A DOS-based program, Jaws, converts text that appears on the screen into sound, allowing it to read computer menu items or text typed into DOS software. Turner said this program will help visually impaired users make use of the other DOS programs that are on the workstation. This Arkenstone product works with a scanner to capture an image of a printed text. These programs allow the speech synthesizer to read the page that has been scanned, Turner said. The process takes but a few seconds and uses few keystrokes.
Headphones are available for use with the system.
The last element of the station is a magnification program called VisAbility. This program also works with the scanner but allows the user to magnify the page. Like An Open Book, Turner said this software is simple to use and takes only a few seconds for nearly instant magnification. Cornell's Office of Equal Opportunity was provided with funding for these materials, while Mann Library provides space and technical support for the resources. Most of the funds came from the Ridley Foundation, which has played a key role in helping Cornell obtain technology to support people with disabilities.