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(Dan) The computer is a vital tool
for education and employment.
There's really nothing that does the variety of tasks
that the computer can do. But it's not perfect.
(Narrator) That's because not everyone
can use the standard computer.
And that's where adaptive technology comes in.
With a little extra hardware or software, computers and the
Internet can be accessible to people with a wide range of
abilities and disabilities.
Adaptive technology delivers a big payoff
for a relatively small investment.
(Dan) The cost of adaptive technology
really is quite small.
Particularly when you look at the impact that that can have
for a person able to do
their job more effectively, more efficiently.
(Narrator) Adaptive technology addresses the challenges imposed
by specific disabilities.
For example, low vision.
(Nate) I use a screen enlarger, which allows me to see
everything on the computer screen that a normal person
would see with regular type on the computer.
(Nhi) I have a computer that has large screen and I also have a
voice output which reads what's on the screen.
When I use my computer and using the Internet, I could research
for a term paper easily and faster.
I could look up in the encyclopedia and have the
computer read a subject on the screen for me instead of using
the encyclopedia book, which would take me a long, long time.
(Narrator) For someone who is sensitive to light, software can
reverse the screen from dark on light to light on dark.
Large print key-top labels may also be useful for people with
visual impairments, especially if they're
just learning to type.
(Narrator) The most common adaptation for people who are
blind is speech output.
(computer) The lab is well equipped
with adaptive technology.
Tours and demonstrations can be arranged by appointment.
(Justin) Really it helps me out a lot on the Internet; I have
voice output that reads everything that comes up on the
screen, on the computer screen; so I'm able to access anything
that I want to on the computer,
and it's really helped me out a lot.
(Wesley) Well, I'm kind of a computer junkie; but the aspect
of computers that I really like is this whole Internet bit.
Because it opens so many doors; and then the e-mail, too.
(Narrator) A scanner combined with speech output allows people
who are blind to read printed materials.
(computer) A tall fellow in a Batman costume comes
soaring out of the winter sky.
(Narrator) Other adaptations include
Braille displays and Braille printouts.
(Narrator) People with speech or hearing impairments can use
their computers to communicate
with friends, teachers, or co-workers.
(Katie) I really like using the Internet because it's easier to
communicate with people rather than using the telephone.
I can read it instead of listening, and it's easier for
me to read it than to hear.
(Jessie) Yeah, the Internet is helpful, it allows me to
communicate more easily, because of my voice.
It allows me to say more and express myself more easily.
(computer)How...are...we... playing...this...again?
(computer)How...are...we... playing...this...again?
How are we playing this again?
(Professor) There are places you could land where you're on blue
and you're more conspicuous.
(Narrator) People who can't speak can use communication
devices to participate in group discussions
and one-on-one interactions.
(Anthony) It's like our army men wearing their clothes?
(Professor) That's exactly right.
(Narrator) Those who can't hear
require visual alternatives to sound output.
(Buffy) When the computer speaks,
they have ways of captioning that.
(computer) Every college should have either a Disabled Student
Services Office, or at least a contact person to assist you.
(Lloyd) The computer system I use uses visual output, rather
than sound output, which means instead of making a chime or a
ring, it blinks the screen.
(Narrator) People with learning disabilities can use a variety
of software to help with reading and with writing papers.
Adaptive technology ranges from spell check and grammar check to
speech input and output.
(computer) Washington is leading the world in global health.
(Patrick) Schoolwork, it helps me 'cause when me and my mom,
like, try to work to do it, we usually fight, and so it usually
ends up being a bad consequence.
So if I can do it on my own, it's way better.
(computer) Washington Phase Two schedule, August 7 to 13.
(Joshua) I've basically just used standard word processors
with a grammar checker and a spell checker,
and dictionaries on the computer.
Just using the word processor alone reduces the amount of time
that it takes to write things.
(Crystal) I have a voice box that it will read it to me,
so I understand what I'm reading...
(computer) Was Helen Keller the first deaf-blind person in the
United States to be educated?
(Crystal) And then when I have to, like, read books, I just
scan those so they can read the books to me so I don't have to
spend two hours reading one page or something.
(David) The things that I've found really helpful have been
speech-to-text programs, you know, you talk
to your computer and it writes.
(Dan) At the University of Washington,
the variety of hardware and software...
(David) I've written papers at college in, you know, a quarter
of the time that it would have taken me to type them by hand.
With speech-to-text, I just say the word
and it shows up on the screen.
(Dan)Period.
(Narrator) People with mobility impairments have a wide range of
adaptive technology options.
For some, flexibility in the positioning of table tops,
monitors, and keyboards is helpful.
(Mitch) I had Dan make a special keyboard holder to hold my
keyboard in a vertical position so I could use both hands to
type and we also turned my monitor on its side.
(Rodney) I use a mouthpiece that I type with.
I can do at least 30 words per minute when the words are going
from my head to the keyboard.
I like to write lots of things, and were it not for computers
and word processing and spell checking and things like that,
(Erofei) I have a track ball which I roll around, and I use
sticky keys, like, to hold down control and shift.
The computer helps me type reports better,
and it's easier on my arm.
I don't have to wear my prosthetic.
(Jeffrey) One thing that I use is a keyboard where the keys are
enlarged and there's more space between, because when I hit keys
on the regular keyboard, I get double letters.
(Narrator) For people who need to type with only one hand,
left- and right-handed keyboards are available.
You could also use an on-screen keyboard with a head pointer or
a mouth stick for hands-free computer control.
Word prediction software can increase speed and accuracy.
(Buddy) I have an on-screen keyboard, and it also has word
prediction, to where I throw in a letter, like let's say I throw
in a T, and like, five words that start with T will pop up,
the most common ones that I use.
They'll pop up and I'll click on it and it'll just print it up.
I got fairly fast.
(Narrator) Some people may choose to bypass
the keyboard by using Morse code.
A sip-and-puff switch registers dot with a sip
and dash with a puff.
Special hardware and software translate Morse code into a form
that computers understand.
(Oscar) I'm a junior this year.
(Narrator) Other people may choose a voice activated system
to replace the keyboard.
(Oscar) I use a program that helps me type;
whatever I say, it types.
I talk into the microphone,
and it types it out on the computer screen.
Makes me feel a lot more independent, and don't have to
rely on somebody for so much, and I can do it myself.
(Narrator) The Internet can be accessed from almost any
location, at any time that a person wants to use it.
This is a real benefit for people with health impairments.
(Nadira) I think that computers can help hospitalized kids.
When I was in the hospital for like, one month, I talked to
other kids and I could, like, socialize with them and people
sent me mails...greeting mails to get well.
(Mitch) In the past year I've...
I lived in the hospital, and an Internet connection there
allowed me to communicate with teachers
so I could attempt to keep up on studies.
(Megan) I think the Internet would be helpful for people with
disabilities that have to be home-schooled or stay home a
lot, because it gives them access to resources and
communication between the schools and the teachers, and
access to people with disabilities like themselves.
(Narrator) For anyone with a disability, adaptive computer
technology is a vital link to success in school and in work.
(Buddy) It's more fun, I mean, I've had people try to type for
me, and you know, it's just no fun trying
to tell someone else what to write.
Like I took a poetry class, and I felt weird trying to tell some
friends or my aide what I'm thinking and what
I'm trying to put on paper.
(Nhi) I like using my computer because
it helps me to be independent.
(Hollis) It lets me express my ideas.
(Hollis) It lets me express my ideas.
(Shem) I virtually live on computers.
On the computer, people are more on an even keel.
On the electronic field, we're all equal.