To access Closed Captioning, roll your pointer over the arrow in the lower right corner of the video and click on the “CC”.
You can also learn about accessing the INDATA Loan Library in this blog post.
Did you remember to take your pills today? Whether you’ve got a cognitive impairment or are just plain forgetful, assistive technology can help you stay on track with your medication. Here are a few adaptive aids we have available at the INDATA Loan Library.
Pill Organizer
Pill Organizer – This tray will hold a week’s worth of medication, up to four doses a day. Each compartment is labeled both in print and braille with the day of the week as well as the time of day (Morn, Noon, etc).
MedReady Medication Pill Box Reminder – The manufacturers of this handy device have thought of everything! Not only does this pill tray have 28 different compartments for nearly a month’s worth of medication, it has an alarm! When the alarm sounds, a little window slides open for you to access your pills. You can set the alarm to go off once, twice, three times, or four times a day, and the alarm volume is adjustable.
Voicemate – This portable device monitors blood glucose and will also identify insulin vials. It talks its user through the process of pain-free testing and identifies vial labels. Very easy to use for those with low vision.
Talking Watch – If you don’t necessarily need a container for your medication, a talking watch is a great reminding tool. Set an alarm for whatever time you need to take your medication and hear the time announced by a clear female voice with the touch of a button.
If you found these items intriguing, come see what else we have in store for you at the INDATA Loan Library!
Money Calc and Communication Device
A Learning Disability is a neurological disorder that affects the way a person learns, making it difficult to process information. Some common problems associated with learning disabilities include difficulty in reading, writing, speaking, grasping math concepts, and language comprehension. According to LD Online, fifteen percent of the U.S. population, or one in seven Americans, has some type of learning disability.
The INDATA Project recognizes that learning disabilities can complicate an individual’s way of life, and pledges to resolve such issues by providing resources for the necessary assistive technology. Our Loan Library offers many learning disabilities devices including:
- Money Calc – This calculator is designed to facilitate learning centered around money math problems. It has the option to display decimals with dollar signs, dollars, and cents (as in $5.00 instead of just 5). Its big bright keypad includes buttons the shape of coins and mini dollar bills.
- Franklin Speaking Children’s Dictionary and Spell Corrector – With this device, students can check their spelling with phonic technology, hear over 40,000 words pronounced correctly, play word-building games, and more.
- AbleLink Schedule Assistant – Those with literacy challenges can use this device to organize their appointments with ease. You can record a message to remind you of an event at the day and time you specify.
- B. A. Bar – Language therapy is made easy with this portable device. Its digital voice corrects pronunciation errors and recalls instructions and assignments, making it an excellent assistive tool for work or school.
- Co:Writer – A word prediction program featuring several learning aids, such as topic-specific dictionaries and vocabulary bank to help improve students’ reading and writing.
- LiveScribe Pulse Smartpen – No ordinary pen! This device will actually record audio as you write, and then play it back when you touch the pen to where you started writing. Read our review about it here.
- Communication devices can also be very helpful for people who have difficulty speaking.
Be sure to check out other learning aids available at the INDATA Loan Library. What kinds of assistive technology can you link to learning disabilities? Share your thoughts!
Jan 062010
CCTV
Did you know – The World Health Organization estimates more than 161 million people worldwide have a visual impairment. Of these, 37 million are blind and 124 million have low vision.
Carol Girt, Loan Library Specialist, will be in Fort Wayne, Indiana on January 14 to demonstrate assistive technology devices for people with low vision. These devices range from handheld magnifiers and CCTV’s to large print books and writing guides.
The demonstration is free but registration is required. If interested, contact Carol at cgirt@eastersealscrossroads.org or call 888-466-1314.
Dragon Naturally Speaking
Speech recognition programs convert spoken words into text. They can also use voice commands to control computer applications. This technology provides accessibility to anyone who may not be able to easily utilize a keyboard or a mouse.
As you might imagine, speech recognition is not always completely accurate. It is important to remember when using such a program to be patient and consider all of the factors that could lead to mistakes. For example, investing in a microphone that filters out background noise will help your speech recognition program identify your voice.
Realize that speaking to your computer is not the same as holding a conversation with another person. It is imperative that you annunciate clearly and avoid mumbling or slurring your words. In normal conversations, we take for granted our understanding of context, and will often leave out words and expect the other person to fill in the gaps. Because softwares don’t share our common sense, they cannot interpret what you are leaving out. AbilityHub suggests listening to newscasters to get a good feel for speaking clearly and naturally.
Dragon Naturally Speaking by Nuance is a popular speech recognition software used today. With it, you can surf the web, write and send e-mail, and edit documents without ever having to touch a mouse or keyboard. Interested in trying it out? The INDATA Loan Library would gladly loan you a copy! For more information, contact Carol Girt at cgirt@eastersealscrossroads.org.
Nov 282009
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices can help individuals find the right words for everyday situations. According to the AAC Institute, approximately 2.5 million Americans have some kind of speech disability that prevents them from being easily understood by others. AAC equipment breaks down the communication barriers!
