Assistive Technology
Assisstive Technology: "Any device, idea, or strategy that helps someone function."

We all benefit from assisstive technology and universal access like automated doors that open up for us, curb cuts, larger bathroom stalls, close captions and audiotapes, just to name a few. Asssitive Technology for communicatin on the web is still evolving. Some examples include:

• Large print
• Alternative keyboard and mouse
• Braille
• Mouth stick
• Touch screen
• Voice recognition
• On-screen keyboards
• Speech synthesizer
• Screen reader software (JAWS)
• Text-to-speech software

Unfortunately we can't incorporate high tech specialized software into the LAO site yet, but we can point you in the right direction.

Text-to-Speech
IBM and CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) have developed software that reads webpages. Check out:
IBM Home Page Reader"
CAST eReader" (download a trial version for free)**Highly Recommended!**
textHELP" (download a free trial version) **Recommended!**

How about something for FREE:
We recommend: ReadPlease2000 (http://www.readplease.com/ )

Click for ReadPlease Screenshots of what it looks like using LAO

Alternative Keyboards

Check out Intellikeys" (http://www.synapseadaptive.com/intellitools/productmenu.html)

 

 

Alternative Mouse (switches)

 

On-line Dictionary and Thesaurus

We recommend Wordsmyth (http://wordsmyth.net)