Updated as of February 10, 2024.
What Kinds of Accessible Assistive Technology Might I Need at Home?
It all depends on what you want/need to do at home. Some examples of accessible AT that might be helpful include a Braille embosser or laser printer. These tools will allow you to emboss/print out both schoolwork and other items you might want to read. Large monitors and refreshable Braille displays are important also, but they might not be enough. Non-disabled students can read many lines of text at a time on a typical-size screen. Enlarged print often provides fewer lines of text, even on large monitors. Additionally, reading on a large monitor for a long time can cause eye fatigue, especially if you have low vision, so it may be quite important to have a printer with good-quality output. For Braille readers, most currently available refreshable Braille displays provide only one line of Braille at a time. It is less efficient to scroll up and down, especially when accessing Nemeth Code (math) or Music Braille. Again, non-disabled students can see many lines of text at a time at home, so it makes sense that Braille reading students need an embosser at home as well.
Other types of accessible AT at home may include accessible kitchen tools (measuring cups and spoons, timers, thermometers, scales, text-to-speech software, etc.). Additionally, to master orientation and mobility tools like accessible compasses and long white canes, you should be able to use them all the time—not just in school.
What Kinds of Accessible Assistive Technology Might I Need in the Community?
Well, what do you want to do in the community, and what tools do you need to do it? For example, maybe you want to be able to read a menu when you go out to eat (and if not now, you’ll likely want to when the world starts opening up again). Most restaurants don’t have accessible menus, and the lighting in many restaurants can make it difficult to read any print menu. What are some possible solutions that don’t require someone to read the menu to you?
- Before you go out, you could check the internet to see if the menu is there. To do so, you’ll need a computer or tablet, an internet connection, accessible screen reading/screen magnifying software, and a refreshable Braille display or large monitor. If, like many online menus, the menu is a picture instead of text, you’ll also need optical character recognition (OCR) software so that you can either listen to it or read it on a Braille display. Note: JAWS screen reading software has OCR built-in, so you don’t need to open up another software program to use OCR. Accessible AT your school might need to provide:
- LaptopInternet connection/hotspot
- Accessible software
- Screen reading software (ideally, JAWS with built-in OCR)
- Screen magnification software
- Combination screen reading and magnification software (Fusion combines JAWS and ZoomText)
- Practice learning how to get there on your own. Accessible AT your school might need to provide:
- Accessible compass
- Long white cane
- Low vision monocular
- If using a ride-share app, an accessible tablet or Smartphone (Apple products tend to be the most accessible)
- When you are there, you could use a device to capture information on the menu—such as a tablet or a phone. You could then use an app like OneStep Reader or Seeing AI to translate the text to voice or Braille output. Instead, you might use a hand-held magnifying device. Accessible AT your school might need to provide:
- Accessible tablet or Smartphone (Apple products tend to be the most accessible)
- Accessible apps (like OneStep Reader)
- Refreshable Braille display
- Hand-held magnifying devices
- Portable video digital magnifier
- Hand-held magnifier (with or without built-in lighting)
- Magnifying glass (that lays on the object being magnified)
- Accessible software
- Screen reading software (ideally, JAWS with built-in OCR)
- Screen magnification software
Of course, there are many other activities in which you want to engage now or want to learn how to do for your life after high school. Think about what you want to do and what kinds of tools might help you (even if you don’t know if they exist yet!). If you want help in this process, please reach out to us at the free Bridges Helpdesk.
What if I Have a Job and Need Accessible Assistive Technology to Do It?
You already know the answer: YES! Employment (training for and doing) is part of Transition and should be part of your IEP. Please reach out to the free Bridges Helpdesk for more information and assistance.
Contact the Bridges Helpdesk for More Information
- Our Accessible web form
- Email: Helpdesk@imagemd.org
- Text: Send to: (410) 357-1546
- Voice mail: Call (410) 357-1546, leave a voice mail message, and we will return your call
This unique project is being coordinated through The IMAGE Center of Maryland, a center for independent living in Towson, and it is funded by a grant from the Maryland Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services.