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Statewide Technology

We would like to thank Bruce McClanahan for his many years of service and dedication to blind and low vision students. His work has led the way for future work to ensure all blind and low vision children have the supports and services they need to succeed. This page will be maintained with Bruce’s invaluable manuals and materials.  

Looking for the current technology web page? Visit OAS Access Technology & STEM

The technology project provides consultative and direct instruction services to WSSB and the local school districts. Collaborations are available to the local school district at no charge.
Intensive support is provided for the following assistive technology products:

  • Apple Products: VoiceOver
  • Assistive Technology Assessments
  • Braille Notetakers
  • Chromebook
  • Duxbury
  • JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion
  • OCR Technology
  • Video Magnifiers

APH Mantis Q40 Braille Display & Notetaker

This device is sold by the American Printing House for the Blind.  It has a QWERTY style keyboard and a 40 cell display.  This Microsoft Word file contains instructions on using this device.

Using APH Mantis Q40 (docx) * Updated Jul 2023

Mantis User Guide V2 (pdf)

APH Chameleon 20 Braille Display & Notetaker

This device is sold by the American Printing House for the Blind.  It has a Perkins style keyboard and a 20 cell display.  This Microsoft Word file contains instructions on using this device.

Using APH Chameleon 20 (docx) * Updated Jul 2023

APH Chameleon 20 User Guide (pdf)

Educational iPad Apps for Preschool and Early Elementary Totally Blind Children

There are not many mainstream educational iPad apps that are accessible for totally blind young children with VoiceOver.

Downloads work best with Edge but you can always try other browsers to download.

Accessible iPad Apps (docx)- Updated Aug 2023

However, there are many iOS switch apps accessible for visually impaired students with usable vision.

Enabling Devices has a list of switch adapted apps that work with children with usable vision.
https://enablingdevices.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Switch-Accessible-Apps-2018.pdf

 

Assistive Technology Videos

AFB has developed assistive technology videos.  They are available at the following link: http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/using-technology/assistive-technology-videos/125

Florida School for the Blind has developed assistive technology videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF2912AB963E70E53Web Accessibility 101 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dod7tF9E3GA

Chromebook

ChromeVox

This Microsoft Word file contains instructions on using a Chromebook with it’s accessibility features.
Accessibility in the Chromebook (docx) * Updated Jul 2023

YouTube Playlist for Accessibility in the Chromebook

This Microsoft Word file is a manual written by Bruce McClanahan.
Frequently Used ChromeVox/Chromebook System/Application Keystrokes (docx)
Frequently Used ChromeVox/Chromebook System/Application Keystrokes – Large Print (docx)
Frequently Used Keystrokes – Duxbury Braille File (zip)
ChromeVox Braille Displays with Google Docs (docx)
Chromebook Braille Display Commands (docx)

Google Docs Voice Typing Commands(docx)

Video Magnifier/Low Vision Access in the Chromebook

Accessible Chromebook Apps(docx) – Updated July 2021

ChromeVox Levels Checklist (docx)

ChromeVox Lessons * Updated 4-19-2023

CV Lesson 1 – Tar Heel Reader (docx)
CV Lesson 2 – Chromebook Environment (docx)
CV Lesson 3 – Google Drive (docx)
CV Lesson 4 – Google Docs (docx)
CV Lesson 5 – Docs Spelling Checker Dictionary (docx)
CV Lesson 6 – Navigating the Web (docx)
CV Lesson 7 – Setting and Using Bookmarks (docx)
CV Lesson 8 – GMail (docx)

CV Lesson Template (docx)

TypingClub

Typing Club

TypingClub is a very popular program to teach touch typing.  This online program is used by many public school districts.  It provides a comprehensive curriculum for K-12 students.  https://www.typingclub.com/

Typing Club Accessibility Settings: https://s.typingclub.com/docs/student-management/student-settings/accessibility-settings.html

This program is very accessible for visually impaired students, students with dyslexia, physically handicapped students, and deaf and hard of hearing.  TypingClub is accessible for students using ChromeVox on a Chromebook, JAWS, and NVDA.

TypingClub has spent considerable effort making their keyboarding program accessible for all students and is very strongly commended for doing this.

TypingClub Configuration Options (docx)

 Assistive Technology Training Manuals

Video Magnifier Questions to Ask

  • Is the student an academic student or does the student have significant reading issues?
  • Does the video magnifier need to be portable, how important is portability for this student?
  • Does the student need an x/y table with the video magnifier or not?
  • Does the video magnifier need a distance viewing option?
  • How important is durability for the video magnifier, recognizing that the more durable a video magnifier is the fewer features it will have and the less portability?
  • Does the video magnifier need to have an OCR option or not?
  • How simple or how complex should the video magnifier be, recognizing that there is a tradeoff between complexity and features?
  • Should the video magnifier be a stand-alone unit or should the unit be connected to a computer?
  • If the video magnifier is to be connected to a computer, which computer, Chromebook, Macintosh, Windows laptop, Surface tablet, iPad, or Android based?

JAWS Levels

Image
Cartoon shark drawing symbolizing the JAWS application

 

The Ogden Resource Center through APH (American Printing House for the Blind) Federal Quota Funds provides free licenses for JAWS/ZoomText/Fusion for eligible students. Installation and training on JAWS systems is provided to local school districts at no charge. The local school provides a Windows compatible computer.

JAWS/ZoomText/Fusion

The ORC offers JAWS and the subscriptions now come from APH and are for Fusion/JAWS/ZoomText. The subscription is good for up to 3 devices and must be registered in the student’s name. After 4 years, APH will provide the license for free to the student until graduation from high school. To request a license, please email Jennifer, jennifer.merry@wssb.wa.gov, with your request and include the student name. The student must meet the following criteria in order for the ORC to provide a license with Quota Funds.

Criteria for a JAWS license:

  1. Be registered in ORC Online.
  2. Be MDB or FDB.
  3. Braille user.
  4. Have basic computer skills & have a laptop with Windows to run the program.

To order ZoomText/Fusion from the ORC, here are the criteria:

  1. Be registered in ORC Online.
  2. Be MDB or FDB.
  3. Have basic computer skills & have a laptop with Windows to run the program.
  4. Have a demonstrated need for zoom, voice, and two other features such as DocReader tool, OCR with Camera.
  5. If a student does not meet the criteria, but would benefit from the software, the request will be considered and evaluated by an expert designated by the ORC director.

JAWS FAQs
Download JAWS FAQ (docx)

 

Book Creator Materials

Book Creator is a creative cross-platform app.  Book Creator has greatly improved accessibility and has full keyboard access.  It also supports screen readers and is WCAG AA compliant.  For more accessibility information go to this link: https://bookcreator.com/2020/01/230-accessibility-improvements-added-to-book-creator/

These files were created using Book Creator.  They are ePub 3 files.  Many of these files are appropriate for preschool totally blind children or totally blind children with complex learning needs. These files can be accessed with a screen reader with full keyboard access or with a switch interface.  The audio hotspots are in a consistent location and can be tactually labeled.  The left and right arrows are always in a consistent location and can also be tactually labeled.

The files on Birds, Musical Instruments, and Trains have audio hotspots.

This download contains the following files:

Animal Game
Basic Foods
Birds
Bugs
Butterflies
Concept Development Questions
Dentist
Dinosaurs
Dolch Word Lists
Earthquakes
Farm or Zoo Animals
Frogs
Jack
Lewis and Clark
Literary Braille Code
Musical Instruments
Nature
Nursery Rhymes
Sample Recipes
Social Stories
The Little Red Hen
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
Three Billy Goats Gruff
Trains
Vehicles
Whales

Dolch Word Lists & Literary Braille Code

These activities are designed to be used with a Braille display.  The Dolch Word Lists are presented in both random and alphabetical order.  When a Dolch word has a contraction it is also presented and spelled out.  The user moves to the left or right arrow in Book Creator with either a Space+Dot 1 chord or a Space+Dot 4 chord.  All of the words in the Literary Braille Code activities are presented contracted and then spelled out.

The cursor will land at the bottom of the text field when the user moves to the text with a Space+Dot 1 chord, the Rotor should be set to Containers and the user should then enter a Space+Dot 3 chord to move to the beginning of the text.

Birds, Jack, Musical Instruments, Nursery Rhymes, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Little Red Hen & Three Billy Goats Gruff

None of these files have an “enter” in the body of the text.  Because an “enter” is not present everything is read when the user moves to the text.

The user can move through these files using the following options:

  1. A switch interface can be used.  It is best if the switch interface is capable of at least 3 switches.
  2. A Braille display can be used.  Space+Dot 1 chord will move back and Space+Dot 4 will move forward.
  3. A Bluetooth keyboard can be used.  Use VO-Left Arrow to move back and VO-Right Arrow to move forward.
  4. Gestures

Concept Development Questions

Navigate through this file with a Bluetooth keyboard, a Braille keyboard, an iPad VoiceOver Controller, or Gestures.  Set the Rotor to Containers to efficiently navigate through this file.  This file should be navigated in the same way as the Dolch Word List and the Literary Braille Code file.

Activities with Sound Files

Birds, Musical Instruments, and Trains contain sound files.  All of the sound files have been placed in the same location so that they can be tactually labeled.  X: 760, Y: 603

Ogden Resource Center Productions

Adobe PDF keyboard shortcuts (docx)

Adobe PDF keyboard shortcuts (brf)

Chrome keyboard shortcuts (docx)

Chrome keyboard shortcuts (brf)

Edge keyboard shortcuts (doc)

Edge keyboard shortcuts (brf)

Excel keyboard shortcuts (docx)

Excel keyboard shortcuts (brf)

LATEX symbols (brf)

MS Teams keyboard shortcuts (docx)

MS Teams keyboard shortcuts (brf)

Powerpoint keyboard shortcuts (docx)

Powerpoint keyboard shortcuts (brf)

Zoom keyboard shortcuts (docx)

Zoom keyboard shortcuts (brf)

 

WSSB Irwin Building Center Productions

Keyboard Shortcuts in Word (docx)

Keyboard Shortcuts in Word - Table of Contents (dxb)

Keyboard Shortcuts in Word (dxb)

List of commands for JAWS (docx)

List of Commands for JAWS - Table of Contents (dxb)

List of Commands for JAWS (dxb)

Google Docs Voice Commands (docx)

Google Docs Voice Commands - Table of Contents (dxb)

Google Docs Voice Commands (dxb)

Fusion Key Strokes (docx)

Fusion Key Strokes - Table of Contents (dxb)

Fusion Key Stroke Commands (dxb)