by Barbara Landsberg
At less than half the cost of ZoomText, iZoom is an exciting new option for people with low vision who need an easy-to-use program for magnifying text on their computer screens. Another big bonus is that iZoom speaks out the text using clear male and female Australian voices!
Other benefits of using iZoom?
- The USB version of iZoom does not require you to install any software onto the computer at all. Just insert it into the USB drive and you are instantly up and running. Other programs, like ZoomText, need users to install a small file, effectively locking them out of any public computers (like those in libraries) and school or Uni/TAFE computers where students do not have administrator privileges.
- Exceptionally easy to use interface.
- Zoom scroll-bars appear on the side and bottom of the screen to assist users to know where they are on the screen once it is enlarged.
- Font smoothing ensures clear, non-jaggy text when magnified.
- SmartAlign technology makes viewing web pages, emails and documents that don’t fit on the screen much easier. No need to continuously scroll back and forward horizontally to read the text. With just one mouse click, SmartAlign will realign the text so that it fits on the screen allowing you to be more productive and reducing eye-strain.
The Spectronics team have just finished a new Comparison Chart reviewing the features of several magnification software programs. If you have any questions about iZoom or other screen magnification programs, the best person on our team to answer your queries is Anita Raftery, our new teacher, with many years experience in supporting students with vision impairment. Anita can be contacted in our Brisbane office on phone (07) 3808 6833 or by email at anitar@spectronicsinoz.com
Want to try the program for yourself? A 30-day trial version is downloadable from the Spectronics website but at a hefty 388 MB, it takes a while to download! So please feel free to contact Spectronics to have a copy of the trial version sent to you on CD. If you have enquiries about site licence options and pricing, we are also happy to assist.
Tagged as: Assistive Technology, low vision, reading difficulties, text-to-speech
Posted in New Technologies
by Barbara Landsberg
As you may have been aware, Spectronics has been running a competition for anyone who posted a comment to the Spectronics Blog before October 30th 2009 to be in the draw to win a free copy of Texthelp Read&Write Gold Mobile USB version (worth $800 AUD/ $960 NZD). Congratulations to Jan Shand at Huntly College in NZ! You are the winner randomly selected from all who commented on the Blog.
Tagged as: Learning Difficulties, text-to-speech, Texthelp Read&Write GOLD
Posted in Uncategorized
by Greg O'Connor
The Powered Up For Participation Conference is being held this week in Bathurst and Dubbo, located in central western New South Wales.
Powered Up For Participation Program – Bathurst
Powered Up For Participation Program – Dubbo
While I was unable to attend the conference in person, it has been great to have been able to deliver two workshops at the conference – Assistive Technology All Day Every Day Parts 1 & 2 – via the Spectronics online training facility.
Here is a copy of these presentations:
AT All Day Every Day Parts 1 & 2
If you would like a copy of this presetation sent to you on CD contact me at grego@spectronicsinoz.com
To access the blog entry Weblinks for accessible text and eBooks click on the Permanent Resources link found on the right under the tab, Frequently Requested.
Cheers
Greg
Tagged as: Assistive Technology, Learning Difficulties, Learning Disabilities, literacy support, text-to-speech
Posted in Workshops
by Barbara Landsberg
Â
Over the past two years, we have noticed a marked increase in the number of Apple Mac related enquiries coming in to Spectronics’ advisory, training and technical support teams. So it may be of interest to you to be aware of a couple of new text-to-speech programs now available for the Mac platform. Read the rest of this entry…
Tagged as: Assistive Technology, Learning Difficulties, literacy support, OCR, reading difficulties, text-to-speech, Texthelp Read&Write GOLD
Posted in New Technologies
by Barbara Landsberg
Â
WriteOnline is a new concept – offering an online writing support tool which allows students the option to access their work from school, home, anywhere! It has been developed by Crick Software as a logical progression for older students who are ready to move on from using Clicker 5 as their writing support tool. Read the rest of this entry…
Tagged as: clicker 5, Learning Difficulties, Learning Disabilities, literacy support, text-to-speech, word prediction, WriteOnline
Posted in New Technologies
by Greg O'Connor
Hi Everyone
What a great inaugural More Than Gadgets Conference last week in Perth. Practical, informative and challenging workshops and presentations were the order of the day. There was a great buzz amongst the participants as we explored the challenges presented to us when implementing assistive technologies in schools and beyond. The bar has certainly been set high for the next conference!
This is the first of a two blog postings from the Spectronics team who presented at the conference.
The following links provide a PDF of my presentations from the conference. In the next blog instalment Jane Farrall and Charlene Cullen will be posting their conference presentations.
Making a Difference – Using AT to assist Students with Learning Disabilities and Difficulties
Using Visual Supports with Students with Autism
Keeping Up To Date: What I Need To Know About Assistive Technology Research
Stay tuned for 2009 More Than Gadgets Conference – Part 2.
Cheers
Greg
Tagged as: Assistive Technology, Autism, Learning Difficulties, Learning Disabilities, literacy support, Research, text-to-speech
Posted in Workshops
by Barbara Landsberg
Just thought I’d post this note up in case you are in Perth or Fremantle and surrounds and were not aware that the Spectronics team is “in town” for the week. Originally it was just to be Greg O’Connor and Charlene Cullen – but Jane Farrall has now joined them too. Jane is helping out with presentations at the “More Than Gadgets” Conference being held today and tomorrow – as the organisers had to deal with the last-minute significant hitch of Kelly Fonner being unable to join them from the USA because of illness. Jane and Greg have stepped up to help out. Well done guys.
After the conference, we will be running a full day hands-on Texthelp Read&Write GOLD workshop and two days of hands-on DynaVox workshops. More details and online rego are available at http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/register – with places are still available in two of these three free workshops.
If you are emailing Jane, Greg or Charlene with requests for advice – they may be a little slower than normal to respond because of their very week ahead. They will definitely be trying to answer you as quickly as they can though. 
Tagged as: AAC, Assistive Technology, communication device, dynavox, Learning Difficulties, text-to-speech, Texthelp Read&Write GOLD
Posted in Uncategorized, Workshops
by Barbara Landsberg
Following on from the success of the Texthelp Australian Training Tour in May of this year, we are now offering three more full-day training sessions in Australia and New Zealand in 2009. These FREE workshops will give you the chance to participate in a full day BYO laptop hands-on session learning about the many features of the latest version of Texthelp Read&Write GOLD literacy support software program.
These workshops will be conducted by Greg O’Connor, Spectronics’ Education Services Manager and Texthelp Certified Trainer.
For those interested, we will be offering the option of Texthelp Certified Trainer certification at the end of the full day training session. This involves completion of a short assessment. It is not a compulsory requirement of attendance though!
To register online visit www.spectronicsinoz.com/register or contact Eliza Bale, Spectronics’ Events and Marketing Coordinator on elizab@spectronicsinoz.com for more information about the workshops.
Texthelp Certified Trainer Days 2009 Schedule
- 26th August 2009 – Perth, Western Australia
- 22nd September 2009 – Wellington, New Zealand
- 9th November 2009 – Auckland, New Zealand
Texthelp Certified Trainer Days 2010 Schedule
Tagged as: Learning Difficulties, Learning Disabilities, literacy support, text-to-speech, Texthelp Read&Write GOLD
Posted in Workshops
by Greg O'Connor
Â
The workshop “Reading and Writing Tools for Students with Learning Disabilities” was presented today at the 2009 Special Education EXPO (6/7/09 – Education Development Centre, Hindmarsh, Adelaide, South Australia).
Read the rest of this entry…
Tagged as: CapturaTalk, Learning Difficulties, Learning Disabilities, literacy support, reading difficulties, text-to-speech
Posted in Workshops
by Barbara Landsberg
Another VERY cool new technology is CapturaTalk! This clever program allows your Window Mobile phone to take a photo of written text and then have it read aloud for you in a clear UK English voice! It will also read aloud text in documents on the phone – including emails and SMS messages received along with web pages visited. Read the rest of this entry…
Tagged as: CapturaTalk, Learning Difficulties, mobile phone, OCR, reading difficulties, text-to-speech
Posted in New Technologies
