Assistive Technology Initiative

Korey Singleton, ATI ManagerGeorge Mason UniversityAHEAD in VA Conference

March 25-26, 2010

Objectives Materials

(http://accessibility.gmu.edu, ATI News & Information section)

Overview of ATI at George Mason Univ.

Overview of Premier Accessibility Suite Software Demo

Premier @ GMU

Questions & Answers

Mission of the ATI

Our mission is to help provide individuals with disabilities an accessible university environment by supporting access to all technological, architectural, and educational resources available at George Mason University through the incorporation of assistive technologies, the provision of technical support, and the development of university-wide strategies for universal access.

Korey Singleton Manager

Kara Zirkle IT Accessibility Coordinator

Elizabeth Miller Accessible Text Coordinator

Nancy Borck Program Support Specialist

• ATI Manager

Korey Singleton

• IT Accessibility Coordinator

Kara Zirkle

• Accessible Text Coordinator

Elizabeth Miller

• Program Support Specialist

Nancy Borck

Staff

1. Informal Assistive Technology Assessments2. Provision of Accessible Text Services 3. Assistive Technology Labs4. Technical Assistance for ITU and Library

personnel on AT-related issues5. Section 508/Web Accessibility Training and

Support

Informal Assistive

Technology Assessment

s

Provision of

Accessible Text

Services

Assistive Technology

Labs

Technical Assistance for ITU and

Library personnel on

AT-related issues

Section 508/Web

Accessibility Training

and Support

ATI Services…

Who We ServeMason community (with or without

documentation) Informal assessments Overview of AT available for personal use

Faculty, staff and students with documented disabilities Faculty/Staff - registered with the Office of Equity and

Diversity Services (OEDS) Students – registered with the Office of Disability

Services (ODS)

A Collaborative Project…

ATI Partnerships - Office of Disability Services Equity Office Information Technology Unit University Libraries Kellar Institute Environmental Health & Safety Learning Services

ATI

Office of Disability Services Equity

Office

ITU

University Libraries

Kellar Institute

EHSLearning Services

OLLI

Distance Education

Council

Provost’s Office

Human Resourc

es

Regional Campus

Management Teams

Local Public

SchoolsUniversity Information

Office of Disability Services• Accessible Text Services for Students• AT Assessments/Training for Students• Community Outreach with local public schools

Equity Office• Accessible Text Services for Staff/Faculty• AT Assessments/Training for Staff/Faculty• University-Wide Training Initiatives

University Libraries• AT Labs• Training & Consultation

Learning Services• Sharing of adaptive technology• AT Assessments/Training for students (registered/unregistered)• Training for LS staff

How these partnerships work (e.g.)…

Technology for individualswith low vision or blindness

Screen Enlarging Software ZoomText Xtra

Screen Reading Software JAWS for Windows

Optical Character Recognition Scan & Read Pro WYNN

CCTV (Desktop & portable)

Technology for individualswho are deaf or hard of hearing

TTY/TDD – Text Telephone Device for the Deaf NexTalk Workplace http://www.nextalk.com/products/workplace

Assistive Listening Devices

Personal FM, IR, Large Area FM

DocSoft (captioning)

iCommunicator – Voice recognition software with signing capabilities http://www.myicommunicator.com/

Technology for individuals with learning disabilities

Document Reading/Writing/Scanning WYNN Wizard/Reader Premier Accessibility Suite

Voice Recognition Dragon Naturally Speaking Pro

Technology for individuals with physical disabilities

Adapted/Alternative Keyboards & Mice Microsoft Natural Keyboard Type Matrix keyboard Trackball Mice Large Print keyboards

Voice Recognition Dragon Naturally Speaking Pro

Current Projects/Future Plans

Libraries

Address physical access in each library AT lab (i.e., adjustable height workstations) – completed by Sum ‘10

Provide equivalent access at Fenwick library on Fairfax campus (i.e., workstations, CCTV) – completed by Sum ‘10

Current Projects/Future Plans cont…

DocSoft GMU

Solution for providing Departments, faculty, staff, students with ability to provide captioned audio/video in classrooms and on the web. Likely a small cost associated with this for GMU community.

Partnership with Kellar Institute (KIHd) e.g. http://www.nvcc.edu/tvcenter/vod/

Current Projects/Future Plans cont…

Nextalk Workplace

Telecommunications solution for individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing that adds text, video and voice capabilities to an existing office phone system.

http://www.nextalk.com

Change in FCC rules changed scope of project. In c/o with Deaf Services Coordinator, in the process of identifying individuals on campus that would benefit from this solution. Ongoing…

Additional accessible text resources

Bookshare – University Partners www.bookshare.org

Access Text Network http://www.accesstext.org/

Current Projects/Future Plans cont…

Virginia Higher Education Assistive Technology (VA HEAT)

This site has been developed to act as a resource for institutions of higher education in Virginia.  The main purpose of this site is to share information and resources related to providing alternative text to students with print related disabilities enrolled in postsecondary institutions.

http://ati.gmu.edu/va_heat.html

Current Projects/Future Plans cont…

Transition Training

Focusing on raising awareness of adaptive technology in students transitioning from k-12 and community colleges

Local public schools in Northern Virginia In-services/trainings available by request Meetings with transition coordinators/AT specialist

Working to develop partnership with Northern Virginia Community College

Local Conferences/Fairs Prince William County Transition Fair (every Feb.) Future Quest conference (every other Nov.)

Current Projects/Future Plans cont…

Access at Any Mason Workstation:

“Premier Accessibility Suite”

Premier Accessibility Suite cont…

Collection of reading and writing tools for study and electronic print access

http://www.readingmadeez.com

Universal Reader Plus E-text reader Talking Dictionary Talking Word Processor Scan & Read Pro PDF Equalizer Text-to-Audio Among other tools…

Software Demo!!

Premier Accessibility Suite cont…

Why Premier?

~70% of students that we service have learning disabilities

Software also incorporates some tools for individuals with low vision and blindness

A good number of these students take advantage of accessible text services

Seen it improve over the years

Premier Accessibility Suite cont…

Why Premier? cont…

Premier-In-School Program - Free education grant http://www.readingmadeez.com/education/premierinsch

ool.html

Minimal start-up costs

Premier-AT-Home Program http://www.readingmadeez.com/education/premieratho

me.html

Offers students ability to use same technology on personal machine as in AT Labs

Premier Accessibility Suite cont…

Our Partners?

Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities (KIHd)

University Libraries

Patriot Computers

Office of Disability Services

Learning Services (CAPS)

Writing Center

Information Technology Unit

ATI Advisory Committee**

Premier Accessibility Suite cont…

Where do we stand today?

“Pilot program” provides up to 2000 licenses that can be used on any workstation in the library, KIHd, and LS computer labs

Premier is installed in all of library AT labs (main and regional campuses), the KIHd lab, and in the LS lab

Implemented Premier-AT-Home program Software (PC or Mac) sold through Patriot

Computers for $5.00Web: http://www.premierathome.com

Premier Accessibility Suite cont…

Where do we stand? cont…

We have implemented training Initiatives

BYTE Week - Provide AT training (university wide) at beginning of each semester for BYTE week

Premier AT Training videos listed on ATI website (http://ati.gmu.edu/atilab.html)

Library staff training beginning of each fall semester

One-to-one and group training offered as needed

Premier Accessibility Suite cont…

What have we learned?

Premier has a lot of crossover appeal English as Second Language Information processing

Company is still figuring it out

Product is very good, but can be buggy

Decentralization = making friends

Premier Accessibility Suite cont…

Next Steps

Negotiating with vendor to have license cover classroom and general labs

ATI Advisory Committee

With aid of Classroom Technologies, coordinating process for having software included as a part of software images used in all general and classroom computing labs

Working with University Information to market solution more effectively throughout the university

Telecom Coordinators - developing AT liaisons for each department

Premier Accessibility Suite cont…

Next Steps cont…

Evaluating other AT for campus-wide access at any workstation

Converting some ZT licenses to USB? Converting some JAWS licenses to USB? Encouraging use of different screen-reader for

general access? NVDA (free/open-source) System Access Mobile

Premier vs. Read & Write GOLD Why??

Questions & Answers

Contact InformationAssistive Technology Initiative (ATI)

George Mason UniversityThompson Hall, Room 114

Hours: M-F, 8:30am-5:00pm

Office Phone: 703-993-4329TTY: (703) 259-0179Fax: (703) 993-4743

E-mail: ati@gmu.edu

Web: http://ati.gmu.edu