Assistive Technology Initiative Korey Singleton, ATI Manager George Mason University AHEAD in VA Conference March 25-26, 2010

Materials  ( ATI News & Information section) Overview of ATI at George Mason Univ. Overview of Premier Accessibility Suite  Software Demo GMU Questions & Answers

Our mission is to help provide individuals with disabilities an accessible university environment by supporting access to all technological, architectural, and educational resources available at George Mason University through the incorporation of assistive technologies, the provision of technical support, and the development of university-wide strategies for universal access.

Korey Singleton  Manager Kara Zirkle  IT Accessibility Coordinator Elizabeth Miller  Accessible Text Coordinator Nancy Borck  Program Support Specialist ATI Manager Korey Singleton IT Accessibility Coordinator Kara Zirkle Accessible Text Coordinator Elizabeth Miller Program Support Specialist Nancy Borck

1. Informal Assistive Technology Assessments 2. Provision of Accessible Text Services 3. Assistive Technology Labs 4. Technical Assistance for ITU and Library personnel on AT-related issues 5. Section 508/Web Accessibility Training and Support Informal Assistive Technology Assessments Assistive Technology Assessments Provision of Accessible Text Services Assistive Technology Labs Technical Assistance for ITU and Library personnel on AT-related issues Section 508/Web Accessibility Training and Support

Mason community (with or without documentation)  Informal assessments  Overview of AT available for personal use Faculty, staff and students with documented disabilities  Faculty/Staff - registered with the Office of Equity and Diversity Services (OEDS)  Students – registered with the Office of Disability Services (ODS)

The typical ATI Office AT Assessment involves: – Referrals for faculty, staff and students with documented disabilities in need of more formal assessments or AT services come from the ODS and OEDS. – A phone or conversation (ATI staff member and student, faculty or staff member) – A visit to the Office to work with technology. We commonly show examples of everything we have so the individual can get the best of idea of what may work for them. – After an assessment, ATI can recommend solutions available at Mason or those that may be purchased for personal use. Follow up meetings are on a case-by-case basis and are dependent upon the user. We also work one-on-one to teach the user the assistive technology. Back to ATI Services

ATI Partnerships -  Office of Disability Services  Equity Office  Information Technology Unit  University Libraries  Kellar Institute  Environmental Health & Safety  Learning Services ATI Office of Disability Services Equity Office ITU University Libraries Kellar Institute EHS Learning Services OLLI Distance Education Council Provost’s Office Human Resources Regional Campus Management Teams Local Public Schools University Information

Office of Disability Services Accessible Text Services for Students AT Assessments/Training for Students Community Outreach with local public schools Equity Office Accessible Text Services for Staff/Faculty AT Assessments/Training for Staff/Faculty University-Wide Training Initiatives University Libraries AT Labs Training & Consultation Learning Services Sharing of adaptive technology AT Assessments/Training for students (registered/unregistered) Training for LS staff

 Screen Enlarging Software  ZoomText Xtra  Screen Reading Software  JAWS for Windows  Optical Character Recognition  Scan & Read Pro  WYNN  CCTV (Desktop & portable)

 TTY/TDD – Text Telephone Device for the Deaf  NexTalk Workplace   Assistive Listening Devices  Personal FM, IR, Large Area FMLarge Area FM  DocSoft (captioning)  iCommunicator – Voice recognition software with signing capabilities 

 Large Area FM Back to slide

 Document Reading/Writing/Scanning  WYNN Wizard/Reader  Premier Accessibility Suite  Voice Recognition  Dragon Naturally Speaking Pro

 Adapted/Alternative Keyboards & Mice  Microsoft Natural Keyboard  Type Matrix keyboard  Trackball Mice  Large Print keyboards  Voice Recognition  Dragon Naturally Speaking Pro

 Libraries (JC, Arlington*, Mercer, Fenwick**)  WYNN Wizard  JAWS for Windows  ZoomText Xtra  Premier Accessibility Suite  Dragon Naturally Speaking  CCTV  Helen Kellar Institute AT Lab  Training & Demonstration Back to ATI Services

 Libraries  Address physical access in each library AT lab (i.e., adjustable height workstations) – completed by Sum ‘10  Provide equivalent access at Fenwick library on Fairfax campus (i.e., workstations, CCTV) – completed by Sum ‘10

 DocSoft GMU  Solution for providing Departments, faculty, staff, students with ability to provide captioned audio/video in classrooms and on the web. Likely a small cost associated with this for GMU community.  Partnership with Kellar Institute (KIHd)  e.g.

 Nextalk Workplace  Telecommunications solution for individuals who are deaf and hard- of-hearing that adds text, video and voice capabilities to an existing office phone system.   Change in FCC rules changed scope of project. In c/o with Deaf Services Coordinator, in the process of identifying individuals on campus that would benefit from this solution. Ongoing…

 Additional accessible text resources  Bookshare – University Partners   Access Text Network   Virginia Higher Education Assistive Technology (VA HEAT)  This site has been developed to act as a resource for institutions of higher education in Virginia. The main purpose of this site is to share information and resources related to providing alternative text to students with print related disabilities enrolled in postsecondary institutions. 

 Transition Training  Focusing on raising awareness of adaptive technology in students transitioning from k-12 and community colleges  Local public schools in Northern Virginia  In-services/trainings available by request  Meetings with transition coordinators/AT specialist  Working to develop partnership with Northern Virginia Community College  Local Conferences/Fairs  Prince William County Transition Fair (every Feb.)  Future Quest conference (every other Nov.)

Access at Any Mason Workstation: “Premier Accessibility Suite”

 Collection of reading and writing tools for study and electronic print access   Universal Reader Plus  E-text reader  Talking Dictionary  Talking Word Processor  Scan & Read Pro  PDF Equalizer  Text-to-Audio  Among other tools…  Software Demo!!

 Why Premier?  ~70% of students that we service have learning disabilities  Software also incorporates some tools for individuals with low vision and blindness  A good number of these students take advantage of accessible text services  Seen it improve over the years

 Why Premier? cont…  Premier-In-School Program - Free education grant   Minimal start-up costs  Premier-AT-Home Program   Offers students ability to use same technology on personal machine as in AT Labs

Our Partners?  Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities (KIHd)  University Libraries  Patriot Computers  Office of Disability Services  Learning Services (CAPS)  Writing Center  Information Technology Unit  ATI Advisory Committee**

 Where do we stand today?  “Pilot program” provides up to 2000 licenses that can be used on any workstation in the library, KIHd, and LS computer labs  Premier is installed in all of library AT labs (main and regional campuses), the KIHd lab, and in the LS lab  Implemented Premier-AT-Home program  Software (PC or Mac) sold through Patriot Computers for $5.00 Web:

 Where do we stand? cont…  We have implemented training Initiatives  BYTE Week - Provide AT training (university wide) at beginning of each semester for BYTE week  Premier AT Training videos listed on ATI website (  Library staff training beginning of each fall semester  One-to-one and group training offered as needed

 What have we learned?  Premier has a lot of crossover appeal  English as Second Language  Information processing  Company is still figuring it out  Product is very good, but can be buggy  Decentralization = making friends

 Next Steps  Negotiating with vendor to have license cover classroom and general labs  ATI Advisory Committee  With aid of Classroom Technologies, coordinating process for having software included as a part of software images used in all general and classroom computing labs  Working with University Information to market solution more effectively throughout the university  Telecom Coordinators - developing AT liaisons for each department

 Next Steps cont…  Evaluating other AT for campus-wide access at any workstation  Converting some ZT licenses to USB?  Converting some JAWS licenses to USB?  Encouraging use of different screen-reader for general access?  NVDA (free/open-source)  System Access Mobile  Premier vs. Read & Write GOLD  Why??

Assistive Technology Initiative (ATI) George Mason University Thompson Hall, Room 114 Hours: M-F, 8:30am-5:00pm Office Phone: TTY: (703) Fax: (703) Web: