Word: atl
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Making computers accessible to those with disabilities is the job of the Adaptive Technology Lab (ATL) here at Harvard. Two years ago, Harvard Media Services acquired responsibility for the ATL and has since provided computer-aid to the handicapped...
According to John Voloudakis, the ATL coordinator, about 20 students consistently use the facilities, up from about nine two years ago. With facilities in the Science Center, Lamont Library and the Aiken Computation Lab, the ATL helps students university-wide with disabilities ranging from visual impairment to dyslexia...
Visually impaired students can benefit from large monitors, talking computers and a Braille printer. For course items such as textbooks which are not computerized, the ATL can scan in material for students and convert it into electronic form. Blind students can then choose to enlarge the text on the monitor or have the computer read the text to them...
Other technologies, namely voice recognition, are rapidly improving. For example, ATL uses a Window-based package from Dragon Systems called DragonDictate. (A Mac equivalent called Power Secretary, uses the same voice-recognition engine...
...benefits are indisputable. Voloudakis cited one example of a homeless dyslexic man who was introduced to computers and ATL technology. Now he is a writer pursuing an English literature degree at the Extension School...