Thoughts on Assistive Technology

Until recently, I have never, in my wildest dream, imagined that I'd one day, be using an AAC device, let alone owning one. For those of you who are fortunate enough to not having to know what AAC stands for, it stands for Alternative Augmented Communication. Although I have been plagued with moderate speech disability from birth, I have managed my life without one by going to speech therapy, self help accent training CDs, and repeating often. And had I not become an Assistive Technology Advocate, I would still have no clue how much those things cost. From what I have observed, I believe Dynavox-Johnson has something of a monopoly in manufacturing and selling of high tech AAC device. And if my deduction is correct, the price tags Dynavox placed on their devices were never intended for middle class consumers or robust market, but rather, insurance companies - private or otherwise. This is why Dynavox will go out of their way to assist clients with fundings. I cannot sa...

Today, we are going to take a break from reviewing A T software for Windows PC and gear up just a little, as my new toy had just arrived from a jungle forest in Brazil. Now I don't remember purchasing a P D A device, but I distinctively remember telling Rachel (yes, I Christian my computer Rachel.) I want an Apple from Amazon. It took me a little more than an hour to familiarize myself with the Apple Ipod Touch, and its implications, and another hour to fall completely and helplessly in love with it. My only regret was that I bought the 8GB model instead of the 32GB model, but the folly can be justified by economic necessity and I hope Rachel can find it in her heart to forgive me. Seriously, in my 20+ years experience using personal computers, I have never once advocate for Apple products. I think they are overpriced status symbols that one can live comfortably without; However, as an assistive technology specialist, I really have to make an exception for Apple P D A. Simpl...

Review: Premier Assistive Literacy Software Bundle. http://www.readingmadeez.com/products/lpp.html 3.5/5 In the field of assistive literacy software, one cannot go very far without talking about WYNN and Openbook from Freedom Scientific. I believe they have achieved a marketing triumph, therefore WYNN and Openbook have become a staple in assistive technology lab everywhere. This article is neither about Wynn nor Openbook. (I'd be happy to write one on popular demand) This article is about what can one do if one does not have $995.00 for WYNN Wizard or $995.00 for OpenBook. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Premier Literacy Bundle. For $249.00, you get talking word processor, talking dictionary, text to mp3 conversion software, scan and read software, word prediction software and a pdf editor. Now, I am not going to lie, the software have minor glitches here and there, and for crying out loud, don't run the talking grammar checker on a 96 page document, and the voice ...

By C.L Hsieh TextAloud With AT&T Natural Voices (Windows Software) http://www.naturalreaders.com/ Listed above are just two examples of popular text to speech software on the market, some of which I'll be returning to for review at a later date. But today, I would like to talk about voice engines. I think a great many of you will agree with me when I say that voices are very important; they can give impressions of intelligence where it is not due, and give impression of stupidity where it is undeserved. When applied to the field of assistive technology, the above statement is even more salient. A good voice engine can make a B grade software look like a state of the art marvel. Where as a bad voice engine (like Microsoft Sam) can make a state of the art software look like something out of 1978 Battlestar Gallectica returning to haunt us. Here is a news flash: most of companies producing text to speech software do not develop their own voice engine, that is because mo...

http://www.gingersoftware.com/ I saw this nice little software in CSUN disability conference in San Diego. I was sufficiently impressed by the demonstration that as soon as I got back to Riverside, I purchased a copy of my own and ran it on a 96 page document. (The novel I happen to be working on.) Let us just say, it is a vast improvement over traditional grammar/spelling checkers and for $70.00, it is an affordable vast improvement. However, as any English lover would tell you, English, being an analytical language, is notorious for its grammatical exceptions and prepositional oddities; which means, the vast improvement on traditional grammar checkers still requires human tweaking here and there. So don't expect miraculous magic, the 96 page document still took a little less than three hours. Furthermore, its heavy dependence on the Internet Server means it may not function properly without an Internet connection; it also means it will be a hard sale trying to convince th...

Just returned from CSUN Annual disability conference, beside good view, nice people, and fantastic food, I learned Apple Ipod Touch/Iphone and possibly Ipad can be turned into an AAC device comparable with Dynavox Tango/Mighty Mo, with the help of Proloquo2go. This has implications, this means MediCare/School District only has to pay $413.00 for Autistic or Cerebral Palsy children instead of $4000-$7000. So, my next project is to own one and convince every school district in Riverside to adopt the Apple Ipod Touch as standard AT for Austic children and Children with aphasia, before I lose this job, this goal has to be accomplished.