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1. About Assistive and Adaptive Technology
   
2. Universal Instructional Design
   
3. How to Use AT in the Classroom
   
4. Products
   

About Assistive Technology

• What is Assistive Technology?
• Technology Supports for Students with Learning Disabilities By John Lubert
• Assistive and Adaptive Technology - Helping Students Determine Their Needs on Their Own Terms
• Myths and realities of assistive technology (Learning Disabilities Association of Canada)
• Selection of Assistive Technology (Learning Disabilities Association of Canada)
  

Related Websites

• http://snow.utoronto.ca/technology/products/index.html?showtechnology=1

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Universal Instructional Design

• Introduction to Universal Instructional Design (UID)
  
• Education for All: The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy and Numeracy Instruction for
  Students With Special Education Needs, Kindergarten to Grade 6 (Chapter two focusses on Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction)
• E-Learning as an Assistive Technology Tool

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How to Use AT in the Classroom

• From Illegible to Understandable: How Word Prediction and Speech Synthesis Can Help
• AT in the Classroom - Reading
• AT in the Classroom - Writing
• AT in the Classroom - Math
• AT in the Classroom - Organization, Memory, Time Management
• Computer Lab Seating Setup

Websites References

• http://www.4teachers.org/
• http://www.ldac-taac.ca/InDepth/tech_examples-e.asp
• http://www.ldonline.org
• http://www.ldrc.ca

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AT Products & Services for individuals with LDs

The following websites are provided in order for you to gain more information regarding some of the products we know to be widely used to assist individuals with Learning Disabilities. The list is not exhaustive and LDAO does not necessarily endorse or recommend any of the opinions, views or practices contained in these websites. Tis specific list of software descriptions was compiled froman adult literacy project report.

• Kurzweil 3000 v5.00 can read aloud, using synthetic speech, virtually any electronic file on a computer or the Internet. The Scan/Read version adds the ability to scan and then read any type-written document. A click of the mouse positions the cursor and reading will begin from that position when the play button is clicked. Words are highlighted as they are read, thus making tracking easier. Unfamiliar words can be broken down into syllables using the syllabification tool and defined using a built-in electronic dictionary. Unfortunately, the dictionary definitions are difficult for many learners to decipher. The built-in word processor is limited to RTF file format, but it does provide speak-as-you-type feedback and is simple to use. It also has word prediction capability, but this feature is not as user-friendly as Co:Writer. Font and size of text in the word prediction box cannot be adjusted, and it requires two keystrokes to select a word from the prediction list (as opposed to the one needed in Co:Writer). Text highlight and extraction tools are unique to this program and were very useful to learners. There is extensive control over menus, colours, fonts, and voices, and learners create accounts on which to save their own preferences. Scan/Read need only be available at one scanner-equipped workstation since scanned text is easily transferred to any read-only workstation for reading. Although this version can read directly from web pages without the need to select a block of text, it is not compatible with Internet Explorer V.6 or above. Kurzweil 3000 V.7.00, which was released recently, is more compatible and, among other improvements, can work with .doc files. Unfortunately, however, this version came out too late to be included in the field test. Despite the shortcomings noted above, this is an excellent program and its diverse features more than offset the price. A licence for one Scan/Read black & white station and four Read-only stations costs about $3000. A single license for the Read-only version is $398, and Scan/Read black & white is $1752. All prices are in Canadian dollars as of July 2002. Manufacturer: Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc., http://www.kurzweiledu.com/, info@kurzweiledu.com.
  
• Write:OutLoud 3.0 is a speaking word processor with simple formatting tools. Its primary feature is speak-as-you-type audio feedback. Learners can choose to have each word, sentence, or paragraph read back to them as it is completed. It can also be used as a simple text-reader by cutting and pasting text into it. Unfortunately, this program has several significant problems. While the Backspace key works as expected, for example, the Delete key does not work at all. The proprietary file type (.WOL) makes it difficult to transfer completed writing to other programs without losing formatting. The Ariel font does not print out properly; it comes out looking like Courier with variable spacing. All other fonts seem to work well; but, since Ariel is the standard Windows font, it is needed for operations such as "cut and paste." The program gives an audio-visual alert when a word is typed incorrectly; however, the spell-checker is not able to check a specific word alone (it must check the whole document every time). Limited features and many flaws make this program hard to recommend. $158 Manufacturer: Don Johnston Inc., http://www.donjohnston.com/, info@donjohnston.com.

• Co:Writer 4000 v4.03 does an excellent job of predicting a typist's next word. As the user adds letters, the predictions change to reflect the narrowing range of possibilities. The user can choose from the list of predictions at any point in the process, and even hear each word spoken, before having the software finish typing it out. Separate accounts can be set up for each learner to keep track of individual writing styles and to adapt predictions accordingly. Grammatical rules also can be included in the prediction parameters. This program is most helpful to learners who know what they want to say but have difficulty typing; it is regularly used by learners with serious fine motor control problems. Learners who find spelling difficult may also benefit if they usually can get at least the first few letters of each word right and, more importantly, if they can recognize the right word when they see and/or hear it. When used with MS Word 2000 it produces garbled text, although it works perfectly with Wordperfect 9.0. As typing skills improve, this program becomes less useful because the learner types faster than the computer can predict. Nonetheless, this is the best word prediction program tested in the study. $520 Manufacturer: Don Johnston Inc., http://www.donjohnston.com/, info@donjohnston.com.
  
  
• Read & Write 5.0 is a text-reader that also checks spelling, corrects mistakes, and predicts. It will operate within any Windows application, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, desktop publishing, e-mail, and the Internet. This text-reader is chosen by many learners, apparently because the animated onscreen characters give it a friendly, playful air. However, learners have complained that, because the text box scrolls line-by-line, instead of by larger blocks, when it is full, reading long passages can be particularly tiring. The dictionary uses complex language and is not very complete. Word prediction does not work well with WordPerfect: (a) when a word is chosen from the prediction list, the preceding space is removed by Read & Write, leaving everything jumbled up together; and (b) the word read-back appears to just give back keystrokes. Read & Write does, however, work better with MS Word. ScreenReader, a more compact program containing only the text-reader with its onscreen characters, is available for $68, ($18 if downloaded), but preliminary testing found glitches in it. If these problems were addressed, ScreenReader could be an excellent alternative for those needing only text-reading. Although the flaws in Read & Write are substantial, its popularity with learners shows the importance of a good interface, and this criterion should be considered in any software selection process. It is also important to note that a newer version is available, which might be better. $349 Manufacturer: textHELP!, http://www.loriens.com/, info@texthelp.com.
  
  
• ReadPlease 2002 is a simple, straightforward document reader. It comes in two versions. The free version can read aloud -- only from the beginning -- any text that is pasted into its text window. The commercial version adds the ability to read any selected text (by hitting ctrl-c) and can start reading from anywhere in the text. A minor concern is that reading speed is controlled by a slider, but the words-per-minute rate is not displayed. For its low cost and ease of use, this program is a winner. Free, or $80 for the commercial version, ReadPlease Plus, with additional features. Manufacturer: ReadPlease Corp., http://www.readplease.com/.
  
  
• ZoomText Level 2 v7.06 features synchronized magnification, high contrast options, and control interface reading. Designed for low-vision users, Level 2 speaks all onscreen text and echoes typing. Screen reading includes menus and controls, but is complicated to use for content; learners often end up using a text-reader along with this program. Crashes have occurred when printing via a network with ZoomText running on the printer-server. This problem, however, can be overcome by restricting its use to machines other than the printer-server. ZoomText is an excellent, simple-to-use program, but it is expensive. The Level 1 version does not include the problematic screen reading function, and is available for about half the cost, but it was not tested in this project. Alternatively, the magnification tool built into Windows is free, but very limited. Budget will likely dictate choice. $719. Manufacturer: Ai Squared, http://www.aisquared.com/, support@aisquared.com.
  
  
• Corel WordPerfect 9.0 is an industry-leading word processor with two features that are particularly useful for teaching literacy -- continuous Spellcheck and Grammar check. With Spellcheck, spelling errors are immediately underlined in red. The user can right-click on the word to bring up a list of possible correct spellings from which to choose. The list also can be made visible as a menu item, a feature which is not available in MS Word. With Grammar check, grammatical errors are underlined in blue (to distinguish them from spelling errors). A description of each error is available by using the "Grammatik" tool to check the document. The descriptions are sometimes obscure, but they do provide a "heads-up" to learners that something might be wrong with what they have written. Read & Write's word prediction feature did not work well with WordPerfect. In all other respects, WordPerfect is an excellent program.
  
  
• MS Word 2000 is the industry standard word processor. It has spelling and grammar checking features similar to Wordperfect, but does not display alternate spellings in the menu bar. It does not work with Co:Writer 4000. Thus choice of word processor must be made in concert with choice of adaptive software.
  
  
• Internet Explorer 5.5 was used throughout the project. The menu bar was set to include a button controlling text size. A customized start page was developed to make it easier for learners to access web sites of particular value to them, and to avoid distracting advertisements found on commercial start pages (such as MSN.com). Because Kurzweil 3000 V.5.0 (the version available for the field test) was not compatible with Internet Explorer 6.0, upgrading Explorer was not an option for this study. Kurzweil 3000 V.7.0 is now available, and is reportedly more compatible with newer versions of Explorer.
  
  
• Windows 98 Operating System Interface was customized to suit learners' needs: folders were set to open with one click instead of two, screen font size was increased, and mouse movement was slowed down. Screen resolution was adjusted for each learner. Setting the screen to 640x480 allowed learners with mild visual impairment to work without using ZoomText. Most learners were comfortable with the 800x600 setting on 15" monitors and 1024x768 on 17" monitors
  
  
• Draft:Builder helps individuals organize ideas, take notes and write drafts. It helps learners because it models the steps of draft-writing in logical order. This software appealed to learners who were highly visual. We purchased this software later on in the field test, so few learners used it because they were already dedicated users of Inspiration, however, those who used it found it beneficial in helping them with their writing. $375.00 Manufacturer: Don Johnston Inc. http://www.donjohnston.com/
  
  
• Dragon NaturallySpeaking allows individuals to create, edit and revise documents, e-mail and navigate the web through voice recognition. This software is great but really only benefits a certain learner profile. Dragon NaturallySpeaking is helpful for learners whose spelling is so poorly developed that spell check does not help or individuals who cannot get initial sounds or letters correct in order to use word prediction. We also found it helpful for learners with processing disorders that inhibits them to express their thoughts in writing. $100 Manufacturer: Dragon Systems http://www.dragonsys.com/
  
  
• Inspiration 6 is a software program that uses visual learning techniques, which help individuals organize their ideas and present information. Several of the learners who took part in the field test have difficulty organizing their work and for them this program was extremely beneficial to their writing. Inspiration appeals to individuals who tend to be highly visual learners. This software's visual diagrams helped reveal patterns and interrelationships and helped to stimulate creative thinking. A free trial of Inspiration can be downloaded from their website at http://www.inspiration.com/. A single license is approximately $150 depending on the supplier you purchase it from.
  
  
• Word Q is a Canadian made product that was created by Quillsoft in collaboration with students and teachers from the BloorviewMacMillan Centre in Toronto. It is easy to use and works well with Microsoft Word. The word prediction drop down box is conveniently small and moves alongside cursor placement. Its word prediction options are very accurate and adapts to each user very quickly. $205 Manufacturer: Quillsoft http://www.wordq.com/
  
  
• Writing with Symbols 2000 is a writing tool that can be used to create picture-word stories. It uses word and symbol displays and speech feedback which emphasizes the connection between words and pictures. It also has a talking word processor that connects spoken words with written words. $349 Manufacturer: Don Johnston Inc. http://www.donjohnston.com/

  
  The full documents that these descriptions are taken from can be found on the following website:
  http://home.golden.net/~actionr, under Computer Learning.
  

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