Assistive Technology

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Services for Students with Disabilities office provides assistive technology to help all learners have equal access to course materials. Assistive technology is any device, software, equipment, or tool that helps people with disabilities improve, maintain, or increase their functional capabilities. Essentially, what tools and software help you do, what you want to do more quickly, easily, or independently. Although Assistive Technology has traditionally been developed for people with disabilities, the applicability of much of this technology has been found to be useful to almost all of us at some point throughout our lives.

Available Technology Tools

UW-Platteville’s Services for Students with Disabilities Office offers assistive technology products and services that include:

  • Kurzweil 3000 Text-to-Speech Software is available at no cost to all UW–Platteville students. The software is compatible with PDF, Word Doc, Google Doc, EPUB, or TXT files. In addition to adjustable text-to-speech features, Kurzweil 3000 includes highlighting, text notes, voice notes, dictionary, brainstorming, and writing tools.
  • Livescribe Echo is a smartpen that can be used for notetaking. This self-contained ink-pen is packed with a microphone, speaker, and on-board storage.
  • Glean for Notetaking allows you to type notes on a computer while syncing a PowerPoint presentation and the audio recording of a class lecture, together. The tool provides the ability to sync typed notes with audio recordings so you may find corresponding aspects of lecture or notes.
  • Digital audio recorders allow you to create audio recordings of class lectures for future reference.
  • ZoomText is a magnification and reading program tailored for low-vision users
  • Dragon Naturally Speaking provides speech recognition that enables high-quality transcription.
     

Assistive Technology Training

Assistive Technology software programs and tools such as these listed are available for loan to students registered within the Services for Students with Disabilities Office who qualify for their use. Some of these items may be checked out for personal use as well.

Our office provides services that can include:

  • Assistive technology consultations to help you identify available resources and tools that can assist you with your learning.
  • One-on-one assistive technology training to help you understand how to use the resources and tools.
  • Group assistive technology training that allows you to learn in a community of peers.

Adaptive Technology Room

UW-Platteville’s Adaptive Technology Room is located in Karrmann Library, Room 207. Technology available in the Adaptive Technology Room includes

  • Dragon Naturally Speaking
  • Kurzweil 3000
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • Document scanner
  • Topaz Desktop Magnifier

Contact Us

For more information, please contact us at 608.342.1818 or email sswd@uwplatt.edu.