Center provides resources to disabled students, faculty

For a student who is blind, reading a textbook is impossible without help, and studying a graphic or map can be even more difficult. \nBut a fledgling IU programnow offers tools to help students, faculty and staff with disabilities better perform tasks related to education.\nThe Adaptive Technology Center, located in the Main Library, featured some of its technology resources at its open house Monday night. The open house was part of University Information Technology Service's "Making IT Happen!" week, Sept. 18-21.\n"We're sponsoring this open house for students … to learn about how students use adaptive technology," said Margaret Londergan, ATC director and logistics support coordinator for UITS.\nStudents who use the ATC's resources include those with vision loss or impairment, muscular or mobility problems, hearing loss and learning disabilities. The ATC's primary focus is to help these students work on their own.\n"That's one of the best things adaptive technology is doing, providing students with the means to be independent," said Martha Jacques, director of Disabled Student Services.\nOne tool used is tactile graphics. A special paper called thermaform is used to display graphics, maps or other visuals on raised lines students can "read" with their fingers. Before tactile graphics were developed, graphics were traced on tin foil or tracing paper with a pen.\n"It was very difficult to try to come up with ways to help students to get access to graphs, to puzzles (before tactile graphics) … We kind of flew by the seat of our pants," Jacques said.\nA program called Kurzweil 3000 scans a textbook in about seven minutes, converting it to e-text on CD. The program then reads the text aloud and includes study tools, such as highlighting and virtual post-it notes, helping visually impaired students.\nThe program is an alternative to books on tape, which can be costly and time-consuming to produce. It allows students special features, such as searching by word or page number that books on tape don't offer.\nJeff Busch, an IU graduate who is blind, said it would have taken him longer to get through school without this technology. "Having this technology available has made me much more independent, in terms of what I can do."\nDuring the transition from school to the job market, the ATC empowers students by loaning adaptive technology equipment and software. Londergan said employers are often so impressed with the technology that they willingly purchase it for their disabled employees.\nAccording to the National Organization on Disability, only 32 percent of people with disabilities are employed. In a business environment, Londergan said, "sometimes there's a hesitation to get involved with someone with a disability. But there's no need." She said students who know what programs or technology they need in the workplace are able to help their employers make the necessary accommodations.\nThe ATC also offers tools to perform basic computer functions, such as e-mail and searching the Internet. Londergan said it is the only location on campus where blind students can check their e-mail.\n"We've really surpassed a lot of schools in the state and in the country," Jacques said.\nLondergan, who asked IU for permission to develop the ATC a year ago, agreed.\n"We've made huge strides," she said.