David Dawson & David Klein

University of Iowa

Law, Health Policy, Disability Center

www.its.uiowa.edu/law

AT/IT and Institutes of Higher Education

Best Practices Sites ResourcesUniversity of Florida Faculty Guide http://www.ada.ufl.edu/University of Washington: The Faculty Room http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI) http://www.rit.edu/~easi/index.htmBerkeley The Disabled Students' Program http://dsp.berkeley.edu/Virginia Commonwealth University Faculty guide http://www.vcu.edu/eeoaa/facada.html

For post-secondary institutions, the guiding principle is: “What you make available to any of your students must be available for all of your students.” This includes courses, housing, study abroad, transportation, etc.

Richard Harris

Persons with Disabilities

1. Every person is unique in their strengths and limitations.

2. A person’s strengths and limitations may change over time.

3. Accommodation and modifying the environment allows the person to show their strength by decreasing or removing functional limitations.

Assistive Technology

Any device used to remove or reduce a functional limitation.

They may be commercial or self created devices.

The may cost $0 - $$$$ They may be used differently by different

people.

Assistive Technology and Accommodations

Students may or may not use assistive technology for classroom accommodations.

Accommodations vary with the students Accommodations might not be used at all times. Accommodations can be no tech, low tech, high

tech.

No TechNo-tech solutions are those that make use of procedures, services,

and existing conditions in the environment that do not involve the use of devices or equipment. These might include services such as physical therapy, occupational therapy or the services of other specialists. (National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI))

Class notes Text read aloud Highlighted text Synopsis

Gesturing Eye gaze Sign language.

Low TechLow-tech items are less sophisticated and can include devices such

as adapted spoon handles, non-tipping drinking cups, and Velcro fasteners. (National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI))

Post it page markers Color overlays Magnifying Lens Pen or pencil grips

Calculators Tape recorders Hi-liter pens

Medium Tech & High TechMedium-tech devices are relatively complicated mechanical devices,

such as wheelchairs and CCTV. (National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI))

High-tech devices incorporate sophisticated electronics or computers. (National Assistive Technology Research Institute (NATRI))

Adaptive computers AT software Specialized STEM equipment

Electronic augmented communication Embossers

Evaluation of Student Needs Student works with school’s disability

service to review eligibility and determination of accommodation and service. Students’ best resource for knowing their AT

needs. Further evaluation may be needed. This

includes hands-on trial of AT. Student accommodations plan is developed.

Learning Disability Accommodations

As reported from test and student’s self report.

Depends on the disability and the severity May vary from day to day to time of day. Accommodations may be needed for: In

class notes or assignments, outside activities, or test accommodations

LD Accommodations Examples

Extra time or secluded room Computers or scribes Note takers or tape recorders Books on tape, Mp3 or readers Talking calculators or flash cards

Reading AccommodationsDifficulty reading written instructions or directions.

Some solutions may be: Use text to speech readers, Use large print.

Difficulty reading, at lower-than-expected level.

Some solutions may be: Use speech synthesizers and text to speech readers, Use reading comprehension programs, Use large print with auditory cues.

Reading and Writing Accommodations:

Audio word processing programs Screen magnification software Recording for the Blind (books or textbooks on

tape) Electronic dictionaries/spelling checkers (some

may have voice synthesizers) Highlighters (to remember important facts or to

color pairs of numbers a different color - might reduce chance of error in copying a long series of numbers)

Scan and reading

Scan and Read Systems This may be software and/or hardware that

scans text from written material and then reads the material aloud.

Scan and read can range from 0-$4,000 dollars.

Can have additional features for support (magnification, highlighting, masking, MP3, Web browsing)

Uses different types of voice engines (change user voice and rate)

Can scan and read in several languages.

Scan and Read Systems

Problems Recognition rates may vary depending

on material and software. Not universal, not all scanners

supported, dependent on software. Voice output is unclear at time for

some names. Sometimes hard to scan bulky books.

Writing AccommodationsDifficulty in ability to compose sentences due to errors

in vocabulary, grammar, or spelling.

Some solutions may be: Use work prediction software, Use spelling software, Use writing composition programs.

Difficulty communication of meaning to writing.

Some solutions may be: Use writing composition programs. Use voice recognition programs, Use software that allows graphics to be interpreted as words

Voice Recognition Systems This allows the user to control part or all of

some computer by using voice. Mac and IBM Can increase speed of typing accuracy. Can be used for all functions of a computer. Can be used by person with CP, LD, and

stroke. Read back feature Low cost

Voice Recognition Systems

Problems False advertising 10 hours frustration = 1 hour production Large investment of time needed to have

good voice profile. Changes in your voice may decrease

accuracy. Never 100% accurate

Lecture Accommodations :

Tape recorders or micro tape players Note takers Notes provided by the instructor or other student Printed materials - double-spaced and with larger

print Note and reference materials available in other

forms Seating modification

Test-taking Accommodation: Quiet environment Extended time Test on the computer Reader, scribe or oral tests Double-spaced, with large print Index cards, blank paper, and/or ruler (help keep place

on line) Tape recorder (to hear what is on the test &/or to dictate

answers) Use of a proctor to rephrase test questions that are not

clear to the student

Vision AccommodationsDifficulty seeing small text or small cursor.

Some solutions may be: Increased size of text or cursor Use magnify screen. Increase monitor size Use screen enlargement software.

Unable to see images or text.

Some solutions may be: Use screen readers and speech synthesizers Use refreshable braille displays.

Vision Accommodations Provide text books, reading lists and syllabi in advance to

permit time for transferring into alternate format Flexible seating assignment Tape recording of lectures and class discussions Handouts in the medium that the student prefers Handouts in contrasting colors Read aloud any text on blackboard or computer

presentation (PowerPoint) Provide handouts in advance of backboard or computer

presentation in medium that the student prefers Magnification software/hardware

Magnification software/hardware

Can range from low tech to very high tech Computer magnification 1X – 16X Range in types of magnification (lens,

half, full screen) May have additional features (voice, color

filtering, Internet)

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Instructors maintain effective communication with students.

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing are not all alike.

Some are extremely adept at reading lips and others are not; some communicate orally and others use sign language, gestures, writing, or a combination of these methods.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing Accommodations

Always speak directly to the student, not to the student's sign language interpreter

Repeat class questions before answering No more than one person speaks at a time Avoid speaking while doing other tasks or

writing on the blackboard. Use captioned videos whenever possible. When

showing uncaptioned videos, slides, or movies provide an outline or summary in advance

Hearing Accommodations Examples

        Having proctor/administrator use microphone (FM loop)

        Putting test-taker in private room        Putting test-taker in front of room        Facing student who reads lips        Posting time prompts in writing        Providing interpreter for sign language        Providing real time capturing of all verbal noises

Communication Accommodations Students with speech impairments may communicate in various ways. Some students speak with their own voices, but slowly and with some lack of clarity; other students write notes, point to communication boards, use electronic speech-synthesizers, or communicate through assistants who interpret their speech to other people. 

Communications Accommodations

If possible meet with student before first week of class to talk about accommodations.

Listen to person; if you do not understand them, ask.

Talk to person, not communication assistant.

Every person has their own voice.

August 2001, North Carolina State Assistive Technology in Higher Education Survey

Report

Screen Readers Jaws - 61 (84.7%) Screen Magnification Zoomtext - 65 (90.3%) OCR/Reading Kurzweil 3000 - 40 (55.6%) Speech Recognition Dragon Naturally Speaking - 58 (80.6%) Word Prediction TextHelp! - 35 (48.6%) Mouse Alternatives Kensington Trackballs - 34 (47.2%) Alternative Hands-Free Input HeadMouse - 6 (8.3%) Writing Tools Inspiration - 32 (44.4%)