ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS IN TRANSITION

Ian Shadrick M.A., M.A., CVRT, CRCMissouri State University

Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Special Education

Purpose:

The purpose of this presentation is to address recent advancements in technology for transition age students. The presentation will focus on mobile technologies that can be used in academic, employment, and leisure environments, including iPad, iPhone, and iPod applications, as well as basic navigational applications.

Background:

The ability to access information is among the largest challenges for persons with blindness or low vision. This is especially true in situations that require access to information in situations such as classrooms, meetings, employment, social environments; and particularly scenarios that require productivity and mobility or require the individual to be away from standard computer environments simultaneously.

Advancement:

Ability for persons with disabilities to have access to that same technology is often a challenge that coincides with overall access to information (in a timely and proper manner, ideally at the same time as peers).

Recent significant advancements that allow persons with blindness or low vision the ability to have this capability, beginning to level the playing field in education, employment, and social settings.

Focus:

The focus of this presentation is on these mobile applications across these three arenas (education, employment, and social, leisure).

Categories:

-Productivity -Note Taking & Audio Recording -Book and Text Options -Optical Character Recognition (OCR) -Independent Living/Lifestyle -GPS Options -News and Information Sharing -Social Networking -Education -Resources

Note Taking

Notes Pages Paperport Notes Notability Speak It 2.0 Write 2 Access Note Dragon Fleksy

Audio Recording

Clear Record Voice Memos Recorder HD* Recorder Plus*

Text to Speech

Text Aloud Voice Dream Talker

Productivity

Email Calendar Clock Safari Keynote Numbers Calculator Reminders

Productivity Continued

Assistant Adobe Reader iAnnotate PDF* Dropbox Signature Apps* Secure Notes Dragon Search Evernote Drafts

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Text Grabber ImageToText DocScanner Prizmo Genius Scan*

Books and Newspapers

iBooks Read2Go Learning Ally Audible NFB Newsline Nook Blio EARL

News and Information Sharing Breaking News Downcast Feeddler RSS Reader Podcasts Nightly News Reuters Local Options

News & Information Continued NPR News (iphone) University Apps Weather Forecast Now

Independent Living & Lifestyle TapTapSee CamFind Talking Goggles Color Id 2 IntoNow Banking Apps (vary) Shopping (varies) Grocery Pal*

Independent Living Continued ZoomReader Zoom Contacts MoneyReader TV Guides (Uverse& DirectTv) Mint Recipes Ambiance Guide Talking Menus QR Code & Barcode Readers

Independent Living Continued Epicurious Yelp Gate Guru* MagLight+ nest

Social Networking

Facebook Voice Book LinkedIn Twitter Twitterrific Skype

Blindness Resources

Blind Bargains AFB Access World iBlink Radio VizWiz ViA VO Starter Braille Touch BraillePad Big Browser

GPS & Navigation

Maps Mapquest (list view) iMove Ariadne Compass Where to? Blind Square Around Me Sendero LookAround Google Earth* Transit Options

Technology

DVICE CNET Cali TED iCatcher Camera

Education Specific

Blackboard Mobile iTunes U University Apps Khan Academy Learn Spanish Quick Talking Scientific Calculator

Resources

Apple Vis www.applevis.com AFB Access World www.afb.org Missouri State University Access

Technology Center Blog www.missouristate/edu/atc/

Dr. Luis Perez www.luisperezonline.com www.appitic.com Braille Monitor Braille Forum Future Reflections

Continued

App Advice www.appadvice.com Disabled World

www.disabled-world.com (Android) Bridging Apps Weekly

www.bridgingapps.org