Students with low vision or who are visually impaired may find it harder to learn in a traditional classroom setting. Advances in technology helps close the gap between learners of all abilities. This week’s blog focuses on three different types of technology that students of all ages and limitations can incorporate into their daily lives to make learning more enjoyable.
Talking Calculator
The Orion TI-30X Talking Calculator is the world's first fully accessible multi-line scientific calculator, created for students who are visually impaired. It represents a breakthrough in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education for students with vision impairment. This calculator may be used on high-stakes exams as an approved accommodation for students who are visually impaired if it is specified in the student's Individual Education Program/Plan (IEP). Phys.org states, “The advanced, four-line scientific calculator, with higher-level math and science functionality, is ideal for middle school through college students. A clear, high-quality, recorded voice announces each key and the answer on the display, providing a choice of speech modes for quiet or verbose operation. Students will love the thin, lightweight design, and parents and teachers will love the familiar functionality that makes it easy to help with classwork and homework.” A few other great features of this calculator are its accompanying earphones, instructions in both print and braille formats, and can be operated via either battery or AC adaptor. To order this innovative talking calculator please click on Orion TI-30X Talking Calculator.Windows Tablet Magnifier with Optical Character Recognition
In a world better adapted to the sighted, Optical Character Recognition systems (OCRs) provide persons who are blind or visually impaired with the capacity to scan printed text and then have it spoken in synthetic speech or saved to a computer file. The American Foundation for the Blind provides a basic understanding of standalone OCRs which will help you better understand how the technology works inside a Windows 10 tablet. The Mercury 12” Windows Magnifier incorporates both scanning capability and a OCR system into a fully functioning tablet. Benefits of using this all-in-one system are vast. This video demonstration located on the product information page shows how versatile and easy this machine is to use. Place a document below the tablet on the included platform to bring the image up on the screen. If the image is too small you can enlarge it or change the contrast between the writing and the background if it’s too difficult to read. Easily capture a full-page scan, reorient it on the screen, and have it read the text aloud to you. Simple touch gestures allow you to do these things and more with relative ease. Once you’re ready to put the tablet away it folds up neatly to fit inside a standard laptop bag.Digital Highlighter
Scouring the internet, you’ll soon find that digital highlighters are beneficial to everyone but especially to those with dyslexia or low vision. The Scanmarker Air is constantly reviewed as one of, if not the top digital highlighter currently available. Closing the Gap provides an excellent overview of this wonderous device. Here are just a few of the things that can be accomplished with this technology:- Saves time by scanning words directly into computer or mobile applications including Gmail, Word, Excel, Facebook
- Can easily translate text into 40 different languages
- Can double as a barcode scanner easily capturing both UPC and EAN codes
- Able to read text aloud which can assist in memorization or helping level the playing field for those learners with disabilities
