Assistive Technology & AMAC
Assistive technology (AT) has been well defined. Essentially AT is any device or technology-related service that provides support to individuals with disabilities so they may reach personal, educational or vocational goals. AT is the key to unlocking alternative media, providing a way to a successful future for students with print-related disabilities. AT turns potential into usable, consumable knowledge.
Yet in order for assistive technology to unlock knowledge, it must be available, affordable, and useable. AMAC accomplishes those three goals with a delivery strategy that combines three equally critical criteria: access to assistive technology through a simple download interface, end user training and ongoing technical support. The result is an AT service that builds on the success of the accommodations offered through the disability service offices of AMAC member institutions.
Assistive Technology Services for AMAC Members
Assistive technology practice and service delivery have become a specialty field. National certification is commonplace and recognition by insurers has begun to take root. Demand for AT services and disability accommodations increase each academic year. In many cases, disability service offices do not have the funds, manpower or time to meet these growing needs.
AMAC works closely with disability service offices to support the assistive technology needs and accommodations of one of the highest incidence populations - students with print-related disabilities. AMAC also negotiates with global assistive technology manufacturers on behalf of its members so that access to assistive technology and assistive technology services can be provided as part of an affordable yearly membership ... a membership that is really a time-saving partnership resulting in students getting the assistive technology support they need to become successful.
Access to assistive technology, training and technical support are the cornerstone of AMAC's assistive technology services. Through its assistive technology services AMAC provides more than just reading material. It makes the concepts and contents of a "book" come alive.
Assistive Technology Access
AMAC members and students receive alternative media via a secure site download of specialized software that has been specifically designed and chosen to support the unique needs of students with learning disabilities. Most importantly, they provide access to the types of files currently produced and provided by AMAC. To learn more about the types of alternative media files available, please visit the AMAC Wiki Alternative Media Formats page.
Assistive Technology Training
AMAC's training blends self-paced, hands-on and distance learning to appeal to multiple learning styles and to be sensitive to institutional budgets. AMAC has produced web-based video, published printed material and engaged in distance learning through online webinars. AMAC is also dedicated to providing live instruction and one-on-one opportunities with experienced trainers who understand the needs of students and service providers alike. All the technology in the world cannot replace person-to-person contact.
Assistive Technology Technical Support
Ongoing technical support is vital to ongoing successful use of assistive technology and AMAC provides it. AMAC offers multiple ways of delivering support, including friendly and knowledgeable phone support, email support, video instruction, personalized screen capture videos, e-text quick reference guides and the 24/7 AMAC Wiki.
Assistive Technology Services for AMAC Students
21st century students have all manner of technology at their disposal. Today's cell phones have the capacity to do more and to do it faster than what computers were capable of only five years ago. This mainstream influx of technological advancement points to a very technology-savvy student. Technological necessity and convenience have resulted in hardware and software that is capable of meeting the needs of students of all abilities. To learn more about Assistive Technology, please visit the AMAC Wiki Assistive Technology page.
AMAC has collaborated with global manufacturers of assistive technology software to provide for the needs of our members' students. The AMAC technical team has evaluates the software with regard to the accommodation needs of students with print-related disabilities. The technical team then selects the AT products based on their compatibility with the alternative media provided by AMAC, as well as for their inherent tools and their flexibility of use.
AMAC Core Technologies
- Text-To-Speech
- This software tool is most important for accessing content in a "book" file. The software uses voice drivers to process text on a computer screen and turn it into audio that plays through the computer speakers. It is the voice drivers that determine the quality and type of voice sound produced, i.e., male or female voice, pitch, tone, reading speed, etc.
- Text-To-Audio
- Similar to Text-To-Speech, this tool processes electronic text using voice drivers also, but rather than playing the sound through the computer speakers, it creates a recording of the sound. A commonly produced file type is MP3, which can then be transferred and listened to on an MP3 player.
- Navigable Audio Tools
- Imagine navigating a music CD from song to song by pressing the track button on a CD player. The producer of the music CD embeds "tags" to make songs on the CD easier to find. Audio book files provided by the AMAC-RFB&D partnership also have tags. The navigable audio tools in the software allow the user to jump not only to chapter beginnings - similar to the track button on a CD player - but also to navigate to each page, headings in a chapter and even the desired subheadings on a page.
- Scanning*/OCR** Tools
-
Students may sometimes receive hard copy text and have an immediate need for access to that adjunct material, i.e., course
packets, handouts, etc. The software-scanning tool provides a vehicle to scan, process and produce accessible e-text from
the adjunct material.
* Requires access to a scanner (hardware). ** OCR (optical character recognition) is a tool that will process a scanned image to identify text and produce an electronic file with accessible text. - Additional Tools for Individuals with Learning Disabilities
- Beyond the core technologies, AMAC has access to AT software that supports a wide variety of additional student needs, i.e., magnification, visual tracking, writing support, etc.