CLASS Program - Technology for Disabilities
Students with disabilities can access a number of special kinds of technology in the Groves Lab. Some of these items may be checked out for personal and classroom use.
Books on Tape and CD from Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D). One thing to keep in mind is that it is a time-consuming process to get this material to the college, which is why it is critical for instructors to choose their textbooks well in advance of the start of the term. We have four-track tape players and special CD players that play these materials.
Kurzweil scanner software that will read texts aloud. See a demo of this software at the Kurzweil website.
Dictation software like Dragon NaturallySpeaking that allows you to dictate directly into a computer document.
Screen-readers like Jaws that read text from computer screens aloud.
Magnifiers like Magic
Alpha-Smart a portable keyboard that can be used to take notes which can then be uploaded onto a computer.
Franklin Spellers These are electronic dictionaries that can perform sophisticated spell-check for students who have difficulty spelling. For example, a student can type in "sykology" and the dictionary will bring up a list of possible correct words, "psychology, sociology, psychologist, etc." Then the student can browse through the dictionary definitions to make sure that they are choosing the correct word. Some models have a "say" function which will read the word and definition aloud.
Text Help a program that helps students with their writing.
Hear it a listening device that eliminates background noises and clarifies the sound of voices to make them easier to understand.
FM Transmitters amplify sound for students with hearing impairments. The instructor is given a small microphone to wear during lectures and the student wears a receiver ear-piece.
Smartpens allow audio recording while you are taking notes.
A small number of laptops are available (first-come-first serve) in the Groves Lab for CLASS and Access students who have an emergency need.
If you have any questions about technology for students with disabilities or would like to visit the Groves Lab, please contact the Accommodations Assistant, at 612-330-1353.
