How can Assistive Technology help ?

Andrew Costello - BA (HONS) in Management and

Information Systems, Dip Advanced Web design,

Assistive Technology Officer TCD

AT/IT 12-13

What my support role in Trinity College?

- Disability Service - 12 years old

- Part of a team of 11

3 Student officers – Primary contact for students

5 Occupational Therapist – Unilink Service

1 Assistive Technology officers

2 Administrative staff – Funding / staff & student queries

Phase 1

• Phase 1: Pathway to College

• Pre-entry, admission and the first year experience

Phase 2

• Phase 2: Pathway through College

• Building and maintaining a college career

Phase 3

• Phase 3: Pathway to employment

• Transition to further study or employment

What the aim of the service ?

Student numbers growth

Why The growth?

• Due to national and university strategies the number of disabled students participating in third level education has grown significantly.

• Year 2000 – 450 students nationally in HE.

• Year 2010 – 6,000+ students nationally in HE.

Why the growth ?

• You can gain a place at 3rd level via a

number of routes:

• DARE Disability Access Route to Education

2010

• On Merit via CAO

• As an international student

• As a mature student

How students enter TCD ?

Accesscollege.ie

Tcd.ie/pathways-to-trinity/

So what is Assistive Technology ?

“Any use of technology which helps you

perform a task more easily".

So what is Assistive Technology ?

“Ranging from the use of very simple

technology – like a walking stick/cane to the

software or technology that will read

information from your computer screen

So what is Assistive Technology ?

The more universal & seamless the

technology is the more useful the technology

becomes.

Is it that easy ?

Can lead too !!

Eventually – abandonment

Research has shown that more than 35% of all AT

devices have been unused or abandoned most

within the first three months of use - resna.org

How to enjoy technology ?

- Set expectations / what are

you trying to achieve

- How good is the technology you

are looking at ? – cost / support

- Is it a good fit for where I'll be using

the technology ?

HAAT Model

-Physical

-Cognitive

-Emotional

-Novice vs. Expert

-Physical

-Social

-Cultural

-Institutional

- Self Care

- Productivity

- Leisure

-HTI

-Activity Output

-Processor

-Environmental Interface

Cook & Hussy 2002

AT assessment - Matching student & Technology:

3 Phase approach - (Based MTP Model) 1. Initial use of IT – phobia on use of technology

2. Assessment of 3rd level Activities and matching them to a technology

need and disability

3. Feedback on use – Positives and negatives of use

Provides a feedback of what the person thinks

and feels towards technology & their actual

need.

Puts the onus on the student use the

equipment - social model v medical

The number of weeks you used the devices or software ? 43 responses

Loan to students:

• Windows Accessibility options

OR

Simple Control +

OR – on the

keyboard to enlarge

websites

Old Reliables

Old Reliables

• Zoomtext screen

Magnifier/reader

Enlarges and enhances everything on your computer

screen, making all of your applications easy to see and

use

Old Reliables

• Opti –Verso

• Portable video magnifier

• with distance viewing capability

• Student who requires distance and close-up

viewing

Zoom-ex – scanner

• Durable & lightweight design

• Fastest OCR (image-to-text)

• Comes with a full text to speech engine, that lets you

listen to anything you highlight.

• Voice indicators and instructions assistance

• Real-time CCTV

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VneApzLqqDw

• Apple OS

• Voiceover Option / magnifier / Reader option

Triple click on the home button to activate

easily

Mobile apps

• Azzapt:

• Helping users to access, view, comprehend and navigate digital

information independently and successfully.

• Attach to a dropbox account and allow you access the docs in

the e-pub / word or audio format

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72S1U9J5JCI

• C-Pen x 3

• Highlight any text and the C-Pen digital highlighter

will instantly insert the text in any application.

• Comes with a full text to speech engine, that lets you

listen to anything you highlight.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1t7qM4ezG4

• Robobraille

• Free text to speech online service

• Browse to : http://www.robobraille.org/frontpage

• Upload your file & e-mail address

• Audio version sent back with 2-5mins

Types of new technologies ?

• Livescribe Pen

• Smartpens Remember So You Don’t Have To

• Record everything you write and hear. Tap anywhere on your

notes to replay the audio from that moment in time

• From Paper, Directly To Your Digital World

• Automatically, your recorded notes and audio are wirelessly

sent and securely stored.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s

DxQqy-NeAw

Mobile apps

• Voice-dream:

• Text to speech app for mobile

• Highlights text as its read aloud

• Magnifies text

• Import from Dropbox / web page / iTunes

• http://www.voicedream.com/ & from the app store

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGNYsGVAL4g

AT - don’t be afraid to use it!

Feedback /

Questions ?