DIGITAL TECHNOLGOY AND PRINT
DISABILITIES — LOOKING FORWARD
Presenter(s)
Brenda
McBride
Day
Phone: 36-352-0006
Fax:
306-543-8732
Email:
Brenda.mcbride@humanware.com
Students
who are print disabled due to blindness, low vision or a learning disability
have more advantages today than ever before.
This
presentation will discuss the challenges print-disabled students had in the
past and the new opportunities available to them today with access to digital
content. The presentation is a discussion about the supports for students with print
disabilities, through the support of Daisy formatted material provided by Recording
for the Blind and Dyslexic. What are the accommodations and strategies that
players and software provide to help students reach their full potential if they
have a print disability?
Recordings
for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D) based in
Before
the wide availability of digital materials the print disabled student had only
three alternative formats to print. These included large print, paper Braille,
and audio cassette books. The presentation will show how many of the
difficulties accessing information in the past are being overcome in the
digital world. It will show how analog audio books on cassettes are being
replaced today with digital audio which can be navigated much like the
equivalent print book with the look at new possibilities to help support the
learning disabled population.
For
the learning disabled student, reading a book which is recorded in human voice
has advantages such as proper articulation of words and extra descriptions of
what is on the printed page. This human component provides valuable information
that is sometimes missed with other accommodations. The descriptions of the
recordings can help students understand the details of books to fully
experience the material they are trying to comprehend within the class and at
home. The navigation that the players provided allows students with print
disabilities the opportunity to access the printed word in a timely manner within
the classroom with less frustration. As technology improves, accommodations
continue to improve which help students work with their weaknesses so they are
able to participate in activities that were a struggle in the past.
With
the ability to navigate in text books students are supported to move back and forth
between the text and audio or read the text visually while listening to the equivalent
audio. This provides them with the independence and confidence that is missing
many times with students that are not able to access printed material within the
classroom and home.
HumanWare has developed the victor Reader line of CD and software based digital talking book players to access these new DAISY digital books. Victor Reader technology will show how each of the products provide opportunities for the student that afford advantages never before experienced. We will be discussing the new player and the accommodations this provides for students with learning disabilities.
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