1. Presenter: Stuart Lawler, NCBI Training And technology: The Tools For Success!

2. Introduction About NCBI About our Technology Service What is Assistive Technology? Matching Technology with People Technology in the Workplace Case Studies

3. About NCBI Founded in 1931, provides services and supports for over 16,000 people Most registered blind have some level of usable vision One in every five people who can work are currently in employment

4. About our Technology Service Technical assessment/demonstration Reports issued to employers detailing suitable technical solutions Installation/configuration and training On-going technical support and options for further training

5. What is Assistive technology? Definition: technology used by individuals with disabilities in order to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or impossible (University of Washington)

6. Technology for blind users Screen reading (Jaws, Window Eyes, Voiceover) Refreshable Braille Terminals OCR output to synthetic speech or refreshable Braille

7. Technology for low vision users Screen magnification (with or without synthetic speech) CCTV magnification systems, to allow for reading of printed text Mobile applications to allow for magnification of text, E.G. menus in restaurants

8. Matching Technology with People A thorough assessment of the individual’s needs is essential before Assistive Technology is introduced In a workplace setting, tasks being undertaken and accessibility of same need to be carefully considered Best solutions will be flexible enough to accommodate change, either in reduction of vision or change in job perspective

9. Demonstration Time to see some of the technology we’ve just discussed

10. Further Information Stuart Lawler Rehabilitation Centre Manager NCBI Telephone: 087 9926360 Email: stuart.lawler@ncbi.ie