INDATA this, INDATA that. What exactly is INDATA anyway?
- Assistive Technology Lab
Let’s catch up a bit. INDATA stands for the Indiana Assistive Technology Act. Its goal is to spread the word about assistive technology and make it readily available for Indiana residents with disabilities. Here are the services we offer:
- Device Demonstration Set up an appointment to learn how to use assistive technology devices.
- Device Loan Borrow equipment for up to three months to help you decide if you could use it. Follow these easy steps to set up an account and browse the various devices available for loan.
- Equipment from Assistive Technology Lab
- Training Quarterly assistive technology trainings and annual assistive technology conference held at the convention center in Indianapolis.
- Equipment Reutilization Donate old equipment including wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches and other mobility related devices to Easter Seals Crossroads as it prepares for an upcoming equipment exchange program.
- Reutilized Computer Program We repair and refresh donated computers and give them to people with disabilities that have no means to purchase one on their own.
- AT Hour This one-hour presentation informs your group about the assistive technology programs and services provided by the INDATAProject and includes an exciting “show and tell” of various assistive technology equipment.
- Information and Referral Questions about assistive technology? You can call our Information & Referral/Funding Specialist to learn more about available services and funding options.
We’re a friendly bunch here at the INDATA project, and we’re here to provide you with assistive technology solutions. Questions or comments? Stop by anytime at http://www.eastersealstech.com!
Braille is no longer limited to textured pieces of paper. Thanks to Assistive Technology, we now have many options for people with vision loss that enable them to read, write, and use a computer with ease.
Believe it or not, Braille (in its earliest form) was not originally designed for people with vision loss. According to Wikipedia, Napoleon had wanted his soldiers to be able to communicate with one another without speaking or using light. This proved to be too difficult, and the idea was abandoned. Louis Braille later perfected this code in 1821, representing letters with upraised dots to be read using your fingers. In 1837, France published the world’s first Braille textbook.
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As I travel around Indiana and speak to different groups of people, I bring a handful of assistive technology with me to demonstrate different products in our loan library. One of the most popular items is called the LiveScribe Pulse Smartpen. It’s tagline is “Never Miss a Word” and you sure won’t if you are using this pen.
Here’s how it works – there is a tiny camera behind the ballpoint that captures what you are writing and where you are at on the page. A microphone on the opposite end is listening to what is being said around you.
Let’s say you are in a classroom and the teacher is giving a lecture. When you write, the pen records what the teacher says. If you review your notes from the lecture later on and realized that you forgot to write something down, turn the pen on and press the ballpoint on the page wherever you were writing. The pen will start to playback whatever was being said at the time. That way, if you wrote that you have a test in March but forgot the date, you can hear it straight from your teacher!
Sarah wrties with the LiveScribe Pulse Pen
Lots of people use this pen. News reporters like it because they can focus on the person they are talking to rather than frantically writing notes. Students like it because it helps them pay attention in class and realize what information they are not hearing while in a lecture. Others like the technology and just enjoy using the pen.
The pen has other neat tools like a calculator and even a small keyboard so you can make your own music! There are several styles of notebooks, memo pads, agendas and journals available. The pen is available in the INDATA loan library, however there is a high demand for it. You can purchase this pen at the manufacturer’s store, Target, Amazon.com, or Best Buy.
A common misconception about assistive technology (AT) is that the device has to be made out of wires, use electricity and be really complicated. This is absolutely not true! AT that does not work off of that principle is called low-tech. Low-tech devices after often found in the supermarket, the hardware store or even in your own home. Today we are going to look at a variety of low-tech devices that require you to use only your own energy. All of these items are available in the INDATA loan library. Clicking on the picture will take you to the item on the loan library database.
Do you play poker or solitaire but are having trouble seeing the numbers and suits on the cards? These LoVision Playing Cards might be right for you. Each card has an enlarged number or letter on them with the suit, making the cards easier to read. Some cards provide a color contrast from number to suit. In the picture below, the cards are able to stay upright because they are placed inside the Playing Card Holder. Small feet on the back of this holder allow it to stay standing up so that you can see your cards without holding them but also without laying them on the table for everyone to see!
LoVision Playing Cards
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One of the most popular questions we receive at INDATA is “How do I get to the loan library?” While the library is physically located at Easter Seals Crossroads, the information is stored on the online database.
To access the loan library:
1. Visit www.eastersealstech.com by typing the address in the address bar of your browser.
2. On the left side of the screen under the title “Do you need equipment?” is a link that says AT Equipment Loan Library. Click on that link.
3. The page that loads has an image of assistive technology as well as information regarding how the library works. Under the image is a link that says “Click here for our new online equipment loan system.” Click on that link.
4. You will be redirected to the loan library web page! Here’s an image of what you should see:
Loan Library Home Page
Okay, so you’ve made it to the loan library. What now?
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