During the summer, IU Southeast bought new software and hardware for the approximately 250 students registered with the Office of Disability Services and for the entire campus.
Tom Prinz, manager of IT Support Services, said this new technology is to help students with disabilities utilize the current software.
“[The new technology] will better serve those with disabilities,” Prinz said.
The new hardware and software was purchased because there was a need for it and the university had extra money to pay for it. About $30,000 was spent on these new additions.
“The new technology was designed to help everyone,” Matt Springer, coordinator of Disability Services, said.
Among the hardware purchases were several large computer monitors and a Closed-Captioned Television to help the visually impaired. The CCTV has a tiny digital camera that is hooked up to a monitor that enlarges text.
The CCTV also converts black text to white text, which makes it easier to read.
Springer said he is excited to have the new technology.
A Braille printer and label-maker were also purchased. Both of these convert standard text into Braille.
Software programs were also bought and Springer said those are used mostly by students that have a learning disability. Students with learning disabilities make up the majority of all students registered with the Office of Disability Services.
Job Accountability Windows Software was designed for blind students. This program talks to the user. It reads all the tabs that are open on the computer and what the user types.
Another program called Read and Write Gold was designed for students that have trouble typing. This software uses a word prediction program called T9, which is the same program that is in cell phones for quick texting.
When typing in the Read and Write Gold, a box in the upper right hand corner of the screen pops up and gives suggested words. All the student has to do is press the corresponding button on the keyboard and that word will be added to the text.
The Read and Write Gold program also has an advanced spell and homonym check, which reads back what has been typed and allows the user to convert what is on the screen into an MP3. The added bonus of this software is that the more it is used, the quicker it will recognize and save the user’s style.
Also, the Read and Write Gold software has a Word Wizard program that allows the user to find a word that they want to use.
Zoom Text is another software program that magnifies any computer screen.
Dragon Naturally Speaking is a software program that has to be trained to recognize voices. As the user talks into a microphone, text appears on the monitor.
Kurzweil 3000 is a dedicated screen reader that reads the text back to the user and has less of a robotic voice.
“We wanted to give students a lot of options,” Springer said.
The new hardware and software isn’t available on all of the computers on campus; however, students can find them in the Adult Student Center and Student Development Center. The software programs can be saved to a zip drive to make it more accessible.
Training is available by appointment with Springer to learn any of these new technologies.
Springer said he hopes that with these new technologies, more awareness can be made about what disabled students can do instead of what they can’t do.
He also said he hopes in a year there will be an improvement in grades and see students begin to realize their full potential by using these programs.
By AMANDA FRENCH
Staff Writer
aafrench@ius.edu