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DEA, the Federal Special Education law, provides the following legal definition of  Assistive Technology: “Any item, piece of equipment or product system… that is used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

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IDEA, the Federal Special Education law, provides the following legal definition of Assistive Technology: "Any item, piece of equipment or product system... is used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Under IDEA technology can be used in the educational setting to provide a variety of accommodations, support or adaptations for students with disabilities. (For information regarding Assistive Technology in the workplace, see Access4Employment).

lists the services a school district may need to provide in order to ensure that assistive technology is useful to a student in the school setting. The law defines an Assistive Technology Service as: "Any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, or use of an assistive technology device." This service includes all of the following possibilities:

Evaluation of the technology needs of the individual, including a functional evaluation in the individual's environment.

Purchasing, leasing or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities.

Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing or replacing of assistive technology.

Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions or services with assistive technologies or devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs (O.T., P.T., Speech).

Assistive technology training or technical assistance with assistive technology for an individual with a disability, or where appropriate, the family of an individual with disabilities.

Training or technical assistance for professionals, educators, employers or other individuals who provide services for or otherwise are substantially involved in the major life functions of individuals with disabilities.

The intention of the special education law is that, if a student with disabilities needs technology in order to be able to learn, access the curriculum and learning materials and access F.A.P.E., the school district will:

Evaluate the student's technology needs

Acquire the necessary technology

technology use with other therapies and interventions

Provide training for individuals, the individual's family and school staff in the effective use of the technology

During the time that students with disabilities are in school they can have the opportunity to learn to use technology at the same time that they are learning academic subjects and social skills. The efficient and effective use of assistive technology can be as a basic skill for students with disabilities with reading, writing and math. Assistive Technology is providing students with disabilities a "level playing field" in every area of life.

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) IDEA, the Federal Special Education law, provides the following legal definition of Assistive Tech

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Assistive Technology Basics: Screen Readers

Assistive technology includes products, equipment, and programs used to improve learning and working experiences for people with disabilities. One type of assistive technology is a screen reader, a program that converts on-screen content into speech, or shows it on a braille display. Screen readers help people with low vision or blindness interact with computers more easily.

The user presses different combinations of keys on the computer keyboard or braille display to direct the synthesizer to do things, such as read or spell text, find particular words, or locate the cursor. JAWS for Windows is one example of a popular screen reader.

When creating or updating digital content, be mindful of how a screen reader might handle the information. Consider the following:

Punctuation
Different screen readers communicate punctuation in different ways. For example, some dictate common punctuation marks, like a period at the end of a sentence, while others simply pause the way a human would when reading. Many screen readers can be adjusted based on the user's preference. To plan for a diverse audience that may include people using screen readers, pay attention to how much and which types of punctuation you use.

Language
A clear, simple writing style will help ensure that a screen reader converts your content appropriately and reads the text as intended, as much as possible. Not all screen readers handle the complicated rules of the English language perfectly. For instance, homographs, words that are spelled the same but have different sounds and meanings, can be tricky for a screen reader (examples: object/object, read/read, wind/wind). Remembering the quirks of the English language can help you make smart choices that keep all your readers in mind.

Reading Order and Headings
Users should all experience your content in the correct reading order. Even if the program you use to create your page establishes an automatic reading order, be sure to check it manually. Organize your text into logical sections with headings to help a screen reader navigate the page according to the desired hierarchy. To instruct a screen reader that certain text is a heading, label your headings within the actual HTML code.

Alt Text
Descriptive alternative text for visual content like pictures allows a screen reader to convey meaningful information to those with blindness or low vision.

You will find that the steps you take to ensure web content accessibility will improve usability for your entire audience. To find out if your digital materials are compatible with screen readers, contact Bridgeway Education for a free evaluation of a sample of your content.

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Assistive Technology Basics: Screen Readers | Bridgeway Education

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Assistive technology includes products, equipment, and programs used to improve learning and working experiences for people with disabilities. One type of assistive technology is a screen reader, a program that converts on-screen content into speech, or shows it on a braille display. Screen readers help people with low vision or blindness interact with computers more easily.

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How do Screen Readers work? & How much does it cost?

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How do Screen Readers work? & How much does it cost?

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Some Helpful Screen Readers for Students with Low or No Vision

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https://www.educatorstechnology.com/2020/06/some-helpful-screen-readers-for.html

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Google Accessibility: Screen Reader More Inclusive

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Google Accessibility: Screen Reader More Inclusive

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Google’s ChromeVox screen reader, which describes unlabeled images to those with impaired vision, now supports 16 languages. As a result, ChromeVox is more accessible to a larger, multicultural audience.

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Google's ChromeVox screen reader, which describes unlabeled images to those with impaired vision, now supports 16 languages. As a result, ChromeVox is more accessible to a larger, multicultural audience. This is an example of how artificial intelligence (AI) can be more mindful as well as localized.

More about the Announcement

Google that an ChromeVox has expanded to include the following languages: Croatian, Czech, Dutch, Finnish, Indonesian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, and Turkish. These 10 languages build upon functionality in English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, and Spanish.

Screen readers such as ChromeVox are software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display. Labeling images online is essential to make them accessible to the visual impaired through screen readers. As Google noted, screen readers rely on content creators and developers who manually label images in order to make them accessible through spoken feedback or braille. But, billions of web images remain unlabeled, which makes them inaccessible for these users.

To help overcome this problem, Google's Chrome Accessibility and Google Research teams developed a feature that automatically describes unlabeled images using AI. The featured was in 2019 to support ChromeVox. According to Google, a single machine learning model generates descriptions in each of the supported languages. This enables a more equitable user experience across languages because generated image descriptions in any two languages can often be regarded as translations that respect the image details.

And developing the program in more languages makes it more applicable to populations around the world.

Why the News Matters

The language translation feature is an example of mindful AI, that is human-centered, responsible, and trustworthy. Being human centered and responsible means that a business keeps the needs of people at the forefront of every decision from the inception to completion of development a product that uses AI. To be human centered, an AI product needs to solve real problems people encounter every day, be user friendly, and not feel impersonal. Responsible AI ensures that AI systems are free of biases and that they are grounded in ethics. It is about being mindful of how, why, and where data is created, how it is synthesized by AI systems, and how it is used in decision making. AI is trustworthy when people are comfortable using it.

Trust is not necessarily a question of whether one trusts technology to do good, but whether one trusts technology to do its job reliably. This is why businesses are paying more attention to capabilities such as AI localization, defined as training AI-based products and services to adapt to local cultures and languages. For instance, a voice-based product, e-commerce site, or streaming service must understand the differences between Canadian French and French; or that in China, red is considered to be an attractive color because it symbolizes good luck. AI-based products and services don't know these things unless people train them using fair, unbiased, and locally relevant data. Similarly, Google's AI tool for the visually impaired needs to properly support multiple languages correctly to ensure uptake. Language in and of itself does not localize an AI product, but it is an important part.

What Businesses Should Do

It's essential that more businesses embrace mindful AI to make AI more useful and pervasive. As part of that, it is important that organizations learn how to localize content correctly to ensure trust. For instance, a global team of people with intimate knowledge of local cultures and languages needs to be involved in training AI models with the right data for each culture and each type of user. Our blog post "AI Localization: What It Is and How to Do It Right" contains more detail. The post was based on a white paper published recently by Centific and Nimdzi to identify the critical success factors for global organizations to create lovable experiences in every market.

To learn more about mindful AI and how Centific helps businesses create human-centered AI products and experiences, please read our post "Why Artificial Intelligence Must Be Mindful to Innovate." to get started.

Photo by Sharon Christina Rørvik on Unsplash

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How Google Is Making Its Screen Reader More Inclusive

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Google's ChromeVox screen reader, which describes unlabeled images to those with impaired vision, now supports 16 languages. As a result, ChromeVox is more accessible to a larger, multicultural audience. This is an example of how artificial intelligence (AI) can be more mindful as well as localized.

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Assistive technology (AT) can be a powerful way to help children with reading issues, including kids with dyslexia. This guide is an introduction to AT tools for reading and where to find them.

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Using PowerPoint and Screen Readers to create lessons and activities

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Using PowerPoint and Screen Readers to create lessons and activities

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Step-by-step directions on how to use a screen reader to create PowerPoint Presentations.

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Skip to content

Even young students are learning to create simple multi-media presentations using PowerPoint. (Read more about teaching students PowerPoint here and another PowerPoint lesson post here.) What about students who rely on screen readers? Microsoft shares step-by-step instructions on how to create PowerPoint Presentations with a screen reader on Windows, Mac, iOS Android, Windows 10 app and Online. Select your device for instructions specific for your device!

The instructions are broken down into several sections, making it easier to to learn/teach. Note: The links are specifically for iOS devices so instructional categories may vary depending on the device. At the beginning of each linked page, are the options for other devices. Be sure to choose the correct device first!

By Diane Brauner

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PowerPoint and Screen Readers - Perkins School for the Blind

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Step-by-step directions on how to use a screen reader to create PowerPoint Presentations.

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LEAP (Listen - LEArn - Play)*  is a series of 3 free and open source computer games specially designed for blind children , developed by SciFY.org, a Greek non profit organization that aims to bring cutting edge technology into everyday life for free.

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Free games for blind children - LEAP games by Scify.org

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How does screen reader help students that are blind?

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How does screen reader help students that are blind?

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Screen Reader: NVDA for Windows! (VoiceOver)

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Screen Reader: NVDA for Windows! (VoiceOver)

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Learning a screen reader is an important skill for developers interested in improving the accessibility of their applications.
It might seem intimidating, but screen readers are pretty simple to pick up, and once you know how to use one, it can be a very enlightening experience to try to operate a page.

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Screen Reader Basics: NVDA -- A11ycasts #09

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Who Pays for Assistive Technology? Parents or Schools?

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Who Pays for Assistive Technology? Parents or Schools?

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Under IDEA, students get services and supports through an IEP. A school must provide AT devices and services the IEP team decides the child needs

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Answer:

In general, schools must provide and pay for assistive technology (AT) for students who need it. That's the case under both IDEA and Section 504. These are two laws that cover students with disabilities.

Under IDEA, students get services and supports through an IEP. A school must provide AT devices and services the IEP team decides the child needs in order to:

IEP teams must consider AT as part of developing a plan to meet each student's unique needs. If the team determines your child needs AT, they may have a specialist do an evaluation to figure out which type of technology is best for your child. (You can also request an AT evaluation if the school doesn't bring it up.)

Section 504 isn't as direct as IDEA about providing AT to students. But if a child needs AT to participate in school, it can be covered in a 504 plan.

If your child has a 504 plan and you think she needs AT, ask the 504 team to evaluate her needs. The team must also consider any evaluation information you may already have.

Schools must pay for whatever AT the IEP or 504 team determines is needed. They can't say they don't have the funds, or that the devices or services aren't available. And parents can't be required to use private or public insurance to pay for AT for kids who have been identified under IDEA or 504.

Under both laws, use of the technology isn't limited to just while the student is at school. A student will likely also need the AT at home for homework and studying. So the device can go back and forth, even though it belongs to the school. If your child is no longer enrolled at the school, however, she can't take the device with her.

Schools must also provide teachers and students with any training that's needed to properly use the AT. The training should be included in your child's IEP or 504 plan.

Keep in mind that even though the law says IEP teams must consider AT, it's possible a team will refuse to do an AT evaluation if it doesn't think one is needed. In that case, you have options for disputing that decision. Check with your state's parent training center for more information (or the Office for Civil Rights for 504 questions).

Interested in pursuing AT for your child? Learn what to look for when you're considering options. And even if your child doesn't have an IEP or a 504 plan, you can still explore assistive technology for reading, writing and math to help your child at home. Check out free web tools, too.

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Answer: In general, schools must provide and pay for assistive technology (AT) for students who need it. That's the case under both IDEA and Section 504. These are two laws that cover students with disabilities. Under IDEA, students get services and supports through an IEP.

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Prices range from free to $1,200. Screen readers are used mainly by people who do not have useful vision to read text on the screen.

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Screen readers are software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display. A screen reader is the interface between the computer's operating system, its applications, and the user. The user sends commands by pressing different combinations of keys on the computer keyboard or braille display to instruct the speech synthesizer what to say and to speak automatically when changes occur on the computer screen. A command can instruct the synthesizer to read or spell a word, read a line or full screen of text, find a string of text on the screen, announce the location of the computer's cursor or focused item, and so on. In addition, it allows users to perform more advanced functions, such as locating text displayed in a certain color, reading pre-designated parts of the screen on demand, reading highlighted text, and identifying the active choice in a menu. Users may also use the spell checker in a word processor or read the cells of a spreadsheet with a screen reader.

Screen readers are currently available for use with personal computers running Linux, Windows, and Mac, IOS, Android, and more. Each screen reader incorporates a different command structure, and most support a variety of speech synthesizers. Prices range from free to $1,200.
Screen readers are used mainly by people who do not have useful vision to read text on the screen. A screen reader can also be the product of choice for someone with vision that is useful for travel, but not for reading. In the long run, learning to listen to speech output will prove more productive for such individuals than struggling to read text while leaning close to the computer screen.

Here are some questions to ask when purchasing screen readers:

Is the screen reader compatible with your computer's operating system?

Does it work with the applications you plan to use?

Does it work with your braille display?

What keystrokes or gestures are used for the program's basic and advanced functions? Are the keystrokes easy to remember? Is it possible to change the key combinations if they conflict with those used by application programs?

BRLTTY
Screen reading program that allows a blind person using a refreshable braille display to access the Linux/Unix console (when in text mode). Drives the braille display and provides complete screen review functionality. Incorporates some speech capability.

CakeTalking
Software that provides a set of customized configurations for the JAWS for Windows screen reader that allows blind musicians to use both basic and advanced features of Cakewalk SONAR, a music editing and recording program. Includes extensive tutorials in the form of Word documents written for the JAWS user.

CDesk Compass
Screen reader and magnification software program that can be installed on a computer for blind, low-vision, and seniors to allow users to access to the most-used functions of their computers.

COBRA
Screen reading software program that provides access to information on a computer for people who are blind or visually impaired and converts important information from the computer screen into speech, braille or magnified form. Available in three versions: COBRA Zoom, which provides large print magnification and speech output; COBRA Braille, which provides speech output and support for more than 70 braille displays; and COBRA Pro, which includes everything.

Dolphin Guide
All-in-one software suite with built-in large print and speech access. Designed to be easy-to-use and easy-to-learn.

Eye-Pal® Ace
Portable battery-operated and braille-compatible screen reader and scanner with a built-in screen for displaying photos, magnifying small objects and enlarging texts for individuals who have difficulty reading printed text.

Eye-Pal® Ace Plus
Portable scanner, reader, and video magnifier in one lightweight, battery-operated device. Has a simple one-button, spam-free, email system. Has a built-in WiFi that allows user to connect to Bookshare and NFB Newsline and download books and access publications.

Eye-Pal® ROL (Read Out Loud)
Lightweight, battery-operated, portable scanner and reader that comes with a pair of headphones that easily plugs into the front of the device for privacy. The ergonomic thumbwheels and tactile controls are intuitively located for ease of use. Braille-display compatible for reading a book or a menu at a restaurant or filling out a form at the doctor's office. Incorporates the AudioMinder technology, allowing the user to set an alarm and record appointment reminders.

Eye-Pal® Vision
Fast, accurate, and easy-to-use scanning and reading appliance that connects to a monitor or TV to display text in a high-contrast, large font so user can read along as the content is spoken. May be used for scanning a printed page, pill bottle, recipe card, or newspaper. Motion detector automatically senses when a new page is placed under the camera.

iMax for Mac
Screen magnification and screen reading software for Mac users. Provides magnification, contour enhancement and pointer settings as well as screen reading with high-quality speech output. In addition to text to speech voices, such as Infovox iVox by Acapela, it comes with automatic language identification in the screen reader mode and GhostReader, an application for reading documents. GhostReader contains shortkeys for fast and easy access to the text and the user can listen to documents including file types such as Text, Word, HTML, PDF, ODT or RTF. Also allows user to save texts as Mp3-files to be played in iTunes, be uploaded to an iPod, iPad or burned onto a CD.

JAWS (Job Access with Speech) for Windows (Professional)
Screen reader that provides speech and braille output for the most popular computer applications. Works with Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and much more. Features two multilingual synthesizers: Eloquence and Vocalizer Expressive; talking installation; built-in free DAISY and Player and full set of DAISY-formatted basic training books. Supports Windows® 8.1 and Windows 10, including touch screens and gestures, and includes support for MathML content presented in Internet Explorer that is rendered with MathJax and fast information look-up with Research It. Convenient OCR feature provides access to the text of PDF documents. Fully compatible with MAGic screen magnification software, and OpenBook, scanning and reading program.

JAWS (Job Access with Speech) for Windows (Standard)
Screen reader that provides speech and braille output for the most popular computer applications. Works with Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and much more. Features two multilingual synthesizers: Eloquence and Vocalizer Expressive; talking installation; built-in free DAISY and Player and full set of DAISY-formatted basic training books. Supports Windows® 8.1 and Windows 10, including touch screens and gestures, and includes support for MathML content presented in Internet Explorer.

NVDA (Nonvisual Desktop Access)
An open-source Windows screen reader. Uses the eSpeak speech synthesizer and SAPI 4 and SAPI 5 synthesizers.

Orca
Free, open source screen reader for the GNOME desktop. Works with OpenOffice, Firefox, the Java platform and other applications.

Speakup
Screen reader for the Linux operating system. Allows users to interact with applications and the GNU/Linux operating system with audible feedback from the console using a speech synthesizer and to navigate around the screen using typical screen review functions such as "say word," "say line," "announce cursor position," and more. Licensed under the GPL, the GNU General Public License.

System Access
Provides screen access to Windows, as well as applications, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Adobe Reader, and Skype. It can be installed on two computers.

System Access Stand-alone Mobile
Provides screen access to Windows, as well as applications, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Adobe Reader, and Skype. It can be installed on two computers. Also includes a smart drive so users can create a key to install System Access on other computers.

Thunder Free Free screen reader for Microsoft Windows Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later, including Windows 7 and 8. It is not open-source, but it is free for individuals and organizations. Distributed with the WebbIE set of programs, which provides a text web-browser, a podcatcher, an RSS news reader and other tools.

VoiceOver
Screen reader built into Apple computer operating systems (Mac OS X 10.4 and later). Provides a comprehensive audible description and complete keyboard-based navigation and access to a variety of applications, such as web browsing, e-mail, word processing, iTunes, chat, PDF reader, media player, and chess. Also includes support for many braille displays.

ZoomText Fusion
Screen magnification and screen reading software that provides the features and benefits of ZoomText Magnifier/Reader, plus a complete screen reader.

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Screen readers are software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display. A screen reader is the interface between the computer's operating system, its applications, and the user.