AT MODULE 3

Implementing assistive technology into your library should be a very thoughtful process. If I worked in a school library, I would analyze the student population and try to fill any assistive technology needs that they may have. For the visually impaired, I would want screen enlargement software and Braille translation software. I would look into obtaining mp3 players that could be used with audio books. For those students with mobility disorders I would look into voice recognition software and microphone head set. I would also make sure that my library has wide spaces to accommodate wheelchairs and also computer desks that can be raised and lowered. For those students with learning disabilities that involve difficulty with reading, I would budget for software that reads text aloud. All of my proposed hardware and software would, of course, go into an assistive technology plan. So, summing it up into steps, first I would analyze, then I would do research and chose my technology and then I would formulate a plan. I also liked how California advertised their assistive capabilities. I think this is important because a patron might have been looking for this at one time and it wasn’t available. Letting the population know that you can help them brings people to the library that might normally feel alienated.

Below is my rubric. It looks like a table in Word but when I paste it in here, it destroys the formatting.

Software Name
Inspiration

Software Comany
Inspiration Software, Inc.

Cost
1 license - $69
5 license - $310
10 license - $550
20 license - $895

Features
Create graphic organizers such as concept maps, webs and idea maps

Positives
Built in symbol library
Import QuickTime movies and sounds
Switch between diagram and outline view
Covers five broad subjects

Negatives
Only recommended for 6th grade or higher
Toolbars are fixed rather than floating
Application menus aren’t very logical
___________________________________________
Software name
Kurzweil 3000

Software Company
Cambium Learning

Cost
Single Black & White - $1095
Single Color - $1495
Lab Pack B&W - $1995
Lab Pack Color - $2695

Features
Read aloud text program with highlighters, voice notes, dictionaries and online reference

Postivies
No software download
Can be accessed from any Windows computer
Immediate access to saved work and settings

Negatives
Price
Can be cumbersome to scan books