  Recognition has not been as Successful with Mac
  "dictate" is still under development. Currently
  Mac users are having sucess using "Parallels"
  software with Dragon Naturally speaking  These
  products or low cost

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Mac Utilities Keyboard

• Onscreen Keyboard
• If you find it easier to use a pointing
  device than a keyboard, you can use the Keyboard
  Viewer to enter text. Youll find this onscreen
  keyboard in the International pane of System
  Preferences. Keyboard Viewer floats above other
  applications (so you cant misplace it). It can
  be displayed small or big, and, though you type
  with a mouse or other pointing device, it
  otherwise works just like a physical keyboard.
• Windows and Linux also have this
• http//www.microsoft.com/enable/training/windowsvi
  sta/osk.aspx
• http//www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/linux/keyboard/
  keyboard_easy/screenkeys/sub_3.shtml

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Linux in Brief

• Linux is the third most popular "operating
  system" platform to run a computer.
• Most will never see it though it is gaining
  popularity in some educational settings and non
  profits because it is FREE
• "Ubuntu" is the most popular version of linux and
  contains an accessibity suite roughly equivalent
  to windows or mac
• EXCEPT speech recognition, currently there is no
  useable speech recognition for linux.
• To learn more about linux, to find out how to get
  a free computer with linux or volunteer to learn
  more about computers, Contact Free Geek  (see
  next page)

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Contact Free Geek

• Free Geek www.freegeek.org1731 SE 10th
  AvePortland, OR 97214(503) 232-9350
•  This may also be a good transition resource for
  a student interested in computer science as they
  have a well developed program for youth who
  voluteer to learn to build and test computers at
  the computer recycling Center

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Freeware ,Shareware, and Open Source?

• FreewareThe word "freeware" has been so
  overused, its meaning is no longer clear. Today
  it is often synonymous with "shareware," but for
  our purposes, I will define "freeware" as
  "software which can be downloaded, used, and
  copied without restrictions." 
• Legally, the difference between freeware and open
  source is that you do not have access to the
  source code. Organizationally, this makes a big
  difference There is no community and no
  development infrastructure around "freeware" as
  there is around open source software. Thus, while
  you can use freeware "as is," there is no real
  way to improve upon it or obtain support for it. 
• SharewareShareware is a different concept. You
  can download and try shareware for free, but if
  you use it, you are supposed to pay for it. It is
  developed and released by someone who keeps full
  control of the intellectual property. The user
  does not have access to the source code and
  cannot modify it. There is also no collaboration
  or community around shareware.In the end, the
  only difference between shareware and commercial
  software is that you can download and try
  shareware for free. Like commercial software, you
  are utlimately dependent on the developer of
  shareware for enhancements and support.
• taken from
•  http//opensourcestrategies.blogspot.com/2005/09/
  freeware-vs-shareware-vs-open-source.html

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Mozilla Firefox-an Open Source web browser

• Mozilla Firefox is likely the second most popular
  internet browser
• after Internet Explorer
• Whats neat about firefox is it is open
  source, anybody that knows how to do it can
  program on it and share the things they have
  made. One way people do this is with Add-On's.
• Add ons's are little programs that add features
  to your internet browser. Mozilla makes Add On's
  for accessibility, find them here
• https//addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search?q
  accessibilitycatcollections

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More Mozilla Add ons

• Mouseless Browsing (MLB) enables you to browse
  the web entirely with the keyboard. The basic
  principle is to add small boxes with unique ids
  behind every link and/or form element. You just
  have to type in the id to trigger the
  corresponding action i.e. following a link,
  pressing a button or selecting a textfield...
• https//addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/879
  

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"Free Ware"

• Softpedia-A general site including assistive
  technology
•  http//www.softpedia.com/
• Magnifiers.org- vision related with freeware and
  free trials
• http//www.magnifiers.org/links/Download_Software/
  

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A Few Popular Trials...

• Free 30 day trials 
•                         (Just one kind of Screen
  Magnifier/Reader software
• , designed for     designed for low
  vision) http//www.aisquared.com/products
•         
• JAWS (most popular screen reader designed for
  blindness/extreme low Vision                    
                                                   
                                                 
                                                 
                                                 
                                                 
                                                  
                             http//www.freedomscien
  tific.com/products/fs/jaws-product-page.asp
•         
•                                           

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A Few More Trials...

• http//www.naturalreaders.com/
• Trial Version is nearly fully functional, Full
  Version offers better voices, capability to read
  mp3 files and is only 49.50.
•                             We use this alot with
  students with learning disabilities.
• Ask me about the CogLink Project                 
           

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Assistive Technology is....

• Assistive Technology (AT) is any tool that helps
  a person with a disability lead an independent
  and productive life. It can be simple, such as
  using a pencil to type, or can involve computer
  software or hardware.
•  
• Access Technologies Inc. (ATI) is a private
  non-profit in Salem that serves the state of
  Oregon.
•          ATI Specialists conduct assistive
  technology evaluations and training.
•          Rental library.
•          Used equipment marketplace.
•          Purchase equipment
•          800-677-7512
•                                               
           
•  
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Assistive Technology Center 

•         
• Phyllis Petteys
• Assistive Technology Center
• Portland State University
• 503-725-8595
• petteysp_at_pdx.edu
• www.accesstechnologiesinc.org
• Erik Ferguson
• Assistive Technology Center
• Portland State University
• 503-725-8395
•                                               
                       ferguse_at_pdx.edu    

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 A Few Ways to Access a computer

• One Handed Keyboard
• Speech Recognition

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Why use Technology with Students with
Disabilities?

• Learning Disabilities
• Talking word Processors
• WriteOutloud 
• www.donjohnston.com
• (word prediction Software)
• and more...

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How Speech/Voice Recognition Works

•  

Please Note Speech Recognition is RARELY useful
to Blind and Low Vision users without additonal
software, training, and expense.

• This software IS good for
• mobility impairments 
• Carpal Tunnel
• SOME learning Disability
• and more...

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Resources for Teachers and Professionals

• RESNA
• www.resna.org
• AbleData
• www.abledata.com
• www.rjcooper.com
• most items have 30 day free trials, and for
  purchase items average 130.00, a great place for
  kids stuff, people with CP and cognitive
  disability and more...

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Resources for Students

• Disability Resource Center Portland State
  University 435 Smith Memorial Student
  Union 1825 SW Broadway Portland, OR
  97201 Phone [phone] Fax (503)
  725-4103 TTY or Relay [phone] Email dr
  c_at_pdx.edu
• PCC Disability Resources
• Sylvania ST 229 
• 503-977-4341 FAX [phone] TTY
  503-246-4072 VideoPhone 503-928-5875