1. Braille Embossers • Freedom Scientific • Enabling Technologies • View Plus Technologies • Index Technologies • Etc.

2. Tactile Imager Enhancers • TIE (braille and print) • Tiger (braille and print) • Pro • Max • Cub • Cub Jr. • Emprint

3. Low Tech Magnifiers, Large Print, and Talking Devices • Glass magnifiers, monoculars, lens, etc. • Talking - clocks, dictionaries and calculators • Large print - clocks, dictionaries and calculators

4. E-Text/Digital Audio Readers • Hardware • BookPort • Victor Reader Classic + • Vibe • Wave • Plextor • Telex Scholar and Professor

5. E-Text/Digital Audio Readers • Software • Victor Reader Plus (PC and Macintosh) • Microsoft Ebook Reader (PC) • FSReader (PC) • Book Wizard Reader (PC) • Katie (Macintosh) • ghPlayer (PC) • EaseReader (PC) • TPB Reader (PC)

6. E-Text/Digital Audio Readers • Characteristics (short list) • Read DAISY Digital Talking Books on/from CD • May Read contracted braille in Braille Ready Files • Play MP3 files • May record audio memos • Navigate among files or within a book • Navigate by letter, word, sentence, paragraph, page, or section items

7. E-Text/Digital Audio Readers • Control pitch, speed, and volume of speech • May have a choice of synthetic speech voices • Announces the file name, size, current position, page number, and the last modified date • May find every occurrence of searched text in the file • Delete files or lock to prevent deletion • Sleep timer turns unit off after a set amount of time • Lock keys so you can put it in your pocket or purse

8. E-Text/Digital Audio Readers • Pros (hardware and software) • Digital format • Portable (6 oz. Or less) • Easily updated • Scalable Fonts • New Rich Media Formats • Can be selected via E-Commerce • Large distribution will reduce costs • Cons (hardware and software) • Price of e-readers • Price of commercial CDs • CD and files may not be shared with others

9. High Profile E-Text/Digital Audio Resources • University of Virginia • Digital Text Library of classic literature • BookShare • Not for profit text library of literary and textbooks in braille, text, and audio - membership • Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic • Not for profit digital audio books – membership • Audible • For profit main stream audio books

10. Global Positioning Systems • Trekker – HumanWare • system that uses GPS and digital maps to help blind persons find their way in urban and rural areas • Braille Note GPS – HumanWare • BrailleNote GPS software uses a cell-phone size GPS receiver to relay information from GPS satellites.  It calculates where you are and plots a route to a destination you choose. • MUKANA – SlashPhone • cell phone, a wireless headset, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module and voice recognition software • StreetTalk GPS – Freedom Scientific • Combined with a GPS receiver and a PAC Mate, StreetTalk provides a rich orientation solution for the blind and those with low vision

11. Personal Digital Assistant • Maestro • Manage your appointments and contact list, record voice memos, consult and edit documents, read books, and soon, manage your emails, listen to music, and more, all in the palm of your hand. • PacMate • Based on the iPaq Windows CE platform • BrailleNote • Proprietary PDA software for daily functionality • EasyLink • Windows Mobile operating system, which allows for seamless integration with other Microsoft applications

12. Current and Future Trends • Standardization between software and hardware developers • Rich Media Format eBooks • Conversion of audio books to digital CD format • Accessibility software integrated into operation system • Better accuracy and quicker OCR software • DVD produced with descriptive video format • Descriptive Video Format integrated into TVs • Smaller CCTVs for reading and possible O&M • GPS for O&M independent navigation • Instructional books accessible to all students • Communication devices accessible to visually impaired • Better voice recognition for data input • Better tactile production systems What’s NEW!

13. National and State Resources • American Printing House • National Federation of the Blind • American Foundation for the Blind • New Mexico School for the Visually Impaired • New Mexico Commission for the Blind • Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired • Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind • Foundation for Blind Children • Recordings for the Blind and Dyslectic • Related Resources • (See NMAZState Services File on CD for Links to Websites)

14. Lawrence Jeffrey Fitterman, Ed.S., ATP Micro-Enabling Resources, Inc. Assistive Technology Consultant to the 13176 North Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 135 Tampa, Florida 33618-2406 Cell Phone 813-244-7499 Voice Mail 813-837-7830 FAX 813-961-7513 or 813-837-7979

15. Just the Beginning