Assistive Technology for Computer Access Lowtech Devices Keyboard

Assistive Technology for Computer Access

Low-tech Devices • Keyboard labels – the standard keyboard can be customized to meet individual needs by affixing a variety of self-adhesive keyboard labels. • Selecting/Pointing Devices – some students who have physical disabilities cannot isolate a finger or use their hands at all to press a single key on the standard keyboard.

• Keyguards – acrylic or metal covers with holes that are placed atop the computer keyboard. It increases typing accuracy and prevents unintended keystrokes from registering. • Moisture guards – are flexible, polyurethane covers that fit cover the keyboard to protect it from moisture, dirt, dust or other damaging.

Mid-tech Devices • Trackballs – it remains in one place; to move the mouse pointer a ball is rotated, the mouse pointer moves in response of the ball. • Joysticks – offer a movable handle that is perpendicular to the base. They do not need to be moved very far to direct the mouse pointer to any spot on the computer monitor.

• Touch screens – provide computer input by a direct touch to the computer monitor. • Expanded keyboards – offer a larger surface area than the standard keyboard. • Single switches – hardware devices that send signals to the computer to emulate various computer inputs.

High-tech Devices • Screen magnification – provides an enlarged view of text, images and the entire desktop on the computer monitor. • Screen reading applications – provide auditory output for most or all of the elements that are visible on a computer monitor. • Optical character recognition/Scanner - scan books and notes onto PC

Mouse keys are a graphical user interface that uses the keyboard as a pointing device

Example of Screen Magnifier