A DIY Accessible Hardware Solution for Students with Disabilities | Ryan Vernon BC College and Institute Library Services (CILS)

Falling through the cracks? |

Raise the floor... Raising the Floor: Enabling everyone, regardless of extenuating circumstances, to obtain access... |

DIY: do it yourself Recipe: Cheap hardware Free or cheep software Combine |

Hardware Desktop PC The computer you have now The library's computer Any old computer! | Netbook / Ultra-portable laptop Asus Eee PC (windows version) Acer Aspire One (windows version) Other netbooks or subnotebooks Any old notebook!

Hardware Things you might need Windows 2000 or newer Onboard sound Speakers Custom input device An Internet connection |

Software Thunder (screen reader) Thunder WebbIE (Accessible browser) WebbIE Accessible RSS news reader Accessible podcatcher ReadPlease (text to speech engine) ReadPlease TextAloud (text to speech engine) TextAloud AMIS (DAISY book player) AMIS WinAMP (media player) and the PaceMaker plugin (which allows users to adjust playback speed) WinAMPPaceMaker plugin Iconico magnifier (screen magnifier) Iconico magnifier |

Software: Thunder From the Thunder website:Thunder website "Free of charge to EVERYONE and any organization." "A quick and easy download on a modern computer." "For everyone who needs it." Screen reader: A screen reader is a software program that uses a synthetic voice to read a computer screen out loud.** |

Software: Webbie An accessible browser When combined with Thunder users may listen to and navigate webpages Keyboard controlable Plain text output Includes magnification function Free downloaddownload |

WebbIE "webpage" view |

WebbIE "text" view |

WebbIE also includes......an accessible RSS reader |

WebbIE also includes......an accessible pod catcher |

WebbIE also includes......an accessible Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg |

WebbIE also includes......an accessible Directory (providing access to the ODP)ODP |

ReadPlease Text-to-speech software: Converts computer readable text into spoken language Free and paid versions Available to download Tutorial available at CILS |

ReadPlease |

TextAloud Text-to-speech software: Converts computer readable text into spoken language Free trial available ~$30 to buy Available to download |

TextAloud |

DAISY DAISY book format DAISY: Digital Audio Information System DAISY A highly navigable digital audiobook format: navigable by chapter, section, heading or page number May be human voice or synthesized voice May have full-text or just heading information |

AMIS (Daisy Player) Open Source Freely available Available for download Tutorial available at CILS |

AMIS (Daisy Player) |

AMIS (Daisy Player) |

WinAMP A media player, like Windows Media or VLC Freely available Allows plugins Tutorial available at CILS |

WinAMP with PaceMaker Pacemaker: a WinAMP plugin Freely available Changes tempo (play back speed) Changes pitch |

WinAMP with PaceMaker Allows you to speed up your MP3 without making it sound like a chipmunk: |

Magnifier Enlarges a portion of a computer screen Freely available |

Conclusion Don't be afraid......to get your hands dirty...to try...to ask You can do it! |

Thank you This presentation is available in multiple formats at Tel: Fax: |

Questions? |

Photo Credits All photos were generously made available by their creators under a Creative Commons license:Creative Commons Stick Figure Loses Foot In Crack! Sunrise - Project City Center Computer Cooking Master in Computer Architecture, Network and Systems Lightening 16x9 03 Chipmunk Checking Three magnified morons Don't Stop Questioning |