Assistive Technology Solutions for Visually Impaired Students

Assistive Technology Solutions for Visually Impaired Students

bruce.mcclanahan@wssb.wa.gov

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  Video Magnifier Solutions
  AI Squared: http://www.aisquared.com/: ZoomText, ZoomText Mac, ZoomText ImageReader, Sitcues, Window-Eyes, ZoomText Express, ZoomText Camera (No hand-held solution, only computer based solutions for screen enlargement and video magnifiers)
  American Printing House for the Blind: http://www.aph.org/ VisioBook, portable electronic video magnifier and distance viewer (No hand-held solution, only video magnifier solutions)
  Baum: http://www.baumusa.com/ VisioDesk (The VisioBook sold by APH is made by Baum.)
  Designs for Vision: http://www.designsforvision.com/ Optical Low Vision Aids
  Eschenbach: http://www.eschenbach.com/ Optical Low Vision Aids
  Enhanced Vision: https://www.enhancedvision.com/ Major low vision manufacturer, sells hand-held magnifiers, video magnifiers, and desktop magnifiers; Transformer, Acrobat Mini, Amigo, Pebble, Portable Monitor, Merlin HD OCR, DaVinci HD OCR, Acrobat HD Short Arm, Acrobat HD Long Arm, Acrobat Ultra, and more...
  Eschenbach: http://www.eschenbach.com/ Optical low vision aids
  Freedom Scientific: http://www.freedomscientific.com/Products/LowVision Manufacturer of hand-held magnifiers, video magnifiers, and desktop magnifiers; Ruby, Topaz Desktop, Topaz Portable, Onyx video magnifier, Magic Screen Enlargement for Windows computers
  HIMS: http://hims-inc.com/products/low-vision-products/ E-bot Pro and E-bot, Desktop, SenseView, the E-bot Pro is compatible with the iPad.
  HumanWare: http://store.humanware.com/hus/low-vision/reading-aids-magnifiers/?___store=us_en Manufacturer of hand-held magnifiers, video magnifiers, and desktop magnifiers; Prodigi, SmartView, Prodigi Connect 12, Prodigi Connect 12 with distance viewing, Prodigi desktop electronic magnifier, Smartview, many options
  Low Vision International: http://lviamerica.wm3.se/ Magnilink S video magnifier, Magnilink Vision Basic, Magnilink TTS, and many variations of these products.  Low Vision International does not sell a hand-held option, they do sell video magnifier options and desktop magnifiers, both with and without OCR options
  Optelec: https://us.optelec.com/ Optelec Traveler, Optelec Compact, Optelec ClearReader, Optelec ClearView, Optelec ClearView HD, ClearNote Hd, etc; Optelec offers hand-held options, video magnifier options, and desktop magnifier options, some of their devices are offered both with and without OCR options
  Orcam: http://www.orcam.com/ Eyeglasses and a camera, with synthetic speech, but it does fit under low vision aids
  
  Reinecker Vision: http://www.reineckervision.com/ European company, they sell hand-held magnifiers, video magnifiers, and desktop magnifier options
  Sight Enhancement Systems: http://www.sightenhancement.com/ They sell SciPlus scientific calculators and the SceneEye portable camera.
  VisionAid International: http://www.visionaid.com/ Readit Air, Readit Scholar, ReadEasy Move, Readit Touch, etc.
  Zoomax: http://www.zoomax.co/ Portable magnifiers, video magnifiers, desktop magnifiers
  
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  Screen Magnification Solutions
  AI Squared: http://www.aisquared.com/products/ ZoomText for Windows and Macintosh
  Dolphin: http://www.yourdolphin.com/ Supernova
  Freedom Scientific: http://www.freedomscientific.com/Products/LowVision Magic
  
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  Braille Notetaker Solutions
  All Braille notetakers can also function as Braille displays.
  Baum: http://www.baumusa.com/products/varioultra/ VarioUltra, Braille only notetaker solution
  Freedom Scientific: http://www.freedomscientific.com/Products/Blindness PacMate Braille notetaker
  HIMS: http://hims-inc.com/products/braille-sense-notetakers/ BrailleSense and Braille Edge, the Braille Edge is a Braille only notetaker solution.  The Braille Sense is a very powerful Braille notetaker with speech and Braille.
  Humanware: http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/home BrailleNote, very powerful Braille notetaker, available with QWERTY or Braille keyboards
  
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  Braille Display Solutions
  American Printing House for the Blind: http://www.aph.org/ RefreshaBraille 18 (18 Braille cells)
  Baum: http://www.baumusa.com/ VarioUltra, 20 or 40 Braille cells
  Freedom Scientific: http://www.freedomscientific.com/Products/Blindness Focus Blue, 14, 40, and 80 cells, PacMate
  Harpo: http://int.harpo.com.pl/ Braille Pen 12 (12 cells)
  HIMS: http://hims-inc.com/products/braille-sense-notetakers/ Smart Beetle 14, Braille Edge 40, Braille Sense 32, Braille Sense Mini 18
  Humanware: http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/home BrailleNote 18 and 32 cells, Brailliant Braille Displays 32, 40, and 80 cells
  Irie-AT: http://irie-at.com/content/braille-displays This company sells the Alva Braille displays.  Very high quality Braille displays.
  Nippon: http://www.nippontelesoft.com/english.html Seika 24, 40, and 80 cells
  Triumph Technology: Triumph Technology: http://www.attriumph.com/products/handytech  Braille Star 40, Braille Star 80, Active Braille 40  Braille Star 40, Braille Star 80, Active Braille 40 
  

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  Braille Embosser Solutions
  American Thermoform Corporation: http://americanthermoform.com/products/ Very high end Braille embossers, you probably will not see these in the school setting
  Enabling Technologies: http://www.brailler.com/ The front page of this website has information on embossing Smarter Balanced tests.  This may or may not be critical information when you are making your embosser decision.  This company makes over 12 embossers, both single-sided and interpoint.  I don't know about their newer embossers, but all of their previous embossers have had the same command structure.  The Phoenix embosser has two printer heads, one for standard high-quality Braille and the second head for producing tactile graphics.
  Irie-AT: http://irie-at.com/content/braille-printers  This company sells and supports the Index Braille embossers.  The Index Basic D is one of the most popular embossers in the school setting.  They also are saying that they can emboss the Smarter Balanced Tests.
  ViewPlus: https://viewplus.com/ ViewPlus embossers also produce graphics.  These devices will emboss the Smarter Balanced tests.
  
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  Braille Translation Software Solutions
  Duxbury: http://www.duxburysystems.com/default.asp Braille translation software that is accessible for blind users.
  Braille 2000: http://www.braille2000.com/  A very graphic orientated excellent Braille translation program.
  
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  Screenreading Programs for Windows Solutions
  Freedom Scientific: http://www.freedomscientific.com/Products/Blindness JAWS
  Nvaccess: http://www.nvaccess.org/ NVDA (free)
  AI Squared: http://www.aisquared.com/products/ Window-Eyes (Free when a "newer" copy of Microsoft Office is on the computer.)
  
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  Screenreading Program for the Macintosh Solutions
  VoiceOver is built into the computer and upgrades happen when system software is updated. VoiceOver works in a very similar way on the iTouch, iPhone, iPad, and the Macintosh. 
  
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  Assistive Technology for Visually Impaired Students with Significant Additional Impairments Solutions
  Ablenet: https://www.ablenetinc.com/ Excellent switches, currently sell IntelliTools
  Attainment: http://www.attainmentcompany.com/ Low vision access only
  Don Johnston: http://donjohnston.com/ Low vision access only
  Crick Software: http://www.cricksoft.com/us/home.aspx Low vision access only
  Enabling Devices: http://enablingdevices.com/catalog/products_for_the_visually_impaired This company sells several products specifically designed for visually impaired students with special needs.
  InclusiveTLC: http://www.inclusivetlc.com/ This company sells the Switch2Scan interface, which runs as a standard switch and with VoiceOver.
  R. J. Cooper: http://www.rjcooper.com/ This company sells several products specifically designed for visually impaired students with special needs.