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Larry L. Lewis, Jr.
Blindness Products Manager
HumanWare, Inc.
I. Welcome and Introduction
II. What is assistive technology?
A. Devices, applications, or methodologies that enable an
individual to perform specific tasks that he/she would not be
able to complete independently and effectively without
implementing these solutions into his/her technological
experience
B. Adaptive devices, applications, and methodologies that
enable an individual to access commercial applications to
perform given tasks. III. What are blindness products?
A. Adaptive technological hardware and software solutions for
persons who are blind
B. Braille Solutions: a tactual medium for reading and
writing
C. Speech Solutions: an audible means of accessing
information
IV. Why is a multi-sensory approach to technology essential
for a person who is visually impaired?
A. The correlation between tactual representation and
literacy
Holistic perceptions of sighted individuals vs. fragmented
perceptions of persons who are blind.
1. A 180 degree field of vision allows a sighted person the
ability to holistically process words, phrases, sentences,
computer screens.
2. Persons who are blind are processing parts of a whole
concept when they are audibly accessing given information, and
they are not able to actively review given materials.
Utilizing both speech and Braille solutions to minimize the
fragmented method by which a person recognizes words,
sentences, paragraphs, documents, and ultimately, operating
systems--one medium should not exclude the other when literacy
is being promoted
V. What are the fundamental components to a technological
solution for persons who are blind?
Devices that promote tactual learning at an early age
1. Mountbatten Braille Writer: An introduction to technology
through Braille reading and writing
2. Pictures In A Flash: Tactual access to graphics
Notetakers: The importance of promoting and implementing
organizational skills
1. Keynote Companion
2. Braille Companion
Utilizing A PC To Access Commercial Applications And Printed
Material
1. The necessity of a screen reader
2. Adaptive OCR software to access print
Braille: the means of tactually accessing and interacting with
technology
1. Refreshable Braille Displays
2. Braille Embossers
VI. Conclusion
A. Closing conclusions:
1. Combining tactual access and audible access into a person's
technological experience helps to promote literacy.
2. It ingrains into the individual his/her right to have
access to materials that he/she ordinarily could not access
independently and effectively.
3. It offers to the individual the tools necessary to begin to
integrate into a predominately sighted society.
4. It begins to level the playing fields in both the
educational and vocational arenas.
B. Open forum discussion, questions, and demonstrations
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