Assistive Technology in the Workplace
Assistive Technology in the Workplace
Assistive Technology (AT) can be an item, piece of equipment, hardware, or software and its purpose is to enable an individual with a disability to participate in daily activities, one of which is work.
Three common types of AT used in the workplace include Job Access with Speech (JAWS), ZoomText, and Dragon Speech Recognition. Here is a short description and video demonstration of each:
Job Access with Speech (JAWS)
Job Access with Speech (JAWS) is a screen reading software program that was developed to enable individuals with vision loss to receive the content of the computer screen and navigate this content without a mouse. JAWS communicates the information on the screen either by reading the text aloud through a speech synthesizer or transmitting the information to a braille display.
JAWS enables an individual to perform computer-related work tasks, such as navigating the intranet, reading and composing emails, reading and creating documents, and filling out webforms.
A video demonstration of JAWS can be found here.
ZoomText
ZoomText is a magnification and reading software program that is tailored to individuals with low vision. It enlarges and enhances everything on the computer screen and automatically reads applications like documents, web pages, and email. ZoomText includes a custom set of magnification levels for zooming in/out.
A video demonstration of ZoomText can be found here.
Dragon Speech Recognition
Dragon is a speech recognition software that removes the mechanical aspect of typing and instead takes what the user says out loud and turns it into text that appears on the computer screen. It can be helpful for individuals with physical disabilities that make typing difficult, like arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Dragon can be useful for individuals with learning disabilities or dyslexia to organize their ideas onto the page when creating a document. Dragon can also enable individuals who are blind or have low vision to be productive while performing computer work because Dragon works with screen readers, like JAWS.
Dragon enables an individual to create and edit documents, send emails, access information, navigate a computer, and search the intranet.
A video demonstration of Dragon can be found here.
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities does not endorse products or vendors. This information is shared for educational purposes only.