Publisher's Synopsis
There is no doubt that advancements in technology can make learning, work, and life in general, easier. This updated and expanded new edition of a cutting-edge work breaks down all of the latest products and systems for making technology accessible to all. From desktop and notebook PCs to the Internet, adaptive technology expert Joe Lazzaro details - in lay terms - the latest advancements in assistive hardware and software, how to implement them, and how to provide vital training and technical support. Detailed chapters identify options for people with visual, hearing, motor, speech, and learning disabilities. Lazzaro explains how to operate Windows, Macintosh, and Unix PCs from the keyboard, rather than the mouse, and spotlights built-in accessibility utilities found on these platforms. An entire chapter is devoted to public and private sector funding sources, and helpful appendices are packed with resources to help you locate agencies and organizations that support adaptive technology for people with disabilities. New to this edition are chapters devoted to keyboard commands, built-in accessibility utilities, and Internet/Intranet accessibility. An extensive chapter uncovers the secrets of PC hardware, software, and peripherals, giving you the basics you'll need to work with many different forms of adaptive equipment. With evaluation of more than 200 products (including screen readers, screen magnification software, Braille printers and displays, scanners, voice command and dictation systems, alternative input systems. TTYs, on-screen keyboards, alternative communication systems, word predictors, and other solutions), this indispensable reference will give librarians, educators, administrators, and people with disabilities inside information and expert guidance on adaptive technologies.
