An Open Book

• An Open Book is a dynamic reading tool designed for visually impaired people.  An Open Book enables you to read magazines, books, even mail with ease and confidence.  This machine is designed for the person with a disability that affects reading.  There's no learning curve and no sacrifice of features or power.  The keypad is simple to use, making it easy to remember the two buttons needed to begin to read comfortably.  Most readers will happily "curl-up" with an open book on the very first day.
• Read now or read later.  One of an Open Book's nicest features is its ability to give the reader a choice about when to read and for how long.  For quick, immediate items like the electric bill or a letter from a friend, an Open Book can scan and read in less than a minute.  For more complex reading such as History 101, Moby Dick, or War and Peace, an Open Book will scan each page, and then commit them to memory without assistance.  Later, in a few hours, or the next day, the reader can listen to the scanned pages.
• A pleasant voice--the reading voice in an Open Book speaks clearly and can be easily understood.

JAWS:  Job Access With Speech

• JAWS is a voice system which works with Windows programs.  It reads everything that is on the screen.

Zoom Text

• Zoom Text is a screen magnification program, designed specifically to meet the needs of the visually impaired.  It intergrates magnification, screen reading and scanning with OCR.  Magnification levels range from 2x to 16x.

Magnification Equipment: The 20/20 Spectrum

Students can read books, do their homework, and keep up with the other students in class using the Magnification Equipment.

• The 20/20 Spectrum provides exceptionally clear magnification of text, photos, and graphics in lifelike color.  The 20/20 Spectrum allows images to be displayed in full color while simultaneously displaying text in reverse video for improved clarity.  A color-kill switch provides high contrast black and white viewing when desired.  There are two machines at the Counseling Center.
• Characteristics:  Magnifies from 5x to 60x.  Ideal for classroom, home, and office applications where color images and color-coded forms are commonly used.  Designed for minimal user adjustment with only two primary controls (contrast and brightness).

FM Hearing Devices

• The FM Hearing Devices work with a person's hearing aid to amplify a professor's voice.  The professor wears an output which sends a signal to a receiver.   Hearing impaired students may check out the hearing devices from the Counseling Center for a semester.

Text Telephone

• The Text Telephone offers the finest in printing quality for the hearing impaired.  The TTY (Text Telephone) is an easy-to-use office system.
• Its Porta Printer 2000 provides the deaf and hard-of-hearing with the highest quality technology.
• The Porta Printer 2000 Standard Features:
  • 20-column display.
  • 20-column printer provides condensed and wide printing.
  • TTY call alert.
  • Upper/lower case printing (separates incoming and outgoing messages).
  • Replaceable heavy-duty, rechargeable battery (2 hours per charge).
  • International speed.
  • Acoustic cups accommodate both square and round handsets.
  • Electronic voice.
  • Sample printout.
  • Big letters for easying reading plus normal and condensed print.
  • All with the same TDD.

If you would like to learn more about resources for disabled students, call or stop by the Counseling Center to make an appointment to talk with a counselor.  The Counseling Center is located across from the Lee Drain Building, next to the Farrington Building.  The telephone number is (936) 294-1720.