Experienced instructors and tutors teach students how to use assistive computer technology, in courses encompassing a variety of skill levels. For those who have difficulty with manual tasks, Conversa Web 3.0 allows users to surf the Web hands-free. With voice-activated text links and images, the program enables users to access virtually any element on a Web page without reliance on a mouse and keyboard. A popup military alphabet list allows users to enter URL addresses and text by voice, as well. There is no need to train the system to recognize any user s voice.
New technologies can also help the hearing impaired get the most out of films and presentations.
Equipped with a small decoding computer that reads standard closed captioning from video signals, The Captioning Board sends the captioning to a separate, easy to read display. Captioning provides indications of who is speaking, sound sources and sound effects. The unit is easily plugged into any video source. We Media Inc., which publishes We magazine for the disabled, has activated a service to provide Internet access to blind and disabled individuals. The software will be written so that the Web page is compatible with such tools as the vibrating mouse, which allows the blind to feel boxes and images on the computer screen.