What is Assistive Technology?
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Click on each program's name for additional information.
Kurzweil
Kurzweil is the primary text-to-speech program in use at Carleton. Students that have submitted documentation of a learning disability to Student Health and Counseling may find Kurzweil a useful option for reading, word processing, and material comprehension.
Firefly (Online Kurzweil)
Firefly is an online extension of Kurzweil, Carleton's primary desktop text-to-speech software. Kurzweil users are automatically granted online storage space - documents uploaded to this space can then be read with Firefly. Unlike Kurzweil, Firefly is a web-based application, and thus can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Dragon Naturally Speaking is the primary our speech-to-text program in recommended for long-term use at Carleton. Students may find Dragon a useful option for word processing and voice-controlled computer navigation. The software must be trained to the user's voice and it will take a couple of weeks for the user to become comfortable with all the commands.
Smartpens
Smartpens allow you to take notes while simultaneously recording classroom lectures or discussion. Simply tap anywhere in your notes and the pen will play back what was said at that moment in time. Smartpens reduce the general stress of processing multiple modes of information concurrently in the classroom. The AzTechs have a Smartpen Lending Program which consists of eight Livescribe Echo Smartpens and one Livescribe Sky Wifi Smartpen which are available for students to check out in five-week periods.
iPad Accessibility Apps
The AzTechs downloaded and tested many of the most popular accessibility apps for iPad, both paid and free. On our website, there is a PDF of a summary of our favorites.