Assistive Technologies
Assistive technologies are designed to enhance student learning by reducing or removing barriers. At 鲍鱼tv, assistive technologies include both equipment and software, such as speech-to-text or text-to-speech software, screen readers and magnifiers, and note taking tools, as well as ergonomic computer accessories, tablets and styli, and headphones and microphones. These are made available to students to borrow through the聽Lending Library at the Student Accessibility Centre.听
Major categories of assistive technologies available to students at 鲍鱼tv are:
- Speech-to-Text
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- Computer Accessories (e.g., styli, ergonomic equipment, headphones)
- Screen Readers and Magnifiers聽
- Text-to-Speech
Speech-to-Text
Speech-to-text software allows a student to transcribe by converting their speech into text. At Dal, this is supported through Dragon Naturally Speaking. Speech-to-text functionality may also be available within certain software programs (e.g., Microsoft Word dictate function), on mobile devices, or built into computer operating systems.听
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Notetaking software merges notes from multiple sources including audio recordings, handwriting, sketches, highlights, annotations, and typing, and organizes the information into a cohesive format. 鲍鱼tv has聽Livescribe聽Smartpens聽available for students. You can also聽use聽Smartpens聽to聽convert聽handwritten notes into聽searchable digital text.
Computer Accessories
The Student Accessibility Centre Lending Library has computer accessories available for students to borrow. These include the Apple Pencil for use with an iPad, ergonomic equipment like keyboards, and three types of headphones.
Screen Readers and Magnifiers聽
Screen Readers can read text and describe images on a screen, converting them to speech or another output (e.g., Braille). They can also be used to control a computer, such as opening links. Screen magnifiers do exactly that: enlarge all screen content. At 鲍鱼tv, students may use screen readers such as JAWS or聽webReader聽by聽ReadSpeaker, which is built into some Brightspace Content pages. ZoomText is an example of a screen magnifying and reading software.
Text-to-Speech
Text-to-speech software and tools will read written text aloud. Some software programs and tools also include features like word prediction, a picture dictionary, talking calculator, and more. At 鲍鱼tv, students may use聽Read&Write聽or the CPEN聽ReaderPen. You, too, can try聽Read&Write, available for both Mac and PC computers, by visiting the聽.