DSO has effective
tools for learning
By Nadid Pope
Special to the News-Register
Today an increasing number of students with various
learning abilities are attending colleges. To
meet the growing needs of a diverse population
of students, North Lake College has purchased
assistive technology software and hardware for
use at various campus locations. Many students
without dyslexia can also benefit from using assistive
technology.
Two of the most popular types of software found
on campus are Kurzweil 3000 and Dragon Naturally
Speaking. Kurzweil 3000 is an excellent tool for
students with dyslexia or reading processing difficulties.
The Kurzweil software highlights words as the
audio component of the program reads the text
aloud. Kurzweil 3000 is also beneficial for those
who are learning English as their second language.
This software allows the computer to read text
aloud so that students who are studying the English
language can hear the correct pronunciation while
using a dictionary built into the system.
Students can access Kurzweil 3000 in three locations
on campus: K-307 (Student Resource Center), T-225
and the library.
For a student whose verbal ability is stronger
than his or her written ability, Dragon Naturally
Speaking (DNS) is probably one of the best types
of speech recognition software available today.
This software allows students to write papers
or essays using only their voice. With voice training,
the computer can learn each individual user’s
particular voice pattern. Upon subsequent use
and familiarization, DNS can effortlessly transfer
speech to text, becoming a vital addition to the
field of assistive technology. DNS can be found
in K-307 and the Disability Services Office.
-Nahid Pope is an academic advisor in Disability
Services.
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