ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND WINDOWS 95
Wayne Chenoweth
High Tech Center Training Unit of
the California Community Colleges
Training Specialist/Instructor
21050 Mc Clellan Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
Voice: (408) 996-4636
Internet: wchenowe@ginko.htctu.fhda.edu
URL: http://www.htctu.fhda.edu
Don Dutton
High Tech Center
Instructor
Rancho Santiago College
1530 West 17th Street
Santa Ana, CA 92706
Voice: (714) 564-6268
Internet: ddutton@compuaccess.com
URL: http://www.compuaccess.com
Marcia Norris
High Tech Center Training Unit of
the California Community Colleges
Training Specialist/Instructor
21050 Mc Clellan Road
Cupertino, CA 95014
Voice: (408) 996-4636
Internet: mnorris@ginko.htctu.fhda.edu
URL: http://www.htctu.fhda.edu
Web Posted on: December 12, 1997
The purpose of this paper is to provide a description of and rationale for the assistive technologies currently used in Windows 95 trainings at the High Tech Center Training Unit (HTCTU). The HTCTU of the California Community colleges is a teacher-training center where instructors from around the state can come for trainings in the use of different types of assistive technology. A basic principle of High Tech Center functioning is to use the fewest number of applications or devices possible to achieve effective student access for California community college students. In this way, instructors are able to learn the basic library of applications, and students generally can expect to find very similar software if they attend another community college. The software selected for this presentation represents current HTCTU thinking as of March 1997.
Prior to the advent of Windows 95, assistive technology for DOS-based computers was primarily based on products from third party vendors. Because of the efforts of Microsoft, and in particular, Greg Lowney of the Accessibility Group at Microsoft, the Windows 95 operating system incorporates significant access features, and it is no longer necessary to buy some types of assistive products: e.g., keyboard modification software or on-line spell checking application. A Microsoft web site succinctly discusses accessibility options of Windows 95. (1)
Windows 95 and User Profiles
A very powerful feature of the Windows 95 operating system is the ability to create user profiles so students' prescriptive access settings and/or applications automatically load when they log on. The choices on the User Profiles tab of the Password Control Panel determine the types of unique configurations preserved. Each user's preferences, like display font size and background color or keyboard controls, are then preserved in their user profile.
User profiles may also reside on a server, they then download automatically to whichever computer the student is using. User profiles enabled in this way can allow students with disabilities to use any computer on the entire campus if the necessary hardware is also present on that computer, for example, a sound card. Simple descriptions for setting up or deleting user profiles can be found on the Microsoft Web site. (2), (3)
Tools for Students with Learning Disabilities or Cognitive Disabilities
Technology tools to enhance the writing process and/or assist in the decoding of printed text are of prime importance for persons with learning disabilities. For training purposes, the HTCTU has selected the following:
Microsoft Word 7
The program can be customized for simplicity, and its many built-in features are useful. The blank white space of the Full Screen option found in the View menu provides a very basic, non-technical, non-visually distracting presentation for beginning users. A workable, full-functioning setup could be as simple as installing the Format tool bar on the Full Screen view and providing a cheat sheet for these four basic keyboard commands: Open File (Ctrl O), Save File (Ctrl S), Print File (Ctrl P)and Spell Check (F7). The availability of context-sensitive help throughout and Word wizard functions provide a self-paced, supportive learning environment as students become more proficient users.
Spelling support in this latest version of Word now includes an option for on-line spell checking (a wavy red line appears under a misspelled word) and this can be a useful feature for some students whose decoding skills are better then their encoding skills because right clicking on the underlined word brings up a word suggestion list and some students will easily select the correctly spelled word. The act of selecting correctly spelled words in real-time writing may benefit some students whose spelling abilities seem to show improvement. The Auto-Correct function, which automatically can change "hte" to "the," is useful for students who make consistent spelling errors. Traditionally a grammar checker is of limited use for many students with learning disabilities, but some may find the Explain function useful.
Inspiration
This easy-to-use yet sophisticated graphical idea organizer can be used for brainstorming, pre-writing activities, developing study aids (using shape- and color-coding). With a single command, Inspiration is able to turn a graphical outline or chart into a text-based format. This can then be exported to a word processor. The latest version of the program will export outline files to HTML format..
The Text Assist Text Reader
Hearing text on the screen benefits students in two ways:
- if they are hearing new material (e.g., text scanned in), their comprehension of the material is not limited by poor reading skills;
- if they are hearing text they have written, they may be able to correct errors their eyes are not able to discern.
The sound card in a PC has become the source for inexpensive speech synthesis. A SoundBlaster card which supports Text Assist, becomes the source for a useful, simple screen reading utility, Text Reader. The speech generated by this affordable sound card is an inexpensive version of the speech generated by the industry-standard speech synthesizer, the DECtalk. The Text Assist Text Reader has a very simple interface: a small, four button bar which is "always on top."
TextHELP!
This program contains a collection of very useful reading/writing tools for students with learning disabilities. The program can serve as a multisensory text reader with a word visually highlighted as it is spoken (font size and type is adjustable in the reading window); the program supports word prediction, monitoring a student's keyboard input and suggesting the word it thinks is being typed. For students with very poor encoding skills and better decoding skills, this is a very important tool to increase writing fluency because students feel more confident in using words. Mastery of homophone use is facilitated by writing with word echo and using the TextHELP! homophone dictionary (supporting 400 homophone definitions, e.g., "'meet' as in 'to meet someone'" or "'meat' as in 'to eat'.") and. Switching dictionaries is easily done on the fly.
BookWise
This software program serves as a scanning recognition program as well as an easy-to-use stand-alone writing utility. In addition to providing a real-time writing environment, it is now possible to interactively edit text converted from scanning. It is possible to place the cursor in a word and click on the dictionary icon; if misspelled, suggestions are offered and both the word and its definitions can be spoken by the program. The same speech capabilities exist in a thesaurus function. The program interface was designed for ease of use; commands are available from simple, standard menus or a small number of easily understood icons which dim if they are not current options.
Tools for Students with Physical Disabilities
Windows 95 provides unparalleled operating system support for students whose physical disability prevents standard use of the keyboard. Keyboard modification tools found in the Windows 95 Control Panel Accessibility Options are StickyKeys, FilterKeys (including Slow Keys and RepeatKeys), and MouseKeys. Keyboard commands are available for all menu or mouse-based functions. A list of keyboard commands is easily printed from the Microsoft Web site on the Internet. (4)
The status of the major accessibility functions can be displayed on screen, either in the task bar or, if the task bar accessibility indicator is right-clicked, the status indicator moves to a window which is "always on top," and which can be positioned anywhere on the screen. The ability of Windows 95 to support this visual tracking of keyboard accessibility is extremely important for persons with memory deficits.
There also are options which easily allow alternative device input from persons completely unable to use a keyboard. The Keyboard option in the general Control Panel also provides adjustable settings which affect key repeat characteristics. Another useful function of the operating system is its ability to support keyboard shortcuts and the assignments of hot keys, making it possible to achieve some tasks with significantly fewer keystrokes or mouse actions. All accessibility features come with hot keys, although they are turned off in the default installation.
Current versions of Windows 95 now come with support for Dvorak keyboard layouts. These layouts reprogram the layout of the QWERTY keyboard so that strong, quick fingers (e.g., index, middle) type the most frequently used letters in the English language. There are three configurations available from the Languages Tab on the Keyboard control panel: two-handed typing, or one handed typing for the right or left hand..
Half-QWERTY
This third-party product is a uniquely powerful and intuitive tool for someone who must learn to type with one hand. The QWERTY keyboard layout is divided into two mirror images. If one can only type with one hand, with Half-QWERTY loaded, a mirror image of the right hand side of the keyboard is invoked when the Spacebar is held down. The little finger of the left hand will type "a" or semicolon if the Spacebar is depressed as the keystroke is performed. Or, if one is typing with the right hand, holding down the Spacebar and using the index finger which types "j" will produce "f", the mirror- image keystroke usually produced with the left index finger. Extensive research has shown that prior learning greatly enhances use of this one-handed typing system, and that one begins to type by touch in about fifteen minutes. An excellent Web site describes the program, and it is possible to download a free demonstration copy from there. (5)
Microsoft Equation Editor and Mathcad for Windows
These two software tools provide curricular access for students unable to form arithmetic and mathematic symbols. The Equation Editor which comes with Word serves as a writing tool to create numerical expressions. Mathcad also provides the ability to create mathematic documents, but it also has a solve function. There also is a program feature which works with separately purchased electronic tutorial math texts.
Dragon Dictate for Windows
Talking instead of typing to create text is of primary importance for persons unable to use the keyboard. Speech recognition software has improved to the extent that it is easily learned and more environmentally stable. Consistency of utterance, not correctness of utterance, is the primary requisite. Visually monitoring the text data for correctness is critical for maintaining an accurate voice profile. The HTCTU has evaluated all major speech input systems, selecting Dragon Dictate as a primary choice because of its ease of use and recognition accuracy.
Tools for Students with Sensory Disabilities
There are numerous support options for persons with low vision in the Windows 95 operating system. The Accessibility control panel contains options for setting high contrast/large font color schemes as well as the option to reduce the display to black and white with reversible contrast. System fonts may also be sized through the use of the font scaling tool available at the Settings Tab in the Display control panel. Custom easy-to-see mouse pointers and pointer features (e.g., tails) can be set in the Mouse control panel. For persons who are deaf, there are Accessibility options to set a screen signal for an auditory prompt as well as another which anticipates that other programs will be "smart" and pair any verbal output (e.g., instructions) with a corresponding real time text display, allowing deaf to read the speech.
ZoomText
This screen enlarger software for persons with low vision is easy-to-use, compatible with almost all types of applications, offers numerous useful features, and is extremely functional in a networking environment. This application reflects a mature product which has successfully evolved from DOS through Windows 3.1 to Windows 95.
JAWS for Windows 95
For blind students requiring a screen reader, the HTCTU has elected to use the screen reader JAWS primarily because of program functionality, ease of basic use, context sensitive help, and widespread use. The program comes with an extensive range of configurations for basic applications. Blind computer users benefit from Microsoft's commitment to a keyboard equivalent for mouse and menu actions.
Open Book Unbound
The HTCTU is currently using this program for its computer-based optical character recognition (OCR) scanning and reading system. The ability of the application to support three levels of menu options (beginner, intermediate, advanced) meets the needs of the varying ability levels which exist in a community college student population.
Duxbury Braille Translation Software
The HTCTU uses Duxbury software because it supports a Braille font in the Windows environment.
End Notes
All URLs current January 29, 1997 1. "Accessibility Features in Windows 95".
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/enable/factsht.htm 2. "In and Out of the Classroom with Microsoft Windows 95".
http://www.microsoft.com/education/k-12/inout/admin5.htm 3. "In and Out of the Classroom with Microsoft Windows 95".
http://www.microsoft.com/education/k-12/inout/admin6.htm 4. "Keyboard Short Cuts for Windows 95."
http://www.microsoft.com/kb/articles/q126/4/49.htm 5. "The Matias Corporation". http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/matias/
References
BookWise. Vers 3.0.2. Computer Software. Xerox Imaging Systems. 1996.
Dragon Dictate Classic Edition. Vers 2.5. Computer Software. Dragon Systems. 1996.
Duxbury Braille Translator for Windows. Vers 10;1. Computer Software. Duxbury Systems. 1995.
Half-QWERTY. Vers 2.0. Computer Software. Matias Corporation. 1996.
Inspiration. Vers 4.1. Computer Software. Inspiration Software, Inc. 1996.
JAWS for Windows. Vers 2.0.8. Computer Software. Henter-Joyce, Inc. 1997
Mathcad. Vers 6.0. Computer Software. MathSoft, Inc. 1995
Microsoft Windows 95. Vers 4.00.950. Computer Software. Microsoft Corporation. 1995.
Microsoft Word. Vers 7.0. Computer Software. Microsoft Corporation. 1995.
Open Book Unbound. Vers 2.21.u. Computer Software. Arkenstone Inc. 1995.
Text Assist Text Reader. Vers 1.30. Computer Software. Creative Technology Ltd. 1994.
TextHELP!. Vers 2.21. Computer Software. Lorien Systems. 1996.
ZoomText. Vers 5.1. Computer Software. A I Squared. 1995.