ATTLC Features

Hardware and Equipment

The Center contains nine workstations, each featuring 2.8 GHz dual quad core processors. These computers are running Macintosh OS X Leopard, Windows Vista, and Linux Ubuntu. All workstations have electronic height adjustment to accommodate a variety of students, including wheelchair users and students requiring sit/stand workstations. Each workstation is equipped with a different ergonomic/alternative keyboard and mouse. This allows students with a variety of disabilities or injuries the ability to try different options. The Center also includes a variety of ergonomic chairs to fit all body shapes and sizes.

All workstations at the ATTLC feature height-adjustable tables with an easy-to-use one-touch button. Students with back or neck pain can raise the tables to a height that is comfortable, including those who need to stand while still reaching the keyboard and seeing the monitor comfortably. The monitors are on flexible arms allowing students with low vision to bring the monitor as close to them as necessary to see the screen. All the monitors are 24-inch flat panels, giving a great deal of flexibility for low-vision and learning-disabled students. There is a large variety of keyboards, including a gold touch, allowing students with chronic pain in hands and arms to type different ways that may alleviate some of the pain. The ATTLC also has a variety of ergonomic chairs to suit different body types. All the chairs are height adjustable and have other features such as lumbar supports to help reduce repetitive strain injuries for students while using computers.

Examples of Application Software

• Jaws for Windows: This high-powered screen reading solution for blind and low vision students allows them to read web pages and e-mail and create their own documents and presentations. If students receive alternative media services, Jaws is able to read the file and or present it on a Braille display to a student.
• Magic for Windows: This screen magnification software is primarily for students with low vision, but it also has the option of speech so that if an individual has the ability to see only objects on the screen the speech will read relevant text. Large-print software is also useful for students with learning disabilities; students are able to focus on portions of the text and use tracking features within the software to assist in their reading.
• Openbook: This optical character recognition software allows students who are blind and low vision the ability to read any printed material scanned into the computer.
• Dragon NaturallySpeaking: The world's premier speech-to-text software allows individuals who have difficulty typing or using a mouse to create documents and manipulate the computer with voice commands. Dragon is primarily used by students with repetitive strain injuries such as tendinitis. Dragon can also be used by students with learning disabilities that hinder their writing ability.
• Kurzweil 3000: Kurzweil is innovative literacy software that uses text-to-speech and optical character recognition to provide unique ways for students with learning disabilities to access printed material. This product also incorporates a large variety of tools to help with writing: For example, several brainstorming and workflow tools help students in the preparation of papers. Students can use this application to read textbooks scanned by the alternative media center.
• Wynn Wizard: Wynn Wizard is literacy software for students with learning disabilities that uses text-to-speech to read electronic text. The software provides students with reading disabilities the ability to read electronic text scanned by the alternative media center and to read web pages; it also provides a variety of tools to help the learning disabled student write papers and create notes and study guides.
• Macintosh operating system: The ATTLC provides the latest Macintosh operating system with built-in accessibility features and teaches students how to use voice over and the screen reader, with applications such as OpenOffice and the Internet. The ATTLC is one of the first centers to offer students access to the UNIX accessibility environment, Linux Ubuntu. Students will be able to use applications such as OpenOffice and other free programs with the built-in screen reader Orca.
• Non video display access (NVDA): This free screen reader works in Windows for blind students. This is an open-source application that technically inclined students can contribute to and help improve.
• System access to go: This easy-to-use screen reader works on any Windows computer with a connection to the Internet. A student can walk up to a library computer anywhere in the world that has an Internet connection and bring up this screen reader to access resources stored on it.