Apple® Accessibility Features Vision built into all Macintosh computers provides adjustable keyboard, an ergonomic mouse, CloseView screen magnification software, Easy Access system software (StickyKeys, SlowKeys, MouseKeys), electronic documentation, key-repeat disable, text-to-speech synthesis and voice recognition (PlainTalk), sticky mouse, and visual alert cues. The VoiceOver spoken English interface for Mac OS X is a fully integrated, built-in screen reader technology providing access to the Macintosh through speech, audible cues, and keyboard navigation.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
AAC Institute, a not-for-profit, charitable organization dedicated to the most effective communication for people who rely on augmentative and alternative communication.
United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (USSAAC) is dedicated to providing information and support on the issues, technology, tools, and advancements within the world of AAC. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) provides different communication methods for individuals who have significant speech impairments.
Center for Speech and Language Disorders is a non-profit organization with offices in Lombard and Chicago. Our mission is to help children with communication disorders reach their full potential through family centered services. CSLD's service delivery is set apart from its counterparts because each client benefits from an individualized relationship with their therapist. We recognize that one type of treatment does not fit all children, or all disorders. Each therapy plan is created based on the personal needs of the child and all therapeutic methods are research based and thus decisive and sound.
Speech Technology: News, an article in Speech Technology (06/05) Vol. 10, No. 3, P. 10; by Nancy Jamison "Speech technologies are being mainstreamed often to the exclusion of users of assistive technology (AT), which include the dexterity, sight, hearing, cognitive, and speech impaired—and this is ironic, given that handicapped users frequently drive technology development. Market drivers for speech technologies include the government, which has set up legislation designed to make the provision of accessible products or services both a requirement as well as an incentive for companies, and the development of accessible mainstream products. Mainstream vendors must play a key role in boosting product accessibility, partly through the incorporation of speech technologies into product design. AT types for people with certain impairments may not be suitable for people with other disabilities: Speech technologies for sight-impaired individuals are useful as tools for conveying information, while the hearing-impaired often use them for command and control. Examples of speech technologies well suited to the vision-disabled include text-to-speech, voice-activated dialing, and note taker products that incorporate Braille. People suffering from hearing loss can take advantage of interactive communication solutions that use software to convert speech to text and video sign language in real time. Dexterity or mobility-challenged people often use automated speech recognition (ASR) to command and control both keyboard and software functions; ASR eliminates the need to use the keyboard or mouse by enabling users to supply data to business and productivity applications and dictate text into others. People with cognitive, language, or speech impairments can use technologies that convert spoken input into graphical images and are helpful for people undergoing speech therapy."
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