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Adaptive Technology at UCSC

The Disability Resource Center Office at 146 Hahn Student Services has four workstations for students with adaptive hardware and assistive software. If you would like to know if any of these tools might be useful to you, please contact the DRC for more information at 831/459-2089.

Software

Open Book uses optical character recognition software to scan typewritten materials such as textbooks, handouts or syllabi into the computer and customize their appearance. Open Book is known for its ability to create MP3's in WAV format to make scanned information more accessible and portable for listening to. Open Book can be helpful to those with learning disabilities and visual impairments that find reading difficult.

Dragon Naturally Speaking is a voice recognition software program that allows the user to create documents with one's voice, without the need for constant keyboarding. Users train Dragon with commands that will start and stop programs and control program windows. Dragon is known for being helpful for those who have disabilities that find typing or writing difficult.

WYNN Reader is a program that reads the text on your screen to you. With the exception of reading PDF files, WYNN has great user friendly study tools for managing your files, customizing documents, writing, and studying.

JAWS uses an internal software speech synthesizer and the computer's sound card to read information aloud. With JAWS, visually impaired people can navigate the web, read or write email messages, or access information from the data base.

American Sign Language Software is a visual and interactive software program that allows users to learn and practice the signs of American Sign Language. Contains over 2600 signs, teaches fingerspelling, provides fun and interesting learning games that makes learning ASL on your own time, easy and intuitive. There are four copies available for loan to students who are registered with the DRC. All are Mac and PC compatible.

In addition to the adaptive workstations at the Disability Resource Center Office, there are three other areas on campus where students can access these resources:

• The ARCenter has two adaptive technology workstations: one with Dragon Naturally Speaking, Wynn Reader, and JAWS, and the other with OpenBook, JAWS and a scanning station.
• The McHenry Library has one adaptive technology workstation with OpenBook, Wynn Reader and a scanning station.
• The Ming Ong Lab has one adaptive technology workstation available with Dragon Naturally Speaking.
  • For more information about computing availability at campus libraries, please see their Web page listing services and contact numbers at Library Services for People with Disabilities.

Hardware

The Disability Resource Center Office has a number of PC and Macintosh Laptops available with the latest version of Windows software. These laptops are available for test accommodations to students who are authorized with the DRC.

AlphaSmart enables users to type, edit and electronically store text without having to be at a computer. The text can then be transferred to any computer for formatting or directly to a printer. The portability of the AlphaSmart allows students to use it anywhere and anytime. It includes a full size keyboard and a four-line text display, weighs two pounds and runs on 3 AA batteries for 200-500 hours. The AlphaSmart stores approximately 100 pages of single-spaced text, allows the user to cut, copy and paste and has a 70,000 word spell checker. The Disability Resource Center has four AlphaSmart's available for loan to students who are registered with the DRC.

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