Kevin Price, Assistive Technology Specialist, University of Illinois at Chicago
Patrick Burke, Coordinator of Disabilities and Computer Program, UCLA
Disability Area: Topic Area:
Length of Session (in hours): 1-hr
Format: Lecture
Expertise Level: All Levels
Type of session: Not provided
Summary of Session
The Voice Dream app for iOS offers a low-cost solution to read
content from many sources and formats in one customizable
environment, for users across the spectrum of print impairments. We
will explore possibilities and limitations.
Abstract
Voice Dream is an iOS app that is compatible with Voiceover (good for blind users), as well as highlighting, dictionary and other features beneficial for users with learning disabilities. It reads PDF, ePub and other formats. When integrated with "information aggregator" apps such as Instapaper, it could provide a low-cost, one-stop solution for readers with a variety of print impairments.
We will compare Voice Dream with ClaroSpeak for IPad, the Read&Write web apps, and other similar tools that are becoming available in this rapidly changing field. We will explore how well Voice Dream can cope with the requirements of users in an academic setting.
Kepoints
Voice Dream is an example of innovative development that could change the landscape for accessible reading.
Easy integration with other apps in iOS can yield creative and powerful reading solutions.
Users may still need other tools to assist in the writing process.
Speaker Bio(s)
Kevin Price
Kevin Price MSW, ATP, is the Assistive Technology Specialist for the Disability Resource Center and Chair of the Digital Accessibility Committee at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has been working in the field of assistive technology and accessible information technology for people with disabilities for twenty-three years with experience working at the University of Missouri-Columbia, University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA), California State University, San Bernardino, and the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has his Masters in Social Work from the University of Missouri-Columbia as well being a certified Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP) from RESNA. He advocates, presents, and trains people on how to make digital information accessible for people with disabilities.
Patrick Burke
Patrick Burke has nearly 20 years of professional experience in the adaptive technology field. He has been totally blind since early childhood and was an early test case for mainstreaming in California public schools in the 1970s. He holds an M.A. in German literature from UCLA. His areas of expertise include braille production, web accessibility analysis, and Twitter addiction therapy.