Assistive Technology

The Library provides a variety of assistive software and hardware to assist our disabled students and those with dyslexia and/or a long-term medical condition. A dedicated PC with these software programs installed is located on level C, in Room GC19. We also provide help and advice on how to use this services and work closely with IT Services if any specific adjustments are required.

Assistive software programs

• JAWS (Job Access with Speech): On-demand screen reader software designed to accommodate blind and visually-impaired users, as well as those with learning and physical disabilities
• ZoomText 9.1 : Magnifier/screen-reader software that provides a full range of magnification levels up to 16x. Synthetic voice reads documents, Web pages, and e-mail to accommodate low-vision users, as well as those with learning and physical impairments.  
• Kurzweil 3000: This scanning and reading software package is available for students with learning disabilities or reading difficulties.  Printed text is scanned into the program using a scanner. The electronic text is then read by a synthetic voice.  
• Dragon Naturally Speaking v.10: Speech recognition software designed to accommodate learning, physical, and visual disabilities. 
• TextHelp Read&Write Gold v. 8.1: Texthelp Read&Write is an integrated solution for users with literacy needs.  TextHelp provides a text reader that reads the documents as you type or reads from an existing document.

Assistive hardware

• Olympia: The Olympia is a portable video magnifier designed to assist someone who is visually impaired to read printed text and to view pictures in black and white, yellow on blue, or in full colour.
• Headphone and Speaker System which aids users with limited hearing, and for the visually impaired who use devices that read material.

Please note that use of some of these services will require a referral from the Disability and Learning (Academic) Support Services.