What is Assistive Technology? For the purposes of this web site, Assistive technology is technology used by individuals in order to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible. Assistive technology can include hardware, software, and peripherals that assist people with disabilities in accessing computers or other information technologies.
The boundaries of Assistive Technology and mainstream technology are quickly becoming blurred. For instance, ANY STUDENT with a kent.edu e-mail address is entitled to a copy of the premiere Read &Write Gold software. This software is feature rich and almost ANY STUDENT could find a useful feature that could enhance their academic progress. For more information, contact Mollie Miller at email@example.com.
The SAS Assistive Technology Lab is located within Student Accessibility Services on the Ground Floor of the DeWeese Center in Room 23. If you are interested in a demonstration of a specific technology below, contact Mollie Miller, Assistive Technology Coordinator at (330) 672-3391.
The following Assistive Technology is available for use in the Assistive Technology Lab:
- Read & Write Gold for Windows & Mac - Premiere study skills software that helps with reading, writing, studying and research
- Instructional videos for PC and MAC (http://www.texthelp.com/north-america/support/videos)
- Inspiration - Organizational software that conveys a visual representation of your thoughts
- Dragon Naturally Speaking - Voice recognition software that will type what you speak
- Instructional videos, workbooks, cheat sheets and user guides (http://www.nuance.com/for-business/by-product/dragon/product-resources/user-documentation/index.htm)
- JAWS v. 11 & 13 Screen Reader - Screen reading software that will read aloud everything on the screen
- ZoomText v. 9.1 Magnifier/Reader - Magnification and screen reading program that enlarges, enhances and reads aloud everything on the computer
Other Assistive Technology available for demonstration purposes:
- Duxbury - BRAILLE translation software
- Tiger Pro Embosser - BRAILLE printer that will print in BRAILLE and text
- LiveScribe Echo Smart Pen - a notetaking device that links and syncs the written word to audio that is recorded as you write